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I wish I could put 15" wheels on my MINI. I have a 2010 Mini clubman S, and 16" is the smallest I can go. Since they made the brakes larger on the second generation MINI's. I will be getting snow tires for next winter to put on my 16" wheels that I got recently.
I had a bit of mushrooming on both sides and a cracked passenger side strut mount. When I bought the car it had 64K on it with 17" wheels and runflats. I ditched the runflats immediately after taking it home. Not too long ago I intalled some IE fixed camber plates to cure the strut mount issue, and added some M7 STPs to stop the mushrooming from coming back.
Well noticed a pull to the left and started to look for the culprit. The drivers side tower is showing signs of mushrooming. No cracks yet.
50K
205-45/17
__________________
Tim
2006 MCS CheckMate, 1966 Tempest
1994 Ducati 900SSCR
I don't have metal strut tower mushrooming but I am having trouble with the top bearing rubber bushing radial cracks/tears. Factory bushings cracked.
I am using the Ireland Engineering Fixed Camber Plates. I think they attach a BMW Z4 bearing to their fixed camber plate product.
In my case the IE fixed camber plates bearing-bushing had some cracks at 15 months with only 5366 miles. 68 of those miles were on a paved road course circuit, race track. I'm at 27 months and 9873 miles (total of 90 track miles) and they have severe radial cracks or tears. I'm using DOT tires and not run flats.
Anyone else having this issue with IE product besides 'donjulio'?
I just sent details and photographs to Ireland Engineering to see what they recommend.
The first photograph is of the right front strut top bearing-bushing with radial cracks or tears. Second photograph is the left front.
11 October 2011 Update. Jeff, Ireland Engineering, agreed that the condition of these upper strut bearings is abnormal and he is helping me get this corrected. I bought the product from Dustin at AutoXCooper and he has been very supportive as well. A big thanks to Jeff and Dustin.
__________________ 2006 MINI Cooper S, John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, Chili Red & black, 18" JCW R105 wheels, Ireland Engineering front fixed camber plates
Last edited by Cooper_Climax; 10-11-2011 at 07:09 PM.
Reason: Update after talking with vendors
'02MC with 120k on it, regularly autocrossed with hooiser A6 tires. I'll take the blame
What is the technical term for that part and where can I get them cheap?
Strut mounts. Don't cheap out or even go for stock replacements. For a little more you can get Ireland Engineering's fixed camber plates, which are considerably thicker than the stock plates (i.e., won't flex and allow the tower to mushroom), and you get a little extra negative camber to help with the turns in the autocross....
If you have the tools (a jack, stands, spring compressors or a reallly big guy to lean on the strut mount while you start the nut, and an impact wrench) you can do these yourself in an hour, easily.
I went this route, and I *love* the way the car handles now. Now I'm waiting on polyurethane control arm bushings to arrive to upgrade those--the originals are toast....
HTH!
C ya,
Dutch
__________________ Oh, let me have just a little bit of peril? Mods list: Blue Sharpie Mod and many others....
Thanks for the advice, Dutch. Money's not the issue, it's the class-bumping that even the fixed camber plates would do. Unfortunately I'm stuck with OEM replacements. I kept seeing $40/side everywhere and was trying to hunt those down. Realoem.com shows $88 "qty 2" for newer models, but I've got a 02/02, so my guess is that's why I'm seeing $120ish there and that's the cheapest I'm going to find.
Well noticed a pull to the left and started to look for the culprit. The drivers side tower is showing signs of mushrooming. No cracks yet.
50K
205-45/17
same here. did you change it already? i'm having a slight mushrooming in the driver side. would also like to ask, what parts should i get when doing this stuff? eg. new top plates, m7 strut bar, topbearing? tia
Thanks for the advice, Dutch. Money's not the issue, it's the class-bumping that even the fixed camber plates would do. Unfortunately I'm stuck with OEM replacements. I kept seeing $40/side everywhere and was trying to hunt those down. Realoem.com shows $88 "qty 2" for newer models, but I've got a 02/02, so my guess is that's why I'm seeing $120ish there and that's the cheapest I'm going to find.
Ah, k, hadn't thought about the class-bump phenomenon. They really make the front end grab a lot better in a turn, though. I've seen the stock ones for similar prices to the ones you mentioned. Replacement's about the same as I described above--just a different part....
C ya,
Dutch
__________________ Oh, let me have just a little bit of peril? Mods list: Blue Sharpie Mod and many others....
Yeah I've done enough racing to know how much I miss the lack of camber my car has Hopefully the rear bar I can run this year in HS will help it rotate better and I won't miss the camber as much!
Looks like Realoem is spot on with their pricing, just more expensive because I have one of the earlier cars.
Cristo .... and his trusty BRG/BRG MC Bliksem 
