Strut Tower area broken

[spenrue]

The topmost peace where your strut is connected has came apart. It is very hard to explain with my little knowledge on cars. Check the picture to see what I mean. Someone I had look at it called it a top hat.

It's the right side that's affected.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/16/315fbe7713847b961fd23f9a8f850bcf.jpg

Here is the left side that is not broken for a frame of reference.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/16/efae2decf75a7dca0c8729a5a65e4576.jpg

Anyways I have been driving it with that broken for a couple months. It causes a squeaky noise when the wheel gets turned.

I am wondering how to specifically describe this issue and find any information I can on how to get this fixed so I can have an idea for how much it would cost.

Thanks in advance.

[Laptime61]

They are called upper strut tower bearings. They have a bearing in them that mounts the top of the shock/spring assembly to the car. Couple things here, the right side it obviously broken and if you look the left side has cracks in it so you need to replace both of them as the left will break soon. Also try not to drive the car with the mount broken, you can do damage to the suspension of your car ( if you havent already), your alignment is going to be way out so you will be wearing into your tires, and along with all of that it just being NOT safe to drive. If you know how to work on cars these arent a huge pain to replace and the parts arent going to cost you an arm an a leg. Im going to guess you have little car knowledge ( not an insult ) so you're going to have someone else do the work. Either way you go ( fixing it yourself of having someone else do it) you need to get the car re-aligned. If you have a buddy who knows cars, take it to them pay for the parts and some on top and then take the car to a shop for an alignment. If not just take it into a good auto repair place and say "Fix".


What car is this??

-Pat

[spenrue]

They are called upper strut tower bearings. They have a bearing in them that mounts the top of the shock/spring assembly to the car. Couple things here, the right side it obviously broken and if you look the left side has cracks in it so you need to replace both of them as the left will break soon. Also try not to drive the car with the mount broken, you can do damage to the suspension of your car ( if you havent already), your alignment is going to be way out so you will be wearing into your tires, and along with all of that it just being NOT safe to drive. If you know how to work on cars these arent a huge pain to replace and the parts arent going to cost you an arm an a leg. Im going to guess you have little car knowledge ( not an insult ) so you're going to have someone else do the work. Either way you go ( fixing it yourself of having someone else do it) you need to get the car re-aligned. If you have a buddy who knows cars, take it to them pay for the parts and some on top and then take the car to a shop for an alignment. If not just take it into a good auto repair place and say "Fix".


What car is this??

-Pat
Thanks for your help, just what I needed.

This is an 06' Mini Cooper S

[Laptime61]

No problem, take a look at http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/44-SUSPEN-Strut_Tower_Reinforcement_Plate_Install/44-SUSPEN-Strut_Tower_Reinforcement_Plate_Install.htm
and read up a little bit to help you make a good decision on what to do. This link is for reinforcement plates but it gives you a little idea of the work involved.

[spenrue]

No problem, take a look at http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/44-SUSPEN-Strut_Tower_Reinforcement_Plate_Install/44-SUSPEN-Strut_Tower_Reinforcement_Plate_Install.htm
and read up a little bit to help you make a good decision on what to do. This link is for reinforcement plates but it gives you a little idea of the work involved.
Okay awesome, thanks again.