Crank Bolt Capture

[SoupPlug]

Anyone running the bolt capture solution from Vargas and pushing Stage 2 500+ HP? I know they as well as many other (MaxPSI, Gintani) offer a full solution but I was hoping to get an idea of how many people have just gotten by with the bolt capture alone. I'm FBO but no tune so far, would like to run BM3 in the near future

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by SoupPlug

Anyone running the bolt capture solution from Vargas and pushing Stage 2 500+ HP? I know they as well as many other (MaxPSI, Gintani) offer a full solution but I was hoping to get an idea of how many people have just gotten by with the bolt capture alone. I'm FBO but no tune so far, would like to run BM3 in the near future

It's recommended to run both, see Post #171:

▀▄ eas | VTT "SplineLock" CrankHub Installation Overview for S55
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1561598

[Rotzy]

There are definitely more than a few of us in the same boat as you: We want to tune, but are worried about a SCH. I, like you, would like to do something preventative, but am unwilling to spend $3-5k on a preventative measure for something that may or, more likely, may not break on my engine. This is where the Crank Bolt Capture is appealing. It's inexpensive and fairly easy to install.

Unfortunately, no one is going to tell us anything other than "it's not the complete solution". tom @ eas does a nice job explaining why the Crank Bolt Capture alone will not necessarily prevent a SCH in this post. However, there are some people, like CloudVIII, who have suffered multiple SCHs and, to my knowledge, have had no further failures since the installation of the Crank Bolt Capture. This gives me hope. I know it's not the full solution to the SCH problem, but I would rather do a little something in hopes that it will work than do nothing.

I am heavily leaning towards installing it before I take the car out of hibernation and then doing a light tune (ie. BM3 CS or CS+). I would like to perform the work myself, as the installation of the part itself seems fairly straight forward, but what I don't know is how much $hit has to be removed in the front of the engine to access the pulley.

EDIT:

Crank Bolt Capture installed. My DIY can be found here.

[overlook637]

Originally Posted by cntzl

This is probably what I'm going to do as well except for installing it myself

same for me

[Bruno_Frascino]

same bump!

[Chris@VargasTurboTech]

Definitely recommended to run both, but the CBC by itself will provide some degree of protection; remember, as stated already nicely by Tom @ EAS, there is more than one cause of slipping a hub. This takes care of one cause... the spline lock does the other.


Chris

[yjypm]

If someone has a SCH with the bolt capture he will more than likely post it on the forum. Since no one has done so you can assume it's somewhat effective so far. However, I suppose the sample size is pretty small.

[///BMW Junkie]

How much labor to get it installed?

[ssgm1x]

Question:
What happens if the Crank Bolt Capture does not line up with the Crank Bolt and other bolts?
I have heard this, not sure how was resolved or if special tools were needed to get it to line up.

[Chris@VargasTurboTech]

Can replace crank bolt and if necessary give 'er a touch extra to ensure it lines up, we have had some guys just give a little more to the installed crank bolt (not recommended... but we've seen it done), and others that were close but didn't want to do either of the options above just enlarged the holes a touch to accommodate existing alignment.

Chris

[cbrtrx]

Originally Posted by cntzl

Does anyone know how many hours of labor the bolt capture requires?

My friend and I did mine, I'd say about 4 hours labor should be the normal amount.

I also feel that since the capture holes are slotted and the bolt head itself has 6 sides, the capture could be turned so that at some point it would line up with out worries.

[///BMW Junkie]

Originally Posted by cbrtrx

My friend and I did mine, I'd say about 4 hours labor should be the normal amount.

I also feel that since the capture holes are slotted and the bolt head itself has 6 sides, the capture could be turned so that at some point it would line up with out worries.

Due to a small sample of people running just the capture, well any hub fix in general, could you please elaborate on your experience?

- How many miles with the capture?
- How you spun the hub before?
- Mods?

Thanks.

[Rotzy]

Originally Posted by cbrtrx

My friend and I did mine, I'd say about 4 hours labor should be the normal amount.

I also feel that since the capture holes are slotted and the bolt head itself has 6 sides, the capture could be turned so that at some point it would line up with out worries.

Would you mind elaborating on your installation experience? How much stuff had to come out to get to the pully? I'm hoping to tackle this myself and I'm looking for any info/tips you have.

[MR RIZK]

Originally Posted by Chris@VargasTurboTech

Can replace crank bolt and if necessary give 'er a touch extra to ensure it lines up, we have had some guys just give a little more to the installed crank bolt (not recommended... but we've seen it done), and others that were close but didn't want to do either of the options above just enlarged the holes a touch to accommodate existing alignment.

Chris

A touch off and enlarging the slot is ok but would be great if VTT offered two options 1/ standard clocking and 2/ one that is clocked with another 10 degrees for example.

As part of this you have a buy back scheme for 70% of its value and sell option 2 for msrp and then re on sell the buyback for msrp. Or even better a 3D printable template that u can print yourself to test prior.

Yeah I know all this effort for a 100 buck item probably not worth it.

[MR RIZK]

BTW Chris@VargasTurboTech are you able to confirm if the coolant for low-temperature circuit needs to be drained and the electrical pump needs to be removed to allow removal of the fan cowl and electric fan.

The BMW TIS alludes that this is required to access the vibration damper.

[Bmwlmr99]

Was at the circuit of America's race, talked to several teams ( bmw m4 gt4 ) no one was running any type of crank bolt mod etc....cars are stock except cat removal...suspension, aero , chassis and brakes are upgraded

[Bmwlmr99]

They run these cars hard for an hour or more , some 24hr events....downshifting and upshifts constantly...no issues with sch

[cbrtrx]

Originally Posted by Rotzy

Would you mind elaborating on your installation experience? How much stuff had to come out to get to the pully? I'm hoping to tackle this myself and I'm looking for any info/tips you have.

I feel mechanical experience is necessary for this job. A lift helps, you need to get under the car to remove the skid plates to access the lower fan shroud bolts and to also disconnect the intercooler pump as well as radiator hoses in the way. The drivers side intake tube and the carbon strut bar are removed. The fan comes out thru the top after completely disconnecting all the hoses/lines/plugs in the way, it's a very snug fit. Then you can access the hub. If you are careful you can remove all the bolts and the crank pulley will stay in place otherwise its possible for it to fall off. I held it in place while my friend threaded in the bolts for the capture. Having 2 people definitely helps. When he did his by himself the pulley did come off, the pulley sits on a small ledge on the hub. Then when all done you can reassemble and fill the radiator and intercooler tanks and heat cycle the car and top off again. I see no issue with the capture fitting simply because it can be turned 6 times if the bolts don't line up the first time. I'd say the odds of it not fitting after rotating it are pretty slim.

As far as it working all I can say there is a car in our area over 650 rwhp for about 2 years with just the capture on it. Another car in our area with nothing on it spun the hub at around 570 rwhp just from acceleration. In cases where the bolt loosens the capture would prevent that issue. Seems like 3 ways why it spins. Either the friction disc deteriorates/fails, the bolt backs out or it was just not torqued enough from the factory so the hub will just spin at any power level at some point regardless.

[cbrtrx]

Originally Posted by Bmwlmr99

They run these cars hard for an hour or more , some 24hr events....downshifting and upshifts constantly...no issues with sch

I have a feeling those engines are replaced often. I also feel they are assembled to a higher standard then factory production.

[overlook637]

Originally Posted by cbrtrx

If you are careful you can remove all the bolts and the crank pulley will stay in place otherwise its possible for it to fall off. I held it in place while my friend threaded in the bolts for the capture. Having 2 people definitely helps. When he did his by himself the pulley did come off, the pulley sits on a small ledge on the hub. .

what bolts are you removing on the crank pulley?

[overlook637]

Do we know if the crank bolt is robot installed or hand installed when factory assembled?

[Chris@VargasTurboTech]

Originally Posted by MR RIZK

BTW Chris@VargasTurboTech are you able to confirm if the coolant for low-temperature circuit needs to be drained and the electrical pump needs to be removed to allow removal of the fan cowl and electric fan.

The BMW TIS alludes that this is required to access the vibration damper.

Nope! Just drop the fan. Very simple.