I installed my Craven STDs this weekend, and hit a few snags. Just thought I would share... I apparently couldn't hammer the strut tower tops back flat enough - even using a bare hammer, no two-by-four - and they were still too deformed when I went about torquing down the STDs. This is an important step, and doesn't get enough press. I didn't even realize how deformed my towers were (I'm the third owner in a place with really crappy roads) until I laid the STDs on top!

I snapped off one strut tower bolt, and visibly stretched two others, before even approaching proper or adequate torque. I pounded these out, which wasn't easy. Luckily I had some 12.9-grade metric hardware (button-head 5mm hex socket, M8x1.25x20) hanging around, and managed to tape one to a 5mm allen wrench and thread my skinny hand up through the spring... Voilà! These bolts are disgustingly strong and hard, and I plan on popping the other three out in the near future and replacing all of BMW's stock hardware, just in case I damaged other bolts - highly likely, given the looks of those I removed.

So if your Mini has received a good whooping by previous owners and you're feeling late to installing the Craven STDs, consider replacing all the stock strut tower bolts - just six of them in total. I got my 12.9 hardware from Acklands, but any good hardware shop should have a fair selection. I also applied blue thread locker to these to prevent them from unthreading first, should I even need to remove the 7/8" bolts up top.

 

I used a rubber mallet at the end of a really crappy day. Worked well for me!

I installed a Whiteline strut brace after I'd pounded everything straight. The eBay camber plates that I bought ($160 shipped) had strong enough hardware.

 

Found your thread applesauce. You didn't detail what you did to knock the old ones out.