Ok, so Mark is telling me I need to get something for mushrooming, I don't like mushrooms and avoid them if possible so I assume that Ziggy feels the same way. I read the post with the poll about mushrooming and everyone has an opinion. So, I need your guys help.

Strut Bars

Strut plates

Ireland thing

Which is the way to go and why?

Thank you,

 

Snake oil.

 

I went with an m7 strut tower brace, because i wanted to prevent mushrooming and it added better handling, but if you don't care about improving handling go with the m7 strut reinforcement plates
they talk about the effects and have lots of useful information

 

Of course, avoiding potholes is always good, but nearly impossible where I live. Based on recommendations from people I trust, I went with the M7 Strut Tower Brace, which includes the plates.

 

what she did not say is that we live in north east ohio in snow belt country. pot holes are a way of life even in the summer time, so it is my opinion that she need to do somthing.

 

I'm not a strut tower brace guy. Had one once and I believe that they are more bling than improvement. Just my $.02 worth.

 

I have the M7 Strut tower Reinforcement Plates on my MC and my MCS, and they do a fine job of preventing mushrooming of the strut towers. No, they do not improve handling, but they cost a lot less that a strut bar and they DO give peace of mind when encountering the dreaded Ohio Springtime potholes.

BTW, I believe the "Ireland things" refer to camber plates, made by Ireland Engineering.

 

I like to strut my stuff too. I have an M7 Strut bar. I do not believe it will clear the bonnet on your Cooper.

I recommend doing 2 things.

1. Get sme M7 or another brand of strut plates. They will help.

2. Get rid of those runflat tires.

If you see these call me.

 

No strut brace for the lowley MC's :(

Welshman I thought with your low octain gas use mushrooming would not be a concern?

 

It only fits the MCS somewhat mutated bulldog snout. It won't clear that beautiful Cooper bonnet. IMO I'd get a set of those plates on there. They do fit.

 

Please do not concern yourself about the grade of gas I use. Both my MINIs run just fine, tyvm. Besides, any idiot knows that octane has NO bearing on mushrooming, unless, of course, he deliberately steers his hi-test car into that sea of potholes afftectionately known as Ohio highways and Interstates. Then, he richly [as in OCTANE POWER...I need OCTANE POWER] deserves whatever mushrooming he gets!

 

I've tried in vain to follow this. When my great aunt went mushrooming in the woods of Indiana, we got some tasty meals out of it.

Wha? Struts? Just tell me if I should be concerned about something....

 

You actually should be concerned, it is a common problem in Mini's, check out info about mushrooming here

 

OK here's the skinny on mushroomed strut mounts. It appears MINI under designed the car where the front struts mount. Over time given enough pot holes the struts try to push the place where they mount on the car up. That is what is refereed to as mushrooming.

There are plates available that reinforce that part on your MINI. They don't cost too very much & are easy for weedhoopers or even silverbacks to install.

Aaron may be able to get these for you.

http://www.m7tuning.com/parts/produc...products_id=30

 

I have the M7 strut tower brace - it's pretty and functional, providing strut reinforcement and a little bit more stability up front. I installed it at about 15k miles and my strut towers were already showing signs of mushrooming. The brace plates will not fit the strut towers if there is any mushrooming so I had to pound them down with a 2x4 and hammer.

 

So, the plates alone are ~$130 and the entire brace is $200. I'd go with the brace. It's only $70 more... With all the money people save by using 87 octane fuel...

 

I went with the M7 brace, mostly for the strut tower protection aspect. I just can't feel that its added any stiffness to the structure of the car. Cooper's can't run that strut brace. It will hit the hood. Only works on the MCS.

I'd recommend just the plates & buy your buddy Chuck a mushroom pizza with the money saved.

 

if i only had a brigeport with cnc retro at home i could make one for her car. um come to think of it i would make one for my car the to. just me but i would think that suport would work better if it were onder the tower ???

 

Thanks. I've got the mushroom picture... the little M7 movie was most informative. I took a field trip to the garage with flashlight and corgis and hunted mushrooms.
At this point, I didn't see any, but adding the plates sounds like something I should do.

The bar reminds me of a thing I had to wear on my feet as a child....

 

Thank you everyone for all your imput. As a bar will not fit on my car, I will have to get the supports.

 

The M7 plates are half inch machined aluminum plate, cut to exact size. They fit right on top of the strut towers and screw down using the same strut tower nuts. For about $100, you just can't get better peace of mind.
If you are into colored plates [the basic color is black], you can get them from Waylen@waymotorworks.com He has them made for him by M7, and they will dress up your engine compartment interior, if you like that. On my Cooper, they are black, but my MCS has burnt orange ones, to go with the dragon eyes.

 

I had never thought of them coming in colors. Since today is the first time I have seen under the bonnet, color doesn't matter. Now if I could have pirates that would be a totally different story.

 

Fond memories of my youth. A time when this is what I was what I meant when I said shrooms. To be young and care free.