Is there any visual indications, or steering indications that would lead me to mushroomed shock towers? I want to make sure everything is solid before i start installing suspension upgrades.

 

It's tough to tell given the normal shape of the towers. One of mine had clear indications (the edge of the hole was not flat.) The other didn't look bad, but needed a few whacks before the STD would go on flat. Depending on your planned upgrades, I'd recommend getting STDs or similar.

 

Thanks the std's are on the list. I was looking at the m7 brace with them built in. kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

yeah i wanted a M7 brace as well but it seems they are out of stock atm.. anyone know if they will ever be back in stock..?

 

We have them in stock.
http://www.waymotorworks.com/m7-strut-tower-brace.html

 

Nice ty.. but i just realized though from looking at some more pictures of it that i dont think it will clear my Alta CAI :(

 

I have the Alta CAI and the M7 Strut Tower/brace. Clearance not a problem, just had to notch out the rubber seal between the CAI box and hood.

 

yay! thanks for the input thats good to know

 

Will it clear everything on the R50 Cooper? I think the battery is located up in that area, so i dont know if the bar will hit it.

 

No don't put the brace on a Cooper you can dent the hood.

Just get a set of strut reinforcement plates and you'll be fine.
http://www.waymotorworks.com/search....=search&page=1

 

^ Damn wat a hustler!

 

Here is another tip. The cross bar may touch the bonnet insulation which may raise the rear of the bonnet. I put chalk on the cross brace so that it would show where the brace touched the insulation. I then used a utility knife to score the area that needed to be removed. By hand I pulled out the insulation (not all of it, just enough so the bar wouldn't push up the rear on the bonnet). When everything cleared OK, I sprayed the area where the insulation was removed with black enamel paint. Now with the bonnet up, you'ed never notice the area where I removed the insulation.

 

Check ride height, mushrooming will throw off. If changing suspension components, get new camber plates OEM or otherwise.

 

can the rear mushroom? my rear passenger is about 1" lower and misaligned...

 

I just had both rear struts replaced and the mounts becasue the shocks would collapse but not expand and the car road low in the back. At times it felt like no suspension was under the rear of the car, it just bounced around over bumps.

 

if your shocks collapse but not expand, thats solely because your shocks are "shot"...