Have any of you bought/installed these?

http://www.cravenspeed.com/index.php?productID=81

Do you think they are necessary?

Thanks!

 

The issue that they address is a problem for a small fraction of one percent of MINI owners. Most of those afflicted have big heavy wheels and/or hard suspensions. If you have one or both of those, it's worth considering.

If such products fit underneath the shock tower instead of on top of it, they might actually help. Unfortunately, they are on the wrong side of the part that gets bent - not an optimal design, to say the least. Strut-top plates would work a lot better if they were just a flat 1/8" steel plate that fit between the strut-top and the tower, to distribute the impacts that cause problems over a larger area.

Of course, then the plates wouldn't be a 10-minute installation, and wouldn't add any pretty-colored bling, and they couldn't charge as much for them. One could even make such actually-functional plates at home with a hacksaw (shhh - don't tell).

 

Yes, but none the less, they do the intended job of protecting the strut tops of the unibody from getting deformed. And I would say this happens to many more than "a small fraction of 1 percent of MINI owners".

See this thread for more info https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=78629

I opted for the M7 variety(because of the strut bar), but I think the craven speed versions are very nice pieces.

 

Thanks for your replies.

I am not very mechanically inclined, anymore, it says to use a torque wrench- don't have one- will have to buy one? Is it difficult to install? Does the car need to be off the gound? Anything I can screw up?

 

Might want to think about an FSTB instead

 

ok, what is a FSTB?

 

There roughly 200 reports of some degree of strut-top deformation on the sticky thread. There have been roughly 250,000 MINI's sold in the US (very rough number - I don't know what the tally is currently - probably higher). That's a small fraction of one percent.

Also, the issue strikes mainly on cars with 17" or larger wheels, again, according to the sticky thread.

And you don't need a torque wrench, just a regular old metric wrench to remove/replace the six bolts.

 

Thanks. The instructions said torque wrench- but if I can use a metric, that would be simple enough for even me??

 

I'll gurantee that the reported number is much less than what's out there...Personally, I think it's cheap insurance. But I do agree with you, no torque wrench needed, no need to jack up.

On the Cravenspeeds, you remove the 6 nuts from the current strut top, install the 6 Nut/Studs, put the plates on, and put the supplied nuts on. 30 minutes tops

 

Lowering springs as a possible cause are not reported in the sticky thread, but bottoming out your shocks repeatedly would be a sure way to make the problem occur sooner or later.

The number is almost certainly at least ten times as high as reported in the sticky thread - that still makes it a fraction of one percent.

 

I got the M7 plates about a year ago, and I have no regrets. It's better to be safe than sorry...

 

Thanks! any idea waht the size wrench is?

My Clubman comes in Moday, picking it up Wed., will do the install Wednesday.

 

I put an M7 bar on my car the day it came home. I took it off and sold it and put Craven plates on a month later. Wouldn't you know...the right shock tower wasn't flat.

 

I'd say this is more of an indication of people responding to the poll rahter than a true indication of tower damage. Keep in mind only a very percentagenumber of owners participate in forums... and there are many MINI owners that never open the bonnet of their cars... basically: that poll is utterly worthless.

I've installed a number of tower reinforcement plates in a wide variety of cars. I'll say that nearly every car I've looked at has had tower deformation of some kind. And maybe 10% have suspension mods and there is a wide variety of wheel/tire combinations from lowered cars with 17" RF's to Holies with 15" non-RF's. The only car with no damage? Our MCc that we bought new.... and installed M7 plates immediately upon arriving at home (less than 90 miles).

I will concur that the M7 plates are not fail-proof. Our MCS still mushroomed a bit after having them for some time. Personally, I'm not pleased with how well they fit. IMO, the Craven plates fit better. We installed IE fixed camber plates mainly to help reinforce the tower from below with Craven plates on top. Keeping our fingers crossed...

 

Not to burst the bubble but the product you are inquiring about is for the older mini the r53/50/52 I do not think these will even fit on the clubman, be sure to post in the correct forums as i think many think you are referring to an older model mini.

 

according to the site, They have one for the clubman now too:

Fits these MINI models:
02-06 Hatchback
04-08 Convertible
07+ Hatchback
08+ Clubman

 

WOW, I seriously like the Craven plates better than the M7 plates I was considering buying, Can anyone tell me if the plates come with the required bolts to fit them, the adapter bolts? they are listed as an option on the webpage listed above?

If they work as well as they look then they are golden, I may as well give it a try.

cheers. Peter

 

YES, they do come with the bolts and the fit is perfect!

You'll need a deep socket or ratchet 9/16 wrench and an adjustable crecent. took me 20 minutes and I am not one to work on cars- but so happy I did.
They look great too!

I would highly recommend buying them.

 

By the way, the pepper white with the red strut defenders in the online catalog picture is my car
http://www.cravenspeed.com/index.php?productID=104

 

I bought them from OutMotoring. Great service. I have a Cooper Clubman and they fit perfect.

 

buying them today, thanks! Peter

 

Cravenspeed STDs? Sounds contagious

I keed I keed I have their pulley and even though all reduction pullies are similar I love the 3 bolt design. It just looks clean to me.

 

wow, those do look kinda nice.

i'll take a look maybe next month. thanks for the info guys.

 

The funny thing is that everyone (I am a new MINI owner) is saying that the towers, when new are totally flat on top. But in the cravenspeed website, the photo of them installed shows a tower that looks just like mine, just a slight uptick in the tower top on the Vin area. I compared mine to other minis in the dealer and they all looked the same as this,

I am trying to decide if the craven or M7 plates are better, I like the look of the cravens better (but thats not the point in buying them is it?) but the M7 plates certainly appear to cover more area on the tower top

Any ideas? Peter

 

They're not flat on top.

The Cravens come with the bolt extender that gives much more hold and support, especially when you figure in the extra height of the STD w/o bolt extenders.