So in reading about the issue with the shock towers "mushrooming" I was wondering if the M7 Strut Tower Brace (or any other brace), http://www.m7tuning.com/main.m7/store/10025, would work as well or better then the M7 Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates, http://www.m7tuning.com/main.m7/store/10036. It covers the same area as the plates with the added benefit derived from the brace but I'm wondering what people know and what they have experienced.

Also, people always talk about the front but what about the rear strut towers, are they also deforming and what are people doing to address that and how has that worked out?

 

Our front strut strut tower brace and the reinforcement plates offer the same amount of protection with regards to the " mushrooming " effect. We are providing the SRP units for those people that do not want to run a full strut tower brace but still want to prevent problems down the road. For those people with any of the full plate type of strut tower braces such as the one offered by Forge Motor Sports or BMP you should also be fairly well protected from mushrooming . As for any problems with the rear struts, if that becomes a issue we will certainly look into it. My gut feeling is that with the size of the rubber busing at the top of the rear strut and the fact that so much of the cars weight is carried by the front wheels it should not be a problem but we will look into it. Thanks for the post.

Randy
m7 Tuning

 

Strut tower bars will allow for a measure of reinforcement but will not completely protect you for mushrooming damage should you hit a huge pothole or road hazard at high speed.

If you don't want to have strut tower damage please be careful when you need to- when driving on unfamiliar roads, when driving at night/bad weather, when driving fast on any surface, or when driving in heavy traffic where you cannot always see all of the road surface in time to dodge hazards.

The rear is much less prone to any similar problem with damage and the strut braces are of as good/solid a design to help that much.

 

This was my first mod and so far no shrooms.
..except, for the ones in my pocket! :impatient

 

Thanks for the info everyone, its good to know that either product will help. I can only be so careful under varying circumstances, the roads are just too messed up to be prepared for every pothold and big bump everytime (and if its a pothole is suddenly in front of me I can sometime only slow down so much or risk getting rear-ended :().

 

So what if someone already has a slighty mushroomed strut tower, what would be the recommended fix?

 

- Lexlow -

OK - you added this brace as your first mod. Can you please tell us if there was any NOTICEABLE improvement in handling or steering feel?

I am trying to decide between the SRP's for shroom protection or the brace if it actually does something tangible beyond the SRP's. To me, there would be no point paying extra for a bar that does little more then get in the way of servicing the air cleaner, spark plug wires and other under-hood maintenance. I could care less about bling-factor.

They also must work with the typical-length bolts provided by coilovers and camber plates (probably PSS9's and Helix/RDR's). You know, the top shock mount bolts you keep next to da shrooms in ya pocket ~!~!
.

 

I have seen quite a few bad ones made servicable again with creative hammer application. Steve ( steve's auto clinic ) is the master and has a fine hammer collection.

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

I had some slight mushrooming after I was forced into a raised median
by a minivan, resulting in a bent strut . I just used a BFH and a
short piece of 2x4 to readjust it.

Some people seem to think the RDR camber plates will help prevent this
type of damage but I had them at the time (still do) and it didn't help
me. I am considering M7's strut brace both for it's intended purpose
and to strengthen the tops of the strut towers.

 

Hello Coopernicus,
( isn't that the name of the Greek God of Twistis? )

Most cars would benefit greatly from strut tower braces.
In the Minis case, not so much. The bracket the engine sits on helps stiffen up the front end as it is. So we wont notice as much difference as a 350z owner would. Also remember, this is a new car, it wont flex as much. On an older car you would be able to tell right away.
That been said; I originally had the same "mushrooming issue" concerned and considered the CP or SRP, but I still wanted to have the stiffer front end.
So I opted for the strut bar.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated to M7 or any of its employees, so what am about to say is just my opinion. But if M7 as a sign of appreciation would like to send me one of those nice shinny (______________fill in the blank) I would not mind one bit.

One of the reasons I opted for the M7 Strut was that I wanted to kill 2 birds with one stone (protection and stiffness) as they offered the most solid mounting plates of the bunch. It does not make contact with the entire surface of the strut tower, but it does enough to create a bit more protection. The SRP I supposed was molded to make contact with the whole area. But remember that if you hit hard enough there is no ST, SRP, CP that will save you from the shroom.

Other reason why I chose the M7strut:
• You can easily access the engine by removing a couple of bolts.
• It has notches cut out specifically for OEM fitting. Perfect for my JCW air-box.
• The quality and finish is tops.
• Bling warp factor 10

Now as far as the performance goes; I installed the bar while I still had my run-flats on the car. So I was not able it appreciated the improvement fully. So as soon as i upgraded my rubber I did a test running the car with and without the middle bar attached. Yes, there is a difference, it is a noticeable one. Not an extreme one as said previously. But worth the instal.
These test were made on track day, were the mini was pushed beyond the limits of normal street driving.

So in short,
BAR GOOOD! ME LIKES!
SHROOMS GOOOD! REALLY LIKES!:impatient

I hope my short answer helped

 

The BFH is a very specialized tool and should not be used my amatures I worked in a Harley dealership back in the late 60's and there was one mechanic that had a entire drawer of hammers including his special BFH

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

Copernicus came out with the idea that the cosmos was heliocentric (our solar system is). he met with opposition from the church who believed the cosmos was anthrocentric (centered around mankind).

reminds one of the Darwin vs "creationist" conflict, eh?

Not only do I have a Harley, but i have several drawers full of hammers: wood, leather, plastic, steel, copper, bronze, shot-filled, even titanium; lump, sledge, claw. ball-peen, body, shrinking, stretching, picking, forging, pneumatic, hammer-drills...one even has a magnifier built into it.

 

I think Scooby03 was a little surprised at the hammer I use (and a little concerned.)

Steve

 

If you hit something & mushroom your strut tower, just turn around & hit it again with the other side. {try to do it at the same speed}.-- I like a Mini thats lowered in the front. Don't you?

 

- Lexlow -

Great information! Thank you, sir.

Doing an on-track test like you did REALLY offers credible evidence that there ARE tangible benefits to the Strut Brace on a MINI, assuming you drive the car at or near the limit on occasion.

You are very correct, JLM - he actually wrote that in 1514AD. Though he wasn't the first to propose that the Earth rotates around the Sun (not the other way around), he WAS the first that said it without getting his head chopped off for heresy!

I guess being from a stinking-rich family and spending most of his life studying the heavens in monasteries didn't hurt his credibility with the church...

I just borrowed his name, add an extra 'o' and confidently proclaim that:

The Center of the Motoring Universe is the MINI Cooper!
.

 

JLM - you obviously have W.A.Y too much fun with hammers !!
.

 

Maxmini -

I was looking at the links provided by eVal above, are the plates for the strut tower brace and the reinforcement plates different? Can one order black anodized for the strut brace? I love the anodized look, it looks the plates for the brace are the same as the reinformement plate, just with brace mounting holes?

 

Actually the plates are from different shops all together . They are very similar but not the same. We have talked about offering a different strut tower brace in black as we have had several inquires .It won't be our current unit but something different if we do indeed come out with it. We have a couple of new items to finish up before we get to making the final decision but it should not be long.

randy
m7 Tuning

 

Yeah, I was looking at the pics again last night after posting and thought they looked slightly different. Maybe I'll get the reinforcement plates for a while and try to hold out for the new brace...

For the same reason I like strut braces, the reinforcement plates are a real plus for insuring long term chassis integrity... Combining the two is a great idea, thanks for some great products!

 

I'd much prefer the stealthier black in the strut brace too. I'm old enough to have got the need for bling out of my system! Even my stereo gear is all behind closed doors.

I also note a somewhat closer fit in the machined underside of the reinforcing plates, with nicer rounded slots, than in the STB.

Actually it seems a little odd to me to have two different but overlapping products. Why not one design of plates with holes for the cross brace? Then people who change their minds could add the brace section later if they want, or not. And Randy would only have to juggle one supplier and one part design.

Neil
05 MCS
96 M3

 

That's the ticket. This is the only brace that I actually would consider, mild improvement in performance coupled with some pothole protection (thanks Michigan DOT!!), and a stealthy black appearance. Let us know when the black one is ready...group buy anyone?

 

I'm with Neil on this one too, I thought it looked like a better fit for the reinforcement plates, but it was hard to tell. If they're from different suppliers, then I'd say use the better fitting design and come out with a modular brace/reinforcing plate. You could probably sell for cheaper AND increase your profit margin!

I love the anodized black, as a former mechanical design engineer, the anodizing is sweet... and black is more stealthy from a distance yet still looks really nice up close. I'm in on the group buy...

 

Ok Ok we give I wil give it some serious thought Thanks for the kind words by the way.The fist shipment of Under Strut Systems ( black anodized ) just landed I am meeting with Peter this afternoon to do the " how to " info. We will give this topic some thought and come up with a plan. Thanks for the support.

Randy
M7 tuning

 

Yeah, a modular kit (actually 2) would be great. I could tell the wife that the first one is to PREVENT potential DAMAGE from the crap roads out here... lay low for a bit and then 'upgrade' the kit to... umm... make the car SAFER, by maintaining ... my er... front end stiffness or something like that.

Heh, that didn't sound right.

 

Hmm, do I see a new marketing campaign hatching?

"Get the new SAE approved M7 Strut Brace. Its Viagra for your car."