Why does the lower connection on the right-rear shock absorber have a "plastic shield/cover" over it, but the left-rear shock does not?

Looking at the lower suspension points from the rear of the car, you can see the "cover" on the passenger's side shock connection, but not on the other side.

Gotta be a simple explanation.

 

You have just lost one somewhere. The tabs that hold them in the holes are broken pretty easily when they are taken off, like for a shock replacement.

 

That's what I thought, too, but both my wife's R57 and my R56 have the right-rear shock covered and the left-rear shock uncovered.

Did the left-side cover come off BOTH of our cars? (Twilight Zone Theme)

 

Probably yes. My roadster had them on both sides. But I left them off after I installed my NM springs.

 

Proud of them too. About $40 each!

 

At $40, I think I can safely motor without 'em. Geesh.
Thanks, guys.

 

Noticed this week that I am also missing left side; not sure if I even had one there.

 

Must have lost one. They are suppose to be there.

33506851235 is used on both sides and the cup version. Goes around the bottom. Used on left and right side.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/33506851235


Flat front version. Just compare what you have on the other side. 33506778572 Used on left and right side.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/33506778572/

 

Thanks

 

IDK about the OEM shocks but my aftermarket Konis are pretty beat up from gravel/rocks on the lower part of the shock. That could be why the shield is there to prevent the shocks from getting rusty after the paint chips off.

 

Never noticed them on my 2011 R56 MCS, but they are both there. I work on police vehicles for a living, and the Crown Vic Interceptors from 2003 on have special rubber covers on the bottom of the rear shocks, as well as a rubber piece along the bottom of the rear diff cover, incorporated with a metal backing that 5 or 6 or the lower rear diff cover bolts hold in place. These were put there for a very specific purpose...that being to eliminate (or mitigate, at least) the chance of sparks in a heavy rear-end collision, which may rupture the fuel tank. I know that my Mini has a plastic tank, but if it were to be ruptured in a rear-end collision, given the crumple-ability built into modern cars, I would assume that these were put on Mini's in order to prevent fires caused by sparks from suspension components colliding during heavy rear-end collisions. Just a theory of mine, and sorry for the long rant. I would say that if you are missing those rubber pieces, and that was indeed thier intended purpose, $40.00 seems like a small price to pay.

 

Reviving this old thread. I'm replacing the suspension and I can't figure out what's the difference between the flat guards and the cup guards.
Our MINI had the cup style installed, though we only have one left on. Not sure what happened to the other one or at what point it got kicked out of there...

I'll be mounting Bilstein B6 if that matters at all...
Thx!