So I live in Tulsa. This city has some amazing curves...let me tell they're a blast in this car. ...but oh man...the potholes! I've been shocked ever since I moved here. These potholes are huge and they're everywhere. This city has a serious problem. Sometimes the potholes/massive bumps are impossible to avoid. (Like on an exit at HWY51 and HWY 169 - the rough road would actually cause traffic to back up...it's kind of crazy)

Anyway, there have been a few times that I hit major holes and thought that there's no way I didn't take damage. Then I check and no mushroom. The M7 Strut tower brace really does it's job. I was heading down 169 today coming back from Owasso. This is first time I've been to that area. It was dark...and I hit the biggest pothole I've hit so far. (I think I saw some people cliff diving off the edge of this thing) There wasn't any safe way to avoid it. It was on a bridge, and I was going highway speed. The MINI seemed to be pulling to the right a little bit, and I thought for sure that that one did it. I got home and checked...No Damage...which is amazing! It must have knocked it out of alignment some...so I'll have to get that looked at. Anyway, that strut tower brace is awesome. If that hole didn't mushroom the tower, I can't imagine hitting something that would. Thanks M7!

 

nice!!! I'm installing mine next week! ron.

 

Did you remove the plates to check for any damage?

 

I use these strut tower plate, the ones off the M7 brace. Hit a pothole on a track runoff so hard that I badly bent up two rims and broke a rear hiem. The tower survived without an issue.

 

I didn't remove them to check, but the plates are still flush with the car. Everything looks pretty solid. I can't see any kind of warping etc.

 

You might want to see if you can get them off. There have been reports of the strut bolts spreading just enough that the plate wouldn't come off.

 

I just got my M7 STB and will be installing it on Monday cant wait

Marshall

 

I won't be able to take it off for awhile. My tools are temporarily stored away. (about 200 miles away as well) I'm not all that concerned anyway. Not sure which is worse...bolts spreading...or a mushroomed strut tower...but I think I'd rather have the bolts spreading. As long as I don't have to beat my car back into shape I'm happy.

Sweetness! The M7 STB is probably the best thing I've done for my MINI. (that or the Whalen Shift Machine)

 

Oops! (I posted the same thing twice) ...so I deleted one and put this in its place. Yeah...I'm smooth.

 

The problem with the bolts spreading is that you will not be able to get either the plate off or get the strut out. And the tower will be mushroomed a bit under it, although not as bad as w/o a plate.

You should try to get the plate off to be able to inspect the strut bearing to check if that has been damaged.....another weak point with the MINI.

 

Thanks for the info. I checked your gallery and saw a red brace. There's also something brass there on top of the tower. Does that protect against mushrooming? What is it? Sorry to pry.

 

I have the OMP strut brace.

I also have a set of IE camber plates instead of the tower plates. A much better alternative to the plates.