While at AMVIV it was discovered that my poor MINI has fallen victim to the much discussed "Cracked Strut Mount and Strut Tower Mushroom". No- not a delectible Mediterranean dish fried over an open-flame, but a plague like design "issue" in the front-end suspension. (You can read the never ending thread on NAM here, here, and here- yeah- i told you!)
One thing I noticed in my research however, is a lack of photos of the fairly obvious symptoms. Fortunately, I have a digital camera!*
Here is (not a very good shot of) a non-mushrooming strut tower. Note it's "flatness"
Here is my other (passenger-side) strut tower, with mushroom syndrome. Note where the VIN is- that should be flat. But it is not.
Here is where the plot thickens- a severe example of a cracked strut mount ("shock mount"/"bearing something or other").
Here is that same shot with the crack marked off. Ouch!
*(super hi-res versions available here (strut mount) and here (strut tower).)Here is my other (passenger-side) strut tower, with mushroom syndrome. Note where the VIN is- that should be flat. But it is not.
Here is where the plot thickens- a severe example of a cracked strut mount ("shock mount"/"bearing something or other").
Here is that same shot with the crack marked off. Ouch!
The MINI is in the shop as I write this- getting the strut mount issues repaired. Now, how do I convince them to take a 4x4 and a sledge hammer to pound the mushroom'd tower, flat? more news as it develops- now back to you in the studio!
Click here for more photos!
