Have any you GS folks been tagged by the deformed strut towers?

 

Please explain further....

 

about 1/3 of the MCS' in GS at nationals last year had deformed passenger side engine mount struts. Especially prominent among the ProSolo regulars. hard launches maybe?

Or are you talking about the strut tower itself?

 

The actual strut tower. As discussed here. If it's a known issue, I'd like to remedy it before something happens. I don't see myself driving this car "easy."

Am I right in thinking this would be protest bait in GS?

What's up with the p. side engine mounts? That's a new one to me.

 

my 05 MCS does not see many road miles.

however my 03 MCS sees some rally style driving on private dirt roads. no mushrooms yet. I suspect that big wheels (18's) and low profile tires are the main causes.

no evidence on either Mini. I'd say this is a weenie protest, and not likely unless you win a National event and beat certain known protestors. I suppose if you deformed the tower enough you could gain a very small camber advantage. possibly lower the ride height a 1/4".

If you were seriously worried about it, use a camber plate to reinforce that area - not GS legal though.

 

Thanks! That was my gut feeling.

 

Just checked mine. Don't think there is any mushrooming, but the bearing plate area (around the shock bolt) is completely ripped out, 360 degrees around it. I think it has been like that for a little while now because I had heard some clunks on that side during some autocrosses lately. Guess I'll be doing some fixing before the next event.

I was toying with the idea of adding a strut tower brace for highway driving and removing it for competition (six bolts to remove - not real tough) to stiffen that area up a little - especially on the crappy roads in California. There were potholes so big that I thought I was going to disappear completely in them.

Jake

 

I suspect that stiff shocks and large jolt causes the shock tower to be deformed. I have the thick Webb Camber plates which go between the shock tower and the shock. Sharp thrusts of the shock/spring upward are spread over the entire area of the camber plate. I think this is a good approach to saving the shock tower, even though it raises the front of the car up a bit.

 

Unfortunately this is a GS forum, so camber plates wouldn't be legal. I'm just thinking that the tower brace would do the same thing if not better by sandwiching the mounting area on the car. And they would be easily removed for events (unless I'm missing something).

Jake

 

Think you could just get away with the SRP plates that M7 is selling? Cheaper than a full bar by half.

 

Just ordered some. I'm pretty sure they aren't legal, but I'm willing to remove them for events if need be. I may ask for a clarification from Doug Gill, but either way, I don't really want to deal with this mushrooming business for the long term.

Jake

 

Yep - clarification from Doug Gill confirms that they are not legal for Stock Class competition. That's fine - I'll just be removing them for events. Probably just be using them when driving long distances.

Jake