I am looking at a car and have only seen pics. I had the owner take some pics of the srut towers. I think it has minor mushrooming. Do you guys agree and think it may be fixed by torquing down some plates?

Thanks.

 

A little, but that's not too bad, but you need a new Left strut top bearing. Do both, and use MINI parts vs. aftermarket: they'll last longer. If you want to be sure, get some Strut Top Defenders and indurators while yo do the job.

 

We have bearings HERE if needed. The nice thing about reinforcing plates is that when you install them they will pull the metal back into alignment when you tighten the nuts.

 

Nice find. Looks like factory JCW (includes LSD) with all options. Title search appears to be clean.
17 inch wheels + run flats = mushrooming.
I bet LCA bushings are shot too.
What's the mileage?

 

Here are some pics and what to look for , I see some affect , but it does not looks that bad as others.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ection-19.html


We Have the ECS STP here :

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...1-day-one.html





+1 your one strut mount rubber is cracked and needs replaced.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...3-r53-jcw.html

 

I had minor mushrooming and it was fixed by installing top mounted plates and retorquing frequently over a few weeks. I never went over 30 ft lbs as I didn't want to break a stud on the struts. I installed VIP plates and strut bar. I'll post some pics of the mushrooming and gap between the plates later.

 

definently mushroomed, if you take a straight edge (ruler) across the strut, it should be fairly level. if its not, you have mushrooming. some has to be fixed by a 2x4 and hammer, while some can be fixed with chamber plates and strut tower plates

 

I installed the plates then and would retorque them after every drive, or two. Eventually, they stayed torqued and the mushrooming was gone.

Before:





After:

 

And the good news is that it looks like it might be the best MINI color of all.. Indi Blue!

 

Maybe for the OP... mine is Hyper Blue. I wanted Indi Blue, but it wasn't available in '05-'06.

 

So I know what I'm looking for - how did you identify the mushrooming?

 

Its all in this thread, which is also linked above.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ection-19.html

 

It's basically the idea of what a mushroom top looks like, a convex shape. So when the bolts aren't sitting flush/flat and the top looks to be bubbling up kind of like bread in the oven.

 

Crouch down in front of your car so that your eye line is level with the strut tops. You'll notice that the strut tops (the car frame) is actually on two planes, separated by an embossed rib. if the inside plane is flat, you don't have mushrooming. if it looks like it has a convex bump in the middle of it, you have mushrooming. Extreme mushrooming will actually separate the weld seam at the edge of the plane.

 

Not the way to get those flat.
Have seen some folks strip those bolts right out of their strut mounts using too much torque/muscle.....

Best method is the jack front end/pound flat with 2x4 & mallet method...

 

^Yep^

 

When i did mine, it was the hammer method w/ block of wood. Do it softly at first to see what force it takes to bend it down. Then stand back and look at the strut. Of course this is with the struts and mounts dropped / off the nuts, and the front of the car jacked up and on stands.

 

I think you guys are confusing your blues; electric blue is the best MINI color.

 

OP, that's very minor. And honestly, don't be overly concerned with it. My JCW had it when I purchased it and it's almost always correctable. And, most of these cars have it anyway, at least to some degree. Good luck!

 

I understand now - thanks.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - Y'all ROCK!!!

 

Thanks, glad to help.

 

ECS, I see the SRP plates - and the bar. Is there a benefit to one over the other?

 

STP for protection. Are you talking about the short bars from the R52 Convertible. If so chassis rigidity. Two different things.

 

This would be an R53. I plan on getting the M7 Strut Tower Plates - should I get the M7 Strut Tower Bar too?

 

Doing two thing at once. Protection and rigidity, when you do the bar and the plates. We carry the M7 brace also.