has anyone had any problems with their black m7 strut bar getting corroded? i just took my mini out of storage and my strut bar is covered in this white corroded looking crap. it almost looks like salt but it doesnt come off when i try and rub it off. anyone have any ideas about how to get t his crap off.
thanks

 

Is it possible that your bonnet liner was, or got, wet? When I used the "soak and slam" method to get the bonnet to sit lower over the STB, I got a similar corrosion-like effect on my bar. It eats the anodizing, so you can't fix it without re-anodizing, or polishing.

cheers,

 

its possible. i did wash it before i put it away. seems bs though that it should corrode that easily.

 

Mine looks a little funky, but I blame it on the liner. I don't care what it looks like, my car is no show, just go.

 

Sorry to hear you guys are having that problem. Have you tried to contact the manufacturer to see if they will cover it under warranty? Specifically in DrPhil's case since the "soak and slam" is the suggested installation technique.

 

Mine did the same thing when I did the wash and slam method. I don't believe it is corrosion. It seems more likely that something within the hood lining when getting wet produces the white stuff. Just my $.02. Mine came off with a little cleaner and has not returned as long as the hood liner is dry.

 

Is it soap from a car wash, or concentrated minerals from hard water if you did the soak 'n slam?

Can't be salt; you don't drive yours in the winter! (Unlike some idiots!)

 

The soak and slam is recommended but also wrapping the bar in plastic before hand to prevent possible staining.

 

correct, but the plastic part was added after we bought and installed ours. Some flat or semi-flat spraypaint was enough to make it look new again.

 

i cleaned mine off with a little vinegar and water
looks like new

 

BINGO.....

The stains are 99% of the time minerals from the enviroment (Calcium)
and will clean of very nicely with a slightly acidic mixture.
We do recomend to wrap the STB with a plastic sheet while doing the
"Soak and Slam" to minimize any staining.

Peter
M7 Tuning
562-608-8123

 

I love sarcasm!

 

Any chance you get......you drive it home......there must be a good story here......maybe you can send me a PM......

 

Sorry for the newbie questions, but....

I'm about to buy the M7 STB and I'm wondernig what the "soak and slam" is for? I'm assuming that there's a clearance issues when you install it do to the liner on the bottom of the hood/bonet and you soak it with water and slam it shut.... is this correct?

Once you do this do you just leave it shut for some period of time to let this new shape set? how long?

Thanks!

 

What does this mean? Maybe you meant ?

I had a little 'white stuff' on my M7 STB. I cleaned it off with some glass cleaner and then hit the bar with the same product that I use on the plastic fender flares. The STB remains black and shiny to this day...

Another great M7 product (I'm saving my pennies lads)

 

"Soak & Slam?" Huh....

 

FWIW I ended up with some of the same staining on my bar as well. It came off with a paper towel and glass cleaner. To shine up the bar I used light oil. Looks like new.

"Soak and Slam" is the procedure that some people used when the thick underhood insulation was causing the hood to raise slightly along the back edge. The bar sits close to the hood, and apparently cars built '04 and on had a slightly thicker pad. Closing the hood pinched the pad between the bar and the hood, causing the hood to rise nearly a half inch or more in some cases. By wetting the pad along the area where the bar runs then closing the hood ("soak", then "slam"), the pad compresses easier and the hood will eventually close normally. If the pad gets wet, intentionally or not, the resulting dampness can stain the bar. Driving the car in a good rain will make the insulation wet, and will also soak up road dirt like a sponge. This is also what shows up on the bar. Periodically wiping down the bar with a light oil or wax helps retain the original shine.

 

Thanks for the info Greatbear! I have an 03 mini. Will I need to do the slam and soak? Does the thinner pad in the 03 still touch such that I'll need to "shine" the bar from time to time or is there enough clearance?

 

I didnt have to S&S my setup (I have an '03). The hood shut normally, but does leave an imprint in the pad where it squeezes against it in some places. You probably wont have any clearance issues, but you will still need to clean and protect the bar from time to time.

Some people have either removed the pads entirely or trimmed out the sections above the bar. My recommendation if you have clearance problems is to remove the pad after you have aquired clear imprints of the bar in it, then 'thin out' the pad's thickness from the opposite side that meets the hood. Use a razor blade to cut halfway into the pad, about an inch from the imprint on the other side. after making the cut along the bar's path about 4 inches wide, peel out half of the material. Replace the pad. Using this method keeps the pad looking 'unmolested' from the engine compartment and prevents it from fraying and peeling over time. the pad will retain the imprint of the bar yet be thin enough to prevent the hood from lifting at the windshield.

 

yea i tried to clean my corroded bar off to no avail. i used glass cleaner with a paper towel and it did not work at all. as soon as the cleaner evaporates the white corrodidness is still there. then i tried a polish to try and maybe get it to look a little more decent. didnt work either. i dont know what to do. might have to spray paint it. or i was thinking of getting a mildly agressive grinding wheel and taking the top coating off the bar leaving the metal showing. might look cool with the rest of the bar black. any ideas?