View Poll Results: If you had mushrooming or a cracked strut mount please vote
mushrooming: stock suspension / 15" non-runflat tires
32
3.00%
mushrooming: stock suspension / 16" runflat tires
83
7.79%
mushrooming: stock suspension / 16" non-runflat tires
68
6.38%
mushrooming: stock suspension / 17" runflat tires
346
32.46%
mushrooming: stock suspension / 17" non-runflat tires
214
20.08%
mushrooming: stock suspension / 18" runflat tires
22
2.06%
mushrooming: stock suspension / 18" non-runflat tires
24
2.25%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 15" non-runflat tires
3
0.28%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 16" runflat tires
7
0.66%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 16" non-runflat tires
16
1.50%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 17" runflat tires
31
2.91%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 17" non-runflat tires
58
5.44%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 18" runflat tires
4
0.38%
mushrooming: lowering springs / 18" non-runflat tires
18
1.69%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 15" non-runflat tires
24
2.25%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 16" runflat tires
34
3.19%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 16" non-runflat tires
32
3.00%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 17" runflat tires
112
10.51%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 17" non-runflat tires
74
6.94%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 18" runflat tires
6
0.56%
cracked strut mount: stock suspension / 18" non-runflat tires
14
1.31%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 15" non-runflat tires
3
0.28%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 16" runflat tires
6
0.56%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 16" non-runflat tires
11
1.03%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 17" runflat tires
11
1.03%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 17" non-runflat tires
25
2.35%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 18" runflat tires
5
0.47%
cracked strut mount: lowering springs / 18" non-runflat tires
8
0.75%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 1066. You may not vote on this poll
Poll: Mushrooming/strut mount failure data collection
#576
#577
#578
i think im mushroomin?
So I have a 05 r53 with 17"x 7.5 with run flats. Also I'm running h&r touring cup kit. My problem is when I hit number at slow or medium speed the whole car number loud. I opend my Hood and noticed I have some spider paint cracks on the passenger super strut tower. Also I looked at both strut towers and noticed a slight bump nothing major.
How do I fix this problem please help.
How do I fix this problem please help.
#579
#580
#581
#583
I had not really serviced my MINI (besides oil changes at Pep Boys and other local shops) for a while, so when I finally (for the first time) brought it to an indy MINI shop, they pointed out the crack and mushrooming of one strut. The crack by that time was three-quarters of the way around. It's stayed like that for the last 3-4 months. I have an appointment to fix it in a few weeks. The bill is about $200 for labor and $92 for parts for one strut, but that includes the labor to deal with mushrooming. If I didn't have mushrooming, it'd be cheaper obviously, but with what I've read, seems unlikely to not have any mushrooming. For my job, double the above amount because I'm having both sides done. The other sides shows mushrooming and the slightest hint of a crack. In addition, the 4-wheel alignment will be another $150. (Now, with all the many other cars I've owned, how many times has this been a problem? Hmmmm?)
Mike Todd
Mike Todd
#584
I have a question about the work to "fix" mushrooming. Maybe I'm crazy, but it seems to me that when metal stretches or bends like that, it also weakens. And if the metal or the design was strong to start with, this wouldn't be a problem. When you bend it back, you cause additional weakness. So don't you end up with a very weak set up after all this fixing? For comparison, I'm thinking of a paper clip. You bend it one way, it weakens. If you bend it back and forth, you only have to do it a few times before it just snaps. What do I not understand about the MINI?
Thanks,
Mike Todd
Thanks,
Mike Todd
#585
2nd Gear
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 142
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To replace a strut and do the tower is at most an hours work. $200 labor is too much IMO. To bang down the mushroomed towers only takes about 10 minutes a side. It goes really quickly. Especially if you are all ready taking the struts out.
As far as weakening goes I put on the M7 plates after banging mine back and they haven't moved since.
As far as weakening goes I put on the M7 plates after banging mine back and they haven't moved since.
#586
I have a question about the work to "fix" mushrooming. Maybe I'm crazy, but it seems to me that when metal stretches or bends like that, it also weakens. And if the metal or the design was strong to start with, this wouldn't be a problem. When you bend it back, you cause additional weakness. So don't you end up with a very weak set up after all this fixing? For comparison, I'm thinking of a paper clip. You bend it one way, it weakens. If you bend it back and forth, you only have to do it a few times before it just snaps. What do I not understand about the MINI?
Thanks,
Mike Todd
Thanks,
Mike Todd
Yes, it's not quite as strong as if it had never been bent, but with the proper reinforcement via better quality strut mounts (like Ireland Engineering's fixed camber plates) and top-side strut tower reinforcement plates (aka strut tower defenders, among other names), you won't have a problem. I had light mushrooming on my passenger-side tower, and when torquing my VIP strut tower reinforcement plates down on that one, I felt it pull partway up to torque a number of times and level off before it pulled the metal flat again and actually held the specified torque.
C ya,
Dutch
#587
#588
Usually it's fine, but, just to be sure....
You can direct the shop doing the alignment to ignore the out-of-spec camber due to the camber plates. IIRC, other than having adjustable camber plates, camber isn't adjustable on the MINI's front struts.
HTH!
C ya,
Dutch
#590
#592
#593
R50's mushroom!
So here's what we have in the driveway:
'02 R50, 3/2002 build, BRG:
Cracked mount (correct?) on the passenger side, mushrooming on both
'03 R50, Silk Green:
Cracked mount on drivers side, mushrooming on both
So what's my best option here? The IE fixed camber plates look beefy but will not fit the BRG model due to the build date. Should I get an OEM pair of the cracked things and replace one on each car? And what exactly are these called?
As far as the mushrooming I was thinking of getting both the Strut Tower Defenders and Under Tower Indurators from CravenSpeed. And then of course an alignment.
Anybody else have both of the CravenSpeed products installed?
Val
'02 R50, 3/2002 build, BRG:
Cracked mount (correct?) on the passenger side, mushrooming on both
'03 R50, Silk Green:
Cracked mount on drivers side, mushrooming on both
So what's my best option here? The IE fixed camber plates look beefy but will not fit the BRG model due to the build date. Should I get an OEM pair of the cracked things and replace one on each car? And what exactly are these called?
As far as the mushrooming I was thinking of getting both the Strut Tower Defenders and Under Tower Indurators from CravenSpeed. And then of course an alignment.
Anybody else have both of the CravenSpeed products installed?
Val
#594
You ppl need new upper strut mounts, 12 years on a strut mount ..the mushrooming is a weak point but mounts are not built to be lifelong! this is a maintenance item! how long have you rode on blown struts? blown mounts? both?
Val- have the mounts replaced, struts and ride height checked to verify they are ok, align and drive.
simplj- you have another issue going on.
Val- have the mounts replaced, struts and ride height checked to verify they are ok, align and drive.
simplj- you have another issue going on.
#595
yeah, i think my issue was being a cheap a$$ and going with aftermarket replacements rather than OEM.
You ppl need new upper strut mounts, 12 years on a strut mount ..the mushrooming is a weak point but mounts are not built to be lifelong! this is a maintenance item! how long have you rode on blown struts? blown mounts? both?
Val- have the mounts replaced, struts and ride height checked to verify they are ok, align and drive.
simplj- you have another issue going on.
Val- have the mounts replaced, struts and ride height checked to verify they are ok, align and drive.
simplj- you have another issue going on.
#596
Forgot to mention cracked or bent wheels on our 2008 Clubman S. I think we are now at wheel replacement #6. Sorry, but I have owned road cars with real magnesium wheels and not EVER cracked a wheel on any vehicle 'till this one. 6 wheels, really? 17 inch run flats! We upgraded to Koni's, shock tower brace. It is better now but this is a HUGE design flaw in my opinion.
#597
#598
Forgot to mention cracked or bent wheels on our 2008 Clubman S. I think we are now at wheel replacement #6. Sorry, but I have owned road cars with real magnesium wheels and not EVER cracked a wheel on any vehicle 'till this one. 6 wheels, really? 17 inch run flats! We upgraded to Koni's, shock tower brace. It is better now but this is a HUGE design flaw in my opinion.
so easy to carry in a clubman.