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Poll: Mushrooming/strut mount failure data collection
Welcome to North American Motoring !
Welcome to North American Motoring,
You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!
wait, so BMW has actually published a bulliten about mushrooming?
I don't think the article is accurate. I read it a while ago and asked MINIUSA for a copy of the TSB the article alludes to. I was told by MINIUSA and my dealership service people that no such technical service bulletin exists. Upon reflection I thought it strange that the article made no mention of any TSB number. If you took the time to write the article and such a document exixted why not divulge the identifying number of the document? You may feel differently but I concluded the article was bogus.
so how easy is it to install the M7 plates on the strut towers?? do u just unscrew the bolts and place the plate in and screww the bolts on again? or do u have to take the strut out ???? what should it be torqued to ?
so how easy is it to install the M7 plates on the strut towers??
Very.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniSMan
do u just unscrew the bolts and place the plate in and screww the bolts on again?
Yes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniSMan
or do u have to take the strut out ????
No.
Zip
__________________
www.usminiclub.com Obie: my '05 MINI Cooper - Jet Black, Premium and Sport packages, chrome side vents with white/clear repeaters, M7 STPs, K&N 57i intake, Megan Racing MINI Cooper cat-back exhaust, TSW engine damper, Alta 19mm anti-sway bar, Ian Cull anti-nanny circuit.
25 ft/lbs per Bentley. Even with flat towers you won't get all the threads on. Don't try to torque them down in an attempt to do so or you may end up with a lengthier install. Check M7's website. They don't get the nuts threaded fully in their pics. I just keep an eye on the tower nuts while I'm checking the torque on the wheels every week or two. Hope this helps.
I've been watching discussions like this with interest during the last two weeks.
Hmm, yes, those poll results are less than accurate. Of course very few cars with 18 and 19" rims have these problems. That's because there's a lot less of them out there to begin with.
My MC, with stock suspension and 16" RFs, has slight mushrooming on the right (passenger) side. That's because that side of the car takes all the abuse. The right edge of the road is where all the damage is from run-off and poor drainage. I remember a couple of teeth-rattling hits my car has taken on that side. No wonder there's some mushrooming on that side.
There's a set of M7 tower plates making their way to me as we speak.
__________________
www.usminiclub.com Obie: my '05 MINI Cooper - Jet Black, Premium and Sport packages, chrome side vents with white/clear repeaters, M7 STPs, K&N 57i intake, Megan Racing MINI Cooper cat-back exhaust, TSW engine damper, Alta 19mm anti-sway bar, Ian Cull anti-nanny circuit.
My GP has a slight upward crease about two and a half inches long in the driver side top surface. My MCS (with over 25,000 miles) has totally smooth perfect top surfaces both sides. I know how to drive, I avoid potholes, I've owned many cars over the years and this "mushrooming" is a new one for me. I think what got my GP was a "hidden" expansion joint in the road on Route 66 during MTTS. Yes, I have a set of M7 SRP's coming in, too, putting them on next week after I massage the crease back into submission!
Our '06 MCS Cabrio had mushrooming on the passenger side after less than 6,000 miles and no notable impacts. Wheels are Web-spokes, with 17" run-flats.
The mushrooming didn't look too bad, but it was enough that when I installed the M7 SRP on that side, I couldn't even get all three of the bolts started. After following the directions and flattening the metal back out, everything went together fine. I also have a set ready to go into my new car when it arrives next week. I may even put them on before I drive the car home!
I just purchased a Mini Cooper non supercharged with 16" wheels and no sign of mushrooming. If this problem arises how does a shade tree mechanic fix the problem? Ron
I just purchased a Mini Cooper non supercharged with 16" wheels and no sign of mushrooming. If this problem arises how does a shade tree mechanic fix the problem? Ron
I just did this last night...
And it's the second time they've been "fixed..."
For the first time we went down to Helix and I watched Eric do it... Not too hard... but not pretty either... Fortunately, the rubber mounts are not cracked.
I went to install the M7 plates last night and found mushroomed towers... again... So, out with the tools:
1. Put car on jack stands.
2. Remove wheels
3. remove brake line and wiring from strut brackets
4. unbolt sway bar link (16mm off-set box wrench and 5mm hex wrench)
5. unbolt clamp bolt attaching carrier to strut (18mm socket)
6. push down on lower suspension assembly to free carrier from strut.
7. unbolt three upper mount to tower nuts (13mm) and remove strut
8. I used a combination of a dead-blow hammer and a block of wood to hammer the tower flat, using the M7 plate as a guide.
9. using a bench vise, straighten the strut mount flange as required. Some need more than others. Ours seemed to spring back flat for the most part so little straightening was needed.
10. loosely install strut to tower with the three nuts.
11. line up the strut in the carrier (make sure the link and lines are in proper orientation) and press the carrier on to the strut with a floor jack, going slowly and making sure the rear flange slots into the carrier. Some light grease on the strut helps a bit.
12. Install carrier bolt and torque to 60 ft lbs.
13. Install reinforcement plates (if you have them) and torque to 25 ft lbs (tighten each nut progressively).
14. Install sway bar link nut and torque to 41 ft lbs (have fun with that one... ).
15. Attach brake line/wires to caliper.
16. Install wheels and torque to 85 ft lbs.
If you need to replace the mounts it will add a couple of steps and you'll need a spring compressor. It took me about an hour of wrenching time to do the above on both sides although I did use air tools and have replaced the struts on a MINI before. It took Eric about 30 minutes with air tools and a lift while gabbing with us at the same time.
__________________ "Market research is bunk... the public don't know what they want, it is my job to tell them" - Sir Alec Issigonis
Last edited by IanF : 11-15-2006 at 08:24 AM.
Reason: spelling...
I bought my car with 49K and did not know to look for the mushrooming til after I bought it. When I checked, I had slight mushrooming on the passenger side. I bought Craven Defenders and when I installed them I had some difficulty getting them over the bolt ends because of mushrooming did cause them to lean outward. I did not take a hammer to the mushrooming as some have suggested.
I drove the car about 2K and had the 17" runflats on the car replaced with non runflats (F1 all season). When I had them installed alignment was checked and it was perfect.
__________________ "Sparky"; PS '03 MCS; Premium & C/W Packages; OEM Roofrack; Xenons; 17" S-Lites w/Goodyear Eagle F1 AS; S/B Bonnet Stripes; Union Jack Moonroof & mirrors; K&N Typhoon CAI w/box; Alta 15%, SC Diverter,& 19mm Rear Sway Bar; BRISK plugs, MSD wires, CravenSpeed Defenders; M7 Air Diverter; Euro Shelf; AUX Cable; BlackSheepskin Vest Covers; St. Martin license plate; RMW tune; Dyno'd @ 199.7 hp
It looks like the passenger side is more mushroomed than the driver's side.
People have used a block of wood placed on the strut mount then hit with a big hammer. Others have criticized this because the banging can cause more stress damage as compared to replacing the strut mounts and tightening down the nuts which cause the mount to flatten out slowly.
My '06 MCS has almost 55,000 miles on her now; has been driven from Georgia to Texas twice, to Miami, FL, twice, to Langley, VA, and Charleston, SC countless times. No mushrooming. I have the stock 17" MINI Lites.
I attribute this to installing my M7 Strut tower Reinforcement Plates and Stiffening Bar early in ownership and the fact I ditched the run flats for conventional tires at 20,000 miles. Conventional tires are much more forgiving that the run flats, this is why they make for a better ride. The rock hard siewalls of the run flats cause the vibrations to move to the rest of the car-namely to the shocks and strut towers.
No mystery here, just physics. I would add the following options to your survey:
No Mushrooming-installed Strut Tower Plates early in ownership.
No Mushrooming-installed Strut Tower Plates and replaced Run Flat Tires with conventional tires.
Cassie: 2006 MCS Space Blue/Silver with Premium and Sport Packages/Xenons/K&N CAI/M7 Strut Tower Plates and Reinforcement Bar/DICE iPod Adapter/SIRIUS Satellite Radio/Sony GPS Navigation System/Air Horns/Shorty Antenna/AmsOil/ATE Super Blue Brake Fluid
I have the m7 tuning strut brace but one of the strut tops is still pushed up/cracked. Can it still push up more and break even with the strut brace on?
For anyone thinking about getting some protection. We just got a special from Craven and are passing the savings on to YOU. This week you can get a set of Craven Strut Tower Defenders for only $115.
Check M7's website. They don't get the nuts threaded fully in their pics. I just keep an eye on the tower nuts while I'm checking the torque on the wheels every week or two. Hope this helps.
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"Sparky"; PS '03 MCS; Premium & C/W Packages; OEM Roofrack; Xenons; 17" S-Lites w/Goodyear Eagle F1 AS; S/B Bonnet Stripes; Union Jack Moonroof & mirrors; K&N Typhoon CAI w/box; Alta 15%, SC Diverter,& 19mm Rear Sway Bar; BRISK plugs, MSD wires, CravenSpeed Defenders; M7 Air Diverter; Euro Shelf; AUX Cable; BlackSheepskin Vest Covers; St. Martin license plate; RMW tune; Dyno'd @ 199.7 hp
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