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CravenSpeed Strut Tower Defender Installation DIY

One of the weakest links in the MINI suspension design is the front strut mounting point. The strut towers take a beating and the sheet metal can easily deform, especially with stock strut mounts.  Difficulty ScaleYou get a little better protection with adjustable camber plates and their thick, flat mounting plate design. But to really make it robust you need to add reinforcement.  That’s where the Strut Tower Defenders for Gen 1 MINIs come in.  Unlike similar products on the market, these maintain their half-inch thickness throughout and the ingenious mounting system works with stock mount bolts and many aftermarket adjustable camber plates like Eibach or SPC as seen in the photos below. Too often we see reinforcement plates where the bolts don’t show any threads past the nuts, or even worse, the threads end half way through the nut. (We always like to have three threads showing.) The adapter bolt design takes care of that problem.

Time Required: Installation takes about 10 minutes and is very easy.1 wrench

 Tools Required:

  • Socket Wrench
  • Torque Wrench
  • 1/2 in. Socket
  • 9/16 in. Deep Socket
  • 7/8 in. Socket (22 mm worked for us)

Instructions:

  1. Start on either side and remove the three nuts using 1/2 in. socket.
  2. Place one of the small washers on each of the three exposed posts.
  3. Thread a bolt adapter on to each of the three posts and tighten hand-tight.
  4. Torque each bolt adapter with a 9/16 in. deep socket to 25 ft-lb of torque
  5. Notice that the two plates are differently shaped and match the curved shape of the sheet metal.  Line them up so the logo is closest to the windshield.
  6. Starting with the post that is closest to where the hood release cable passes through the cowl, gently pull up on the cable and work the plate on to the post about a quarter of an inch.
  7. Line the plate up with the remaining two posts and press straight down.
  8. Place one of the large washers around each of the bolt adapters.
  9. Notice the large nuts have a flat and concave side. Thread them on to the bolt adapters flat-side down.
  10. Torque large nuts with a 7/8 in. socket (or 22 mm socket) to 25 ft-lb of torque.
  11. Repeat on other side.

Note: You may notice that your towers are already deformed as you see them flattening out as you tighten.  Flattening out again is a good thing, but if you notice a lot of deformity, you may want to have your alignment checked once you finish both sides.

Strut Tower Defender with Logo STD2Included PiecesOne adapter bolt installedDrivers side finished