I agree also.

I also postulate that stiff all metal camber plates can cause other issues. I still remember the cracked upper strut towers of my A1 VW...

I just received the M7 strut bar and installed only the plates. I can't close the hood with the rest of the bar installed. Some day when I have more time I'll look into that.


24k miles on my '06 and no mushrooming on 16" run flats.
The data is definitely interesting to look at. Especially the percentages of the people with 17" run flats.

 

For the sake of redundancy, this poll result don't really tell the story. What you want to know is the likelihood that a particular setup will lead to mushrooming - this poll doesn't do that because there is no accounting in its results for people that have a setup that don't have the problem. (back to your regularly scheduled program)

 

Why doesn't Mini just abolish runflats? Are they really that cool? Seriously...

 

as the run flat technology gets better, there will be less bitching about them. But for the S, there's no room for a spare, hence the run-flat.

Matt

 

Theoretical question:

If you one ball the exhaust, would there be room? I ask because there is room under the Cooper with its one muffler on one side. Or is the center-exit tailpipe on the S a problem?

Zip

 

the rear mounted battery box. If you did away with that, and did a one ball, there should be room.

Matt

 

I only have the car 1 year 12000 miles & have crack strut mounts. i keep the car in perfect condition, car cover & cones around the car & garaged!. brought it back to the dealer to complain of a squeek & they replaced both strut mounts -> $1110.00 & not under warranty. tried to complain but to no avail.
17 " run flat tires

dealer say you have to keep on coming back to replaced the crack struts & adding a sway bar will not help - lol
please help me - what should i do

 

Well, your dealer's correct that adding a sway bar will do nothing to prevent the strut towers from cracking. In fact, there's no reason to think that one *would* help, so I'm going to assume that you really meant a strut brace.

In most cases, your dealer is right - a basic strut tower brace in and of itself won't add much strength to the sheet metal at the top of the strut towers. But, I don't know of anyone that uses the M7 strut brace or reinforcement plates that's had a problem with mushrooming or cracking after installing them.

Just from my own personal experience, my wife and I both have 2006 MCS convertibles. Less than 5,000 miles after getting my wife's car, I noticed mushrooming on her passenger-side strut tower. Right after that, I fixed the mushrooming and put on the M7 plates. When my car arrived a few months later, I put the plates on the day I brought it home from the dealer.

Her car has had no more mushrooming in the 15,000 miles since putting the plates on, and my car has gone 22,000 miles with the plates with no mushrooming at all.

 

Thank you scott for the answer, but do you install a strut brace @ the dealer or at a local shop?? danny

 

You can do it yourself - it's almost trivially easy. There are a total of six nuts you have to remove, and they're all the same size and very easy to get to. Then you put the brace in place and replace the nuts.

 

it's not hard to drop the struts. $1100 is a lot for them to ask for the job.

FWIW, I'd escallate this one to the manager or MINIUSA. I know it's the party line (mostly) to say this is from pot holes or the like, but if you don't have pinched sidewalls of your tires, or dented rims, you can make a case that it's the part, and not the driving or the roads.

Also, lodge a complaint with the NHTSA. If enough log the problem, there's a SMALL chance that BMW/Mini will have to eat some crow on this one.

Matt

 

For whatever it is worth, since I'm in the market to puchase a Mini, I've looked at six used cars ranging from 2003 to 2006, within the last few days. Three had mushrooming, two 2003s one 2006. In two of those I didn't notice any ill effects on the handling. In one (the 2006), the car pulled to the left, but I can't say conclusively that was do to the mushrooming. The other three seemed to have nice flat tower tops. None had cracked strut mouts.

 

I Love my mini cooper s conv 06, except for the cracked strut mounts $1100 not cover under warranty.

 

Love my car but the crack strut was not covered under warranty. Contacted my dealer & took the 1 month to reply from the service mgr & they will not cover it. contacted better business buerau & NHTSA. will update you when i have a result

 

Hi Scott

is it like this http://www.nyxracing.com/alta-front-...6-p-32279.html

Alta Front Strut Brace Mini Cooper S 02-06
[SIZE=2][AMP-SUS-500][/SIZE]

Our price: $208.99


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Alta Front Strut Brace Mini Cooper S 02-06 description Alta Front Strut Brace Mini Cooper S 02-06

With something as simple and elegant as an ALTA Performance Strut Tower Bar, you can finish off the area under the bonnet and boost your handling all at once. This beautiful and brawny aluminum bar reduces front-end strut tower flex instantly. Youl feel the difference with every turn.

Includes:
-Bar
-2 cast feet
-2 name plaques
-4 bar bolts
-Instructions
-2 stickers

Specs:
Feet construction: Cast aluminum
Cross bar: Extruded aluminum tubing
Cross bar finish: High polish tubing
Feet labeling: Multi color Aluminum plaque
Mounting locations: 4, 2 on each tower

Danny

p.s. it was the strut mounts, whcik was not covered under warranty after 1 year

 

OUCH! (Regarding $1,100 repair cost.) Personally, for $1,100, I would get a set of the Ireland Engineering fixed strut mounts and take the car to a suspension shop. I don't know what was done (or proposed to be done) for the $1,100, but that seems quite high (even by S.F. Bay Area labor rates).

 

I purchased the M7 Strut brace for mine rather quickly, becuase I heard of this problem. So it was prevented possible damage and was an awesome handling upgrade!

 

WHERE DO YOU PURCHASE IT & CAN YOU INSTALL IT YOUSELF

 

Why that would be here

http://www.m7tuning.com/parts/produc...a16236d6294468

That is for the r-53 and the r - 56 version is on the way .

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

Wondering, do you guys with the M7 plates or bar regularly remove them to check the state of the shock towers and see if there is any deformation/mushrooming? Check the struts or suspension components?

I'm torn about getting them as some input I've gotten is that something like that which affixes just with the screws really wouldn't help (and might transfer any stress to the struts?). I'm just trying to figure it out..

 

Ditto. I've had the SRP's on for the last 11,000 miles. Working great. (06 MCS)

 

Still wondering, if anyone removes the M7 plates regularly (or ever) to check the state of the shock towers or check the struts/suspension components for resulting issues based on the impacts that would deform the towers..

 

Well, I've had mine off at least three times that I can think of - when I replaced the strut reinforcement plates with the full strut tower brace, when I installed coilovers, and when I removed the brace before taking the car to the dealer for service/oil change.

Everything still looks good. I really think that the struts themselves and the rest of the suspension components are up to the task - it's just the too-thin metal in the strut towers that's causing problems.

 

So the fix for mushrooming is pounding on the tower with a block of wood and hammer?

So after the fix, can I run the car with an aftermarket camber plates and no SRP or STB for a bit? They will be added on later but $$$ is always the issue

 

You should be fine as long as you do your best to avoid any serious hits like pot holes etc. Also you should make sure your tire pressure is up to specs. Depending on which camber plates you have you will also get some additional support and be better off than you were in the stock condition. Worse case scenario is that you might have to get out the old 2/4 and hammer before installing the brace when you do get it.

Randy
M7 Tuning