I have three questions. First, I can't find anywhere here where there is a how-to for this. I looked through the thread linked in the "ultimate DIY" thread about mushrooming and strut mounts, and there are about 20 pages. I looked through page 5 and gave up. Seems like any how-to should be edited into the very beginning. And this makes me wonder if this is too much for a DIYer. I found a few things on youtube, but they kind of talk around replacing it, but not explicitly focusing on replacing it.

Second, the shop (indy mini service place) did the other things that needed to be done but didn't seem to push the replacement yet. But when I look at the mount, it is clearly ripped around three quarters of the way around. What happens when that rips through, maybe on the next bump? Unless there's something I don't understand, it seems like this mount should be replaced yesterday.

Last, are there aftermarket mounts that are better than OEM? That looks like a pretty cheesy design.

If it matters, I have mushrooming, too.

Thanks,
Mike Todd

 

Any aftermarket camber plates won't rip. Some craven STDs or m7 SRPs would help with the mushrooming. You have to pull the entire strut assembly out to take off the strut mount. Use a spring compressor if you value your livelihood. Its simple to take them off as well. Just pop off the dust cap and take an impact gun to the nut on top and its apart. Just do the opposite reinstalling. A good writeup can be found here: http://www.billswebspace.com/R53Spri...stallation.htm

 

The strut MOUNT is diffent from mushrooming....the mounts BOLTS to the mushrooming part....the mushrooming parts Must be bashed into place, made flat, and rewelded or replaced, then the struts be instlled on new mounts to the formerly mushroomed parts.....

 

Hi Mike,

Here are two links that will help you.

I am doing the strut tower reenforcement on top and bottom :

Here are the parts:

Top : http://www.cravenspeed.com/strut-tower-defenders/
Bottom : http://www.madnessmotorworks.com/mad...nt-plates.aspx

The craftmenship from both of these companies is EXCELLANT.

I did a lot of research on this project...so I am saving you a lot of time here.

The HOW TO :

Pelican web site is a GREAT site to go to for step by step repairs in their "Technical Info Center"

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...te_Install.htm

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm

Good Luck on your project.

Keep us informed.

 

Zippy,
I hate to question what you say on here because you give so much good advice, but this time I think you are a little misguided.

The IE camber plates from Way Motor Works both are strut mounts and control mushrooming.
These plates include new heavy duty upper strut bearings and a thick 3/16 inch plate to prevent mushrooming on the strut towers.

http://www.waymotorworks.com/ireland...e-r50-r53.html

Please feel free to correct me if I am misleading someone on this.
Thanks

 

One drawback of under-tower reinforcement plates is that added lift it causes. I prefer more low than high.. I went for topmounted cravens for anti-mushrooming.

 

The IE fixed camber plates are awesome. IMO a must do for all R53s unless you want adjustable mounts. The stock mounts are rubbish.

- Andrew

 

When the strut towers mushroom, BOTH the towers AND the upper strut mounts mushroom TOGETHER. Correcting the mushrooming by using the 2x4 method will flatten out BOTH (provided that you leave the nuts in place on top as you're beating on the towers), unless you choose to replace the upper strut mounts at the same time. When I added my Cravenspeed STD's several months back, I flattened both using a 2x4 and a sledgehammer. I ended up replacing my upper strut mounts a couple of weeks ago anyway, after I found out the one of the mounts was cracked about half way around it. From what I understand, when a crack is observed, the upper mount needs to be changed, but it is not an immediate requirement. The rubber bushing in the mount supports the weight of the vehicle, and the crack starts at the top of the rubber. As it spreads, it will spread circumferentially and downwards through the rubber bushing. Until it has done that, it will continue to support the weight of the vehicle. I drove on mine for about a month before I changed it with no issues. (I marked it with some whiteout, and drove it for about a month before I got around to doing the swap, and the crack did not grow in that time.) However, caution should be heeded during that time to avoid large bumps and potholes to lessen the chance of it spreading. In the worst case, when the rubber bushing tears through fully, the upper spring perch will then be resting on the metal portion of the upper strut mount - you'll feel it and hear it at that point. Any "dukes of hazzards" types of jumps subsequent to that will then result in the strut and rubber bushing pulling out of the mount from below with unpleasant results.

As to the DIY aspect of it, it is a fairly simple process. Although I've done strut replacements before, I found that this DIY was helpful:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ll-how-to.html (the first page was sufficient). The billswebspace one is a very good one also. Several things were key to me:

- use PB blaster liberally on the pinch bolt and knuckle (where the strut housing slides into).
- I chose NOT to use an impact wrench to remove and tighten the top strut nut because of concerns of its effect on the internal strut seals. Some have cautioned against using an impact wrench, others have said it was no big deal. I used the spark plug wrench and allen key method, which worked well.
- Break loose / loosen (maybe a quarter to half turn - DO NOT REMOVE) the top strut nut while it is still on the car. Much easier to do without struggling to keep the assembly stable while off the car. Do the final tightening of the top nut on the car as well.
- Use an impact wrench to loosen the pinch bolts to avoid shearing the heads off using a breaker bar if it is rusted. My left side pinch bolt took quite a number of hits before it broke loose, then fought all the way being removed using my electric impact wrench. I have no doubt in my mind that it would have sheared off if I used a breaker bar. No problems with the right side.
- Use antiseize on the pinch bolt when you reassemble. You never know when you might need to disassemble it again. Like an hour later. Like when you realize that you left off the SECOND WASHER that was stuck to the bottom of the bearing AFTER you button everything up. (dumba/s/s.)
- Make sure all the parts are transferred the new mount. Like the TWO washers referenced above.
- A short length of wood MAY be needed to compress the strut to get it out of the knuckle as indicated in the DIY. I needed one on the left side, but not the right.
- Removal of the ball joint and tie rods is NOT required, as indicated on the pelican parts DIY.
- Take your time. It took me about an hour and a half for the left side, then an hour for the right side. (It took substantially less time for the second disassembly / reassembly. dumba/s/s.)

Good luck.

 

My exact point....fix the bent sheetmetal....then replace the mounts....then or during add your choice of stiffening/protection. Remember, the metal, once bent back into shape will not be as strong....so added protection imo is needed. Std's ,or similar product at the very least, and maybe the undertower thinggys or camberplates if they were mushroomed badly.

 

Not necessarily. My upper strut mount was not replaced because it re-bent, it was replaced because the rubber bushing tore / cracked. If the bushing did not tear, the flattened strut mount would be fine with the STDs. The tearing would / may have occurred regardless of the flattening of the strut mount. In fact, it may have actually been there before the STDs were added, as I never checked it at that time. But yes, any metal that have been bent and reformed will be weakened beyond its original strength. The STDs prevent both the strut mount and the strut tower from mushrooming again. Replacement without reinforcement is not a fix to the problem.