OK - Just got my ProMini Billet Stress bar with a hope of preventing the Strut Tower Mushrooming on my (new to me) '04 MCS. I tried installing it, only to find out that the left strut tower is already moderately mushroomed.

I have done some brief research, and found two possible parts routes (both of which also involve installing the stress bar and repairing the strut towers.)

1) Replaceing the upper strut mounts with OEM mounts (just a guess that at least one is out of wack), or
2) Replaceing the upper strut mounts with Camber plates (I think this is how this works on the mini)

What is the opinion of the group in regards to this repair & install - go with option 1 or option 2. If option 2 is my better choice, how are the Ireland Engineering Static Camber plates? My driving style is "Spirited", and I do not intend to use the car on the track.

Any help would be appreciated.

MJC

 

I am following this thread too. I have the same issue. My Dinan Strut Bar FAILED due to Mushrooming and I need to correct the situation.

 

when installing a strut brace I found just a little bit of a mushroom on one side. I took out a block of wood and a hammer - wapped /wailed on it and was able to flatten it out so I could install the strut brace.

Again it was just a little bit of a mushroom.

 

You should see the RR strut towers and the stock reinforcement.
No mushrooming here.



http://www.stylizedfacts.com/STi/200...rolls_r_1.html

 

yah, but im sure they have all sorts of other problems...

 

long time listener, first time caller...

been trolling the topic of mushrooming strut towers.

was at my dealer yesterday (for something entirely different) and asked my service writer if he'd heard about the strut tower problem and was it prevalent in just cars that are raced/rallied or in everyday grocery-getters.

he says he gets at least one cooper a week with strut tower mushrooming damage.

I agree with another owner on another thread that there should be a tsb and factory sponsored/funded refit just like the "bigfooted" camber plate+reinforcing plate solution to make the top of the tower more resiliant.

there. i said it. now I feel better...

 

I agree. My car has some, and so does my brother. I think this problem might be more prevalent than is known, it's just that most people don't even notice.

 

If this is so prevalent, have we as a club done anything about it? Do we have a lawyer in the group that can suggest a letter a plan of action? Perhaps a letter electonically signed by all those who have this problem. There has to be hundreds out there. If we become the greasy wheel, then maybe magazines and other media will pick up on it and BMW will need to address it. We are all spending alot of money to fix this.

 

One would hope so! I've installed M7 SRP's on mine, (until I can save up additional coin to buy further remedies...). BS that this has carried on.... we all must be "spirited" drivers...

 

I filed a complaint with the NHTSA. I think this situation is ridiculous on a premium car.

 

I would do so too... I don't have the issue, (yet), hence I can't really speak to the prob.

I'm riding with the M7 SRP's for now. When I have enough coin, I'll probably install the after market camber stuff. Maybe even switch out the OEM shocks. I like the look of the 17" OEM wheels & tires that I have, (though they may be heavy).

regardless, I love my MINI!

 

I had mushrooming on my MCS. It's never been tracked, though it gets driven fairly hard on the street. To answer your original question, the work to replace the stock strut guide with an adjustable camber plate is the same as replacing it with another stock unit. The cost is less so. The stock strut tower guide was about $45 a side, dunno what camber plates run.
It took a freind and I about 2 hours total to replace my strut tower guides with neither of us having done it before.

 

i had a 04 cooper and i had mushrooming after i about got run over my a semi and i swirved so hard that i bottomed out on the passenger side.

also i hit a glorious Georgia pot hole and it almost swallowed my car! just kidding, but it give me some on my driver side.

there should be some kind of replacement or whatever that bmw should have to do. they designed it, they know about it because hundreds of people mentioned it to them. my SA even told me on my MC that i had it so they know. count me in on a petition to bmw.

 

on a separate note, on my MC, i put on camber plates and it did help, probably helped about 50%.

need to put them on my JCW MCS, just haven't had a chance to since i ran into a Bronco in Nov and got my car back in mid Dec. FYI on my Bronco hitting, no structural damange or engine, just hood and aero kit bumper cover and some brackets.

 

I just installed M7 srps on my 06 mini with 9700 miles. No memory of ever hitting anything hard. 15 inch wheels with oem tires. Both towers showed signs of mushrooming. I installed and torqued to spec. Both plates broadcast the mushroom. 1/16th or less in all orientations. Peter at M7 suggested I leave it as is rather than stress the sheet metal by bending it back. For now, I am doing just that. If I add camber plates, I will do the "cave man" fix.
I agree with the sentiment that this is an unaddressed problem.

 

maybe we as a forum can write a letter to MINI about this?

anyone here a lawyer?

 

I just attempted to install a strut tower brace, and I also found that my drivers side is mushroomed. I think that I will have to fix it, before I get the strut brace installed, the plate does not sit well on that side. Looks like I will have to take the cave man approach to it.

On doing that, I have a ***Question***, should I jack the front of the car off the ground in order to relieve pressure on the strut, in order to beat it back down into place?

Thanks

 

I think you have to not only jack up the car, but also release the tension from the suspension. I might be mistaken on that though.

 

M7 has instructions on how to fix mild mushrooming. I think it comes with the plates.

 

I did not buy the plates, and I did not find any instructions on their website. Do they only come with the plates?

 

I'm so paranoid about this mushrooming effect that I'm going to buy the m7 front stress bar for my 03 cooper S.
http://m7tuning.com/main.m7/store/10025
will this prevent the problem? Or just make it less likely?
It the mushrooming easily seen by the naked eye or do you need to put something flat against it?

 

Instructions w/M7 plates only said to jack it up, and mine hammered down flat easily enough doing just this.

supercliff - the brace is marketed as preventing mushrooming, I tend to think the plates work better. Best solution probably camber plates or something underneath the strut tower.

I installed the plates after 13k miles, currently sitting at 21k and haven't taken them off to re-check, but I'd think they're A-OK.

 

Yup, the instructions with the M7 SRPs say just to jack the car up on that side, then whack the tar out of the mushroomed tower with a hammer and a 2x4.

I took a slightly more gentle approach, jacking the car up, hammering the tower until I could thread the SRP on, then slowly, gently tightening it and letting the SRP itself straighten out the mushroom as it reached proper torque.

Minimal re-bending stress = better sheet metal endurance.

Best,

-- Don

 

Count me in for petitioning anyone that might listen. My towers are mushroomed so bad that people ask me if I lowered it. No track here but I have over 90K on her.

 

Talked to my Service Advisor yesterday about it. He recommends strut towers or reinforcement plates, anything to prevent damage. Apparently if any mushrooming comes in through insurance claims, MINI put out a bulletin requiring them to not only fix the towers, but also to replace the steering rack (approx. $4000 cost to insurer).