Ah, thanks.

Now from looking at the available options - one can either put in a strut bar, or strut plates. Are the pros/cons of doing one over another? For example, would a strut bar provide less reinforcement to the strut towers than the plates? Or would one be better off installin a bar?

 

The bar itself doesn't help mushrooming. It's the mounting at the ends. Like the M7 plates.

The other option is either fixed or variable camber plates that mount under the top of the strut tower, on top of the struts.

 

Yes, I understand that the "bar" itself won't prevent, but installing the bar should reduce the liklihood of mushrooming, since the bar is attached to the mounting plates on the tower, right?

I'm wondering if the mounts on the bar will provide the same or less protection against mushrooming than the strut plates alone?? I'm assuming the stand alone strut plates will provide better protection, but will installing the bar provide significantly less protection?

I guess the bottom line is this: will the mounting plates on the strut bar provide enough protection from mushrooming??

And cheers for pointing out the idea of the camber plates! Rook's like me don't think of these things...

 

Intuitively, it would seem camber plates would be more effective, as they would initially receive and dissipate the shock. The camber plate seems like a shield, preventing the shock. The top mounted plate would be on the side opposite the impact. No?

 

The mounting plates vary a lot. Some are really little, some like the M7 are big and cover the whole top of the tower
http://motoringfile.com/2006/08/02/m...reinforcement/

 

That's what I'd think too. Seems like the "best" reinforcement.

The top plate must just spread out the impact enough to help... just enough... With one like the M7, the whole top of the tower would have to move upwards. So even though it's on top, it seems that people get enough reinforcement out of it to do the job.

To fail, a top plate would either have to break the bolts or pull them through the metal, or tear the perimeter of the tower.

The top plate is also really quick to put on unlike the camber plate. Very DIY, so cost might be a factor too.

 

Yeah, a top plate install would be easier. But, seems to me that set-up could allow the bolts to sheer and/or holes to distort.

 

Makes sense. I guess my best bet is to install the plates first, since they're cheaper - then eventually install camber plates, once I have some $$$ for mods. (I blew my budget on the car itself!)

Off the bat, I just want to avoid mushrooming - which I've heard has been a problem with R53. I don't even have my R56 yet, but am just trying to be informed!

I just need to decide whether the plates on a strut bar will be "good enough" when it comes to preventing mushrooming, since the bar also improves the ride in other ways.

 

In reality, I doubt it will be a problem on the R56. But, like I said, not exactly something to deal with after-the-fact.

 

I read everyone's comments in the thread but have yet to hear if there's been reports of "mushrooming" on the R56. So far, no news is good news.

 

look guys, in all of 60 posts (well 61, including this one) we still haven't answered the question yet:

so IF YOU HAVE MUSHROOMED/DEFORMED STRUT TOWERS AND YOU HAVE A R56, PLEASE CHIME IN AND TELL US


sorry about the all caps, but i need to know if i should run out and get really thick camber plates right now or something


thanks for the time people



_

 

Don't worry about it.

The car is making itself stronger as you drive it. A flat piece of metal will bend into a curve if you keep hitting it in the middle.

Once it forms a nice dome it will be strong like a propane bottle.

It is a feature not a defect! The car improves over time. LOL

 

I have recently taken the time to closely look at the R56 strut tower mounts. They appear much stronger than the previous version. They are more "squared" and consist of 2 sandwiched sheets of metal. There are also channels which seem to create a counter to the upward stress. I doubt mushrooming will be a problem on the R56.

 

I suggest that this thread be closed until or unless this problem arises.

 

Been a few months, anyone seen any issues on the R56 with this?