Craven Speed Strut Tower Defenders

Whether you are competing at an autocross or driving on a Sunday afternoon, your MINI is at risk. Around every corner, in the very depths of every pothole, damage to your MINI lies in wait. The occasional bump may seem harmless by itself, but hit it continuously, and hard, there may be damage to the sheet metal atop your tightly sprung strut towers; and it will be difficult to keep it from getting worse.

Mushrooming: That is what we call it. Less than one inch of tower deformation can be extremely detrimental to your MINI's alignment. This has been a common issue that MINI owners have had to face in the early cars. It is a compromise in the design of the vehicle, where the tight springs allow for the griptastic handling that we love on the twisties, but are the main reason that our MINI's have a unique disposition for sheet metal deformation. (See the photos above for what extreme damage looks like)

Strut Tower Defenders (STDs): Craven Speed STDs are a preventative measure. Instead of suffering the consequences of a lack of protection, using STDs to your advantage will strengthen your MINI's strut towers before deformation can occur. By sandwiching the sheet metal between the strut and our 1/2 inch thick aircraft aluminum plate, it is strengthened ten-fold. STDs come in pairs, one for the right tower and one for the left. Craven Speed STDs retain a 1/2 inch thickness throughout ensuring that there are no weak spots. Installation is easy, using the included instructions, it will take about 10 minutes to ensure that you do not have to go through a lengthy and expensive alignment repair. You do not need to lift the car, and the only tool needed is a torque wrench and a few sockets.

Note Fitment: Craven Speed STDs are only available for the 2002-2006 MINI Cooper & Cooper S (R50 & R53), as well as 2004-2008 MINI Cooper & Cooper S Conv. (R52).

Installation Instructions