Part number for the Reinforcement Plate Bolts

[Maruzo]

Does anyone have the part number for the reinforcement plate bolts?

This is for a 2003 X5 4.6is.

Much obliged!

[Clavurion]

Nr.4+5

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=31_0521

[Maruzo]

Thanks! Price is now $19 each for the bolt! I'm probably just gonna reuse the factory bolts for now.

[aureliusmax]

Originally Posted by Maruzo

Thanks! Price is now $19 each for the bolt! I'm probably just gonna reuse the factory bolts for now.

I don't see any issue with doing so. Can always upgrade to industrial 8.8 or 12.9 grade metric bolts if your old have stretched.

Also I have been driving without the reinforcement plate, so I can chase and repair leaks. Really it's more of a skid plate, I found no difference in performance driving.

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by aureliusmax

I don't see any issue with doing so. Can always upgrade to industrial 8.8 or 12.9 grade metric bolts if your old have stretched.

Also I have been driving without the reinforcement plate, so I can chase and repair leaks. Really it's more of a skid plate, I found no difference in performance driving.

You should NOT be driving without this plate firmly bolted in place...

It is a REINFORCING plate, to prevent twisting of the sub-frame. You risk cracking your sub-frame by driving without the plate installed properly.

It even states this on the plate....

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ension/2acZkD2

[aureliusmax]

Originally Posted by wpoll

You should NOT be driving without this plate firmly bolted in place...

It is a REINFORCING plate, to prevent twisting of the sub-frame. You risk cracking your sub-frame by driving without the plate installed properly.

It even states this on the plate....

From a practical engineering standpoint, I don't see any proof of that actually occurring. Given the size of the frame, materials, etc and a number of other manufacturers that don't have this plate.
I can see it acting as a stiffening brace and a skid plate from off road debris, but if that thin plate is not there having the front frame crack in half is just preposterous.

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by aureliusmax

From a practical engineering standpoint, I don't see any proof of that actually occurring. Given the size of the frame, materials, etc and a number of other manufacturers that don't have this plate.
I can see it acting as a stiffening brace and a skid plate from off road debris, but if that thin plate is not there having the front frame crack in half is just preposterous.

Seems you don't care to take the advice of BMW engineers - your call.

It's works like the thin diagonal brace in wall framing in a house - it prevents the shape from twisting (and cracking the welded joints).

But hey, it's your car.

[aureliusmax]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Seems you don't care to take the advice of BMW engineers - your call.

It's works like the thin diagonal brace in wall framing in a house - it prevents the shape from twisting (and cracking the welded joints).

But hey, it's your car.

BMW engineers are quite a failed lot. Cost cutting without passing savings onto the customer, replace heavy duty metal pieces with plastic components, hollowing out quality of materials...
and Don't change your transmission fluid, it's "life-time"
can go watch scotty kilmer on youtube to find out why BMW's are some of the worse quality mechanically engineered cars for dependability .

How many have you seen on E53 with the brace removed with cracked welds ? This is a 20 year old car there should be enough instances by now.

[cn90]

1+,

Agree with @aureliusmax.

While investigating an oil leak, I left out this aluminum plate for weeks while chasing the leak (turned out to be the return hose to the PS Pump, easy fix).
I drove around for weeks w/o the plate.
Zero issues whatsoever. Yes, I re-used the bolts a few times. Zero issues.

E46 3-series has no plate, E39 5-series has no plate, E83 X3 has a tiny plate.

Every time there is a thread like this, there are armchair generals coming out saying:
- You must use new bolts.
- You must drive with the plate.
Or the sky will be falling....These are the people that believe the BMW engineers like a Bible.

Then there are those of us who don't believe everything BMW engineers tell us. We challenge their wisdom...

This topic (re-use the bolt, and can one drive without the plate) has been beaten to death. For more entertainment, people should search for that thread.

PS: if we want to advance society, we need to challenge the conventional wisdom...

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by cn90

...

Every time there is a thread like this, there are armchair generals coming out saying:
- You must use new bolts.
- You must drive with the plate.
Or the sky will be falling....These are the people that believe the BMW engineers like a Bible. ...

I never said you must use new bolts (and I don't).

I did say you should never drive without the plate installed. Guilty as charged. Was quoting BMW on that...

I never said anything about the sky or the bible... or believing everything BMW say. Which I don't.

What I WAS trying to say (and I didn't make the point very well) - just because we don't understand the reason for a design consideration doesn't make it wrong.

Again, wild guess on my part - the X5 was marketed as an all-road vehicle (unlike the e46 for example) so BMW probably added a bunch of extra design considerations because of this.

In normal use, I also doubt that having the reinforcing plate off will cause any issues - I was just trying to point out that stating it has zero structural effect is just plain incorrect.

And you don't need to be an engineer to see that...