I have busted my top mounts for some reason as shown in the pic.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...sort=1&cat=500

What can I use in replacement for this. Please correct me If I'm wrong but do camber plates come with a new set of top mounts? I actually don't need the adjustability and I don't want my ride to get any harsher. So if buying a new set of camber plates is my only option then what be more durable than the stock top mounts yet still ride the same as the stock peices.

Does anyone have the part number for the stock top mounts, just in case.

Thanks!

John

 

Welcome to the pot-hole club. The strut mount bushings will crack if you hit too many potholes, curbs, etc. Call up Classic MINI and they'll get you hooked up pronto! Aftermarket camber plates will almost always be harsher riding because they don't have the soft rubber bushing. They're also much more expensive than stock, pointless if you don't need the adjustability.

 

Seen this before, it's from hitting a pothole or something very hard. You can get a replacement from MINI and save yourself a bundle.

Also, you might have to get your shock tower straightened out, it should be flat on top. The last MINI I saw that busted the top mount, rounded the top of the strut tower out pretty good too.
Good catch btw, I think there are a few out there that have this and do not know it, could be dangerous.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. You guys are right, I've been driving over pretty bad roads. How much do the stock top mounts cost? Do you have the part numbers for them? I read in a post that the newer versions of top mounts are sturdier than the older versions. Is there any truth to that?

sfjames,
How do I striaghten them out, do I just pound them back? Won't that ruin the strength and integrity of the strut tower? Do you suggest getting a new strut tower?

John

 

From what my friends Cooper looked like after the dealership replaced that top mount, they pounded it back down and used touch up paint to prevent rusting. They did not replace the trut tower like I thought they would. Another friend of mine says he replaces the tops of strut towers all the time on BMW's. Get in touch with Classic, they should have a price for you. Let us know please, I might change mine if they updated the bushings with some better material, hopefully they didn't just make it softer.

 

The part is also called a Guide Support and the number is 31-33-6-759-498 for 3/02 and later. A year ago list was $35.48.

 

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

i change them out all the time. but the part number i get is 31-30-769-741 and they cost around 30 bucks. the other number might be for pre 3/02 cars as they had a change very early.good luck

 

Well those wacky MINIs. Mine is a 12/02 build and the – 498 was the correct replacement and it didn’t look like the early model part.

 

agokart, what's your build date? How often do you have to change these things?

John

 

my build date was 3/03 and i have changed out both of mine. one due to racing damage, and the other because it looked "flat". i have had to change out a few on other cars from time to time. just today i changed one on a 12/02 build because of a large rip in the rubber. he is thinking about doing the other side also as it looks "flat", but with no rips. i have been seeing over time this is a bit of a weak spot for the mini. maybe a new shock mount with poly bushings and bearing is in order for the people that do not want camber adjustment. also hitting things hard, like potholes, will make the metal "mushroom" around the shock tower area. the towers are very strong side to side, but the up down force is some times too much for them. and this only happens when you hit something hard and totally bottom the shock out and there is no where else for the force to go. it also happens more with run flats, as the side wall can not take up any of the flex.


also on the part number front, part number 31-30-6-769-741 replaces part number 31-30-6-764-884. still have no idea about any other part numbers.

hope that helps!:smile:

 

There are some folks here in Houston who have had them replaced under warranty. Apparently, the mounts may fail, even if you don't hit something hard.

 

JohnD,
Thank you for pointing it out last Saturday. Now i'm getting out of an anxiety filled weekend, hoping i can get a pair. So far i'll try BMW Singapore. Eric's flying out today, and he discovered, he's got one busted guide too!

I sent him all the part numbers i found here, hoping one of them would be correct. Are they standardized globally? My experience with my Land Cruiser100 is different, number could be different, and could vary from country to country, but they would be the same piece/model.

I hope he finds them, too painful to see the car sitting in the garage!
Manilaman

 

Yahoooooo!!!! Eric got my parts from PML BMW Singapore!!!! USD 100 a pair.

 

Just to verify the correct part numbers for model years, the number for pre-3/02 is 31-30-6-758-309 and indeed the current part number for subsequent dates is 31-30-6-769-741. As fate would have it, or Murphy’s Law, my other guide support is ka-put so I had to buy another new one for replacement.

 

I've a Jan 03 build car and just had mine replaced. the -741s look much different than what was on my car. So my only assumption is they must have been installing the older one on cars up until my car was built in Jan 2003.

 

You can also give Ireland Engineering a call. They carry strut bearings with a fixed 1.25 negative degree camber setting - for those of us not want to play after the intital install. These are reportedly as comfortable as stock. Cannot speak about durability.

Minihune alerted me to these.

Michael

 

Lowering spring, 17", 18" or 19" wheels, just add to the problem even more than 16" runflats.

With the larger diameter wheels and tires, regardless whether they are runflats or not, offer much less sidewall to adsorbe impact. This is a well known and discussed issue.

 

does anyone have a step by step to replace these mounts, I have an 06 S and my right side is cracked

 

go to the "how-to" section and there should be a walk through on installing lowering springs. You will essentially follow that guide as it requires you to take the spring/strut assembly apart.

 

thanks

 

2nd on the IE fixed plates! Just installed them yesterday with some koni FSD's and my ride is EXCELLENT (much smoother) and the handling is phenomenal. No more understeer (or much less of it)!

They appear to be a stock top plate that they cut off some of the bracket and bolted it to a 1/8th inch steel plate with some bolts welded on it. Solid yet Simple Design. And the Welds were nice and clean as well. All TIG work it looks.

 

We also have a few articles here for help on removing either the front struts, strut mounts or springs: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm