Beans
Addicted CEG'er
hmmmm..
Jb weld.
Lots of it.
:laugh:
Jb weld.
Lots of it.
:laugh:
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My Rear Strut Tower is Broken.. Structural Advice!
- Thread starter qbcsvt
- Start date
zorrex
Enjoys the Abuse
I actually disagree with those who say rust played a part. Reason being is that the front, inside area of the strut tower completely SEVERED, which is NOT normal for most metals (what is the exact composition of the frame/body anyways? 
steel?). Even if the back side on the outside by the trunk was rusted as you say, that doesn't justify how the front just ripped apart like that. I think there was some sort of other previous structural damage, which was why I asked if there had been an improperly placed strut tower brace...
steel?). Even if the back side on the outside by the trunk was rusted as you say, that doesn't justify how the front just ripped apart like that. I think there was some sort of other previous structural damage, which was why I asked if there had been an improperly placed strut tower brace...muntus
Veteran CEG'er
I actually disagree with those who say rust played a part. Reason being is that the front, inside area of the strut tower completely SEVERED, which is NOT normal for most metals (what is the exact composition of the frame/body anyways?
It looks like the rusted area created a pivot point for the rest of the tower to twist and shear off.:shrug:
zorrex
Enjoys the Abuse
That makes absolutely no sense. I took a good long look (being an engineer), and I have deduced the cracks started right in the middle, where the three cracks meet. This is why I asked, again, if a strut tower bar was improperly placed. I think they started here, and have slowly creeped around the tower. Think what you want, but I think it started here:
Desiato
Hard-core CEG'er
I actually disagree with those who say rust played a part. Reason being is that the front, inside area of the strut tower completely SEVERED, which is NOT normal for most metals (what is the exact composition of the frame/body anyways?
It looks like the outer top rear corner of the strut tower broke while under pressure -- possibly due to corrosion -- and tore the front inner corner and side.
Close-up of the corroded break:
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb242/qbshurafa/4-20-08RearPassengerInstall016.jpg
The area is clearly corroded and you can see the rust run-off from it in this image:
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb242/qbshurafa/4-20-08RearPassengerInstall017.jpg
The other side is clean:
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb242/qbshurafa/4-20-08RearPassengerInstall018.jpg
Because the front tear has no corrosion vs the rear with lots of corrosion, it seems that the corrosion was present before the damage as opposed to being a result of it.
zorrex
Enjoys the Abuse
I don't want to sit here and argue, but it is very obvious that the damage had to have started toward the front of the tower. It is severing FROM FRONT TO BACK. So how could it start in the back and sever from front to back? It makes no sense.
Desiato
Hard-core CEG'er
Because the strut tower relies on its entire structure for support in different situations. Instead of supporting the front when the front corner/inner side were under load on a turn, the rear seam of tower broke from the unibody -- again, possibly due to corrosion that was obviously present before the front was damaged
I'm not an engineer and my theory may be circumstantial, but it's hard to pass off all of that corrosion by the damaged rear area as coincidental.
I believe the stiffened suspension would have aggravated this issue too, channeling more energy to the struts.
muntus
Veteran CEG'er
I guess I don't see your point. I still want to think that the rusted area(the one that was rusted through) that ties the strut tower to the inner fender somehow contributed to the failure. qbcsvt said there was no rstb installed, the picture shows no evidence of one, and nothing I can see shows any damage to that area(besides the tear).
Of course, I'm no engineer.
I'm just a human being with two good eyes, so I can only go on what I see. And what I see is rust. Maybe if I took a good long look(being an engineer), I could dismiss the rust really fast.:nonono:zorrex
Enjoys the Abuse
Another thing to think about is that after the damage occurred, there would have been bare metal exposed to rust. How many of us have water in our trunks and actually have rust from it? I don't think there are that many. I think the rust came afterwards...
muntus
Veteran CEG'er
zorrex, but if you think the metal teared "slowly creeped around the tower," wouldn't there be some rust on the surface of the exposed steel? Know what I mean?:shrug:
zorrex
Enjoys the Abuse
Yes I do, but water wouldn't come around the whole side of the tower. It would only be in the ridges, as can be seen on the back outside. There also appears to be some on the front inside...
muntus
Veteran CEG'er
To me, that looks like assembly glue, but I don't even know if there is any there because I've never looked on my car.
striker2
Official CEG Vendor
also, the rust on the rear of the tower does not appear to be significant enough to actually do anything. it looks like its just surface rust to me, although it is kind of difficult to really tell from a picture, it doesnt look like there is any place that the rust actually goes all the way through the metal.
muntus
Veteran CEG'er
I hope you can find an easy solution to the problem, i.e. another car to swap your parts to. If you can, I think you have a candidate for a RWD car.
todras
Pretty fly for a white guy *cowbell*
....only ever seen one close to that, so here are few options.1)car had a broken rear spring 2)had a broken spring and/or hit a large pot hole...only way that could rip on clean metal and have a clean break...Unless the car has had major repair in that area (Note, a lot of the suspension mount body panels are defined as 'high strength steel', as per my 'ol body diagams etc) 'if' this area had a bad repair it's possible...but the cracking and rust stain also tells part of the story.This would be a major job to effect a safe repair..TH
I don't think it really matters how the tear happened. It happened and now it needs to be repaired. I still think that the cost of the repair would not be worth it. I think, like others have said, find a rust free donor car and transfer all of your upgrades. Just my opinion.
zorrex
Enjoys the Abuse
I highly disagree. If it can be determined that the failure was a direct result of a bad casting, then I think a case could be made against Ford on this. If it was a result of rust, then nothing can be done...
SVTJON87
Hard-core CEG'er
holy ! now i wanna look at my RSTB! i really hope everything works out and if its fords fault i really hope they step up.
! now i wanna look at my RSTB! i really hope everything works out and if its fords fault i really hope they step up.muntus
Veteran CEG'er
I highly agree with zorrex, but for different reasons. I just want to know if I can prevent this from happening to me. I've put like a million pounds of eDead in my trunk and have a rstb, so I'm scared to death because I can't see what's going on in there.
Desiato
Hard-core CEG'er
Why are people worried about their rstb's when qbcsvt wasn't using one? I don't think a properly placed rstb would cause that to happen anyway.
I think the damage has to be relatively recent or the tear on the side would also have corrosion, especially considering we just exited winter. The bare metal of the tear looks clean to me.
qbcsvt has noted moisture in the trunk. I think the carpet behind the seat is discolored too. Regardless of what caused the strut tower failure, there is a trail of rust coming from the tower and what appears to be signs of sitting water and discolored carpet behind the seat.
Whatever the case may be here, strut tower failures that I see and hear about here in Ottawa on other vehicles are usually from corrosion. They're not that uncommon here, in my personal experience. Damaged/leaking exterior seals can stealthily destroy your car, especially in a hostile climate.
I think the damage has to be relatively recent or the tear on the side would also have corrosion, especially considering we just exited winter. The bare metal of the tear looks clean to me.
qbcsvt has noted moisture in the trunk. I think the carpet behind the seat is discolored too. Regardless of what caused the strut tower failure, there is a trail of rust coming from the tower and what appears to be signs of sitting water and discolored carpet behind the seat.
Whatever the case may be here, strut tower failures that I see and hear about here in Ottawa on other vehicles are usually from corrosion. They're not that uncommon here, in my personal experience. Damaged/leaking exterior seals can stealthily destroy your car, especially in a hostile climate.