R50/R53 :: Hatch Talk (2002-2006) Cooper (R50) and Cooper S (R53) hatchback discussion.

R50/53 When Objects Collide

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  #1  
Old 11-08-2017, 09:34 AM
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When Objects Collide

Yesterday, I get the call. Yep, that call. Ugh

My son hit some lumber maybe a 2x4 or perhaps larger piece of wood on the freeway (280 south out of SF). Flatbed tow truck to the rescue.

The damage was two destroyed wheels and tires and a mushroomed strut tower. I put in the cravenspeed UTIs in earlier to mitigate the potential of future mushrooming. The force was so high it pushed and bulged out the tower anyways.

Good news is that he was able to keep the car on the road, not lose control and get the car off the freeway safely. Whew, thank goodness for that.

New wheels and tires on the way from Tire Rack. Alignment scheduled for next week after we replace the struts.

Be careful out there!


It's as if a can opener was used. It's cracked all the way through

Doesn't look quite as bad as front, but this too is cracked all the way through the bend.
 
  #2  
Old 11-08-2017, 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Zsm
Yesterday, I get the call. Yep, that call. Ugh

My son hit some lumber maybe a 2x4 or perhaps larger piece of wood on the freeway (280 south out of SF). Flatbed tow truck to the rescue.

The damage was two destroyed wheels and tires and a mushroomed strut tower. I put in the cravenspeed UTIs in earlier to mitigate the potential of future mushrooming. The force was so high it pushed and bulged out the tower anyways.

Good news is that he was able to keep the car on the road, not lose control and get the car off the freeway safely. Whew, thank goodness for that.

New wheels and tires on the way from Tire Rack. Alignment scheduled for next week after we replace the struts.

Be careful out there!


It's as if a can opener was used. It's cracked all the way through

Doesn't look quite as bad as front, but this too is cracked all the way through the bend.
Ouch! I know exactly how that must have felt. I hit a big pothole a couple of months ago, despite that I am never complacent of hazards and danger on the road. Those are nice wheels too. Good that you can get replacement wheels. Are the struts damaged too, and if so what are they?

Mini has so little suspension travel even in stock form.
 
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:35 AM
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OUCH is right!

The struts are the factory originals. I have a set of Bilstein B4 and Lemforder mounts inbound that I had ordered last week. Lucky timing!
 
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:49 AM
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Must have been one scary time for him until the wheels stopped rolling. Glad he was not hurt.

Front tire went flat on my 750-4 Honda years ago. I am tall and was able to hold the bike up as the tire cam off the rim causing the handlebars to tug very hard everytime the rim went over the tire. It was another 30 years before I road a bike again and that one time was the last on the road.
 
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Old 11-08-2017, 12:34 PM
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Ouch, dang, didnt realize a 2x4 would do so much damage!
 
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Old 11-09-2017, 05:22 AM
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Originally Posted by pmanliu
Ouch, dang, didnt realize a 2x4 would do so much damage!
I doubt it would. I've run over 2x4s on a motorcycle on the road, and in PA they make you do it as part of the state MC safety training.


Glad he wasn't injured, wheels are replaceable.
 
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Old 11-09-2017, 06:47 AM
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Yesterday, as we were talking about the incident, he remembered that there was some tree trimming going on in the area.

A truck hauling the tree branches and what not was in front of him. A branch or small log must have fallen out of the truck ahead of him he believes. That makes more sense given the damage to the front wheel. You’re right, a 2x4 is unlikely to do that kind of damage.
 
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Old 11-09-2017, 07:28 AM
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Wow. Wheels held up fairly well and did their job. Glad there wasn't some "catastrophic" failure and that he's alright. Best of luck with the repairs!
 
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Old 11-09-2017, 12:56 PM
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Poorly secured loads is quite a problem on our roads! I'm glad your son is OK!

The other week I had to change lanes quickly because there was a wooden kitchen chair on the interstate.
 
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Old 11-10-2017, 07:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Loyal242
Poorly secured loads is quite a problem on our roads! I'm glad your son is OK!

The other week I had to change lanes quickly because there was a wooden kitchen chair on the interstate.
Ha, funny you mention that. Here in NYC, all sorts of crap end up on the highway. Most recent was a freaking mattress!
 
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Old 11-10-2017, 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Zsm
Yesterday, I get the call. Yep, that call. Ugh

My son hit some lumber maybe a 2x4 or perhaps larger piece of wood on the freeway (280 south out of SF). Flatbed tow truck to the rescue.

The damage was two destroyed wheels and tires and a mushroomed strut tower. I put in the cravenspeed UTIs in earlier to mitigate the potential of future mushrooming. The force was so high it pushed and bulged out the tower anyways.

Good news is that he was able to keep the car on the road, not lose control and get the car off the freeway safely. Whew, thank goodness for that.

New wheels and tires on the way from Tire Rack. Alignment scheduled for next week after we replace the struts.

Be careful out there!


It's as if a can opener was used. It's cracked all the way through

Doesn't look quite as bad as front, but this too is cracked all the way through the bend.

This is Bay Area . Too many things going on in the area. As the raining season comes, Potholes are growing as fast as wild fire. Don't know if our Governor is really going to fix our roads/freeways with the new Gas Tax money. Most importantly your son is OK. everything else can be fixed or replaced
 
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Old 11-10-2017, 08:58 AM
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wow! glad your son is alright. reminds me of the time i was driving down to san diego from LA in a rental ford focus with my 4 month old in the back, a ladder fell off the truck in front of me.luckily i was able to swerve out of the way but i gained a new found respect for that little ford's handling
 
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Old 11-10-2017, 09:43 AM
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Glad to hear he is ok. That's the main purpose of the vehicle - get us from point A to point B in one piece. <3
 
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Old 11-10-2017, 10:09 AM
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No injury is good! Do you know how fast he was going? I remember the traffic in that area, but also remember how nice it was when no real traffic present.

Worst truck spill for me was in San Francisco when I was on a Harley and was a block behind a restaurant grease truck, no way to stay vertical following that. Ugh.
 
  #15  
Old 11-10-2017, 10:22 AM
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Yep, safe and sound is priority #1. He didn't drive for a day, but since he had to go to school and work yesterday, he took the SUV and all is good.

@Minnie
He was just speeding up so less than 50 mph? From about SSF south down the peninsula, hwy 280 is a very nice road, just watch out for the CHP.

New tires and wheels are showing up today. Hope to get the car back together by next Tuesday when strut bearings arrive. Valve cover gasket sprung a leak. More fun!



Drive safe everyone
 
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Old 11-13-2017, 06:04 AM
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Yikes! Thats a hard hit.
 
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  #17  
Old 11-15-2017, 10:26 PM
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Glad to see that he is ok.

This is on-par with the foot-long 2x2 steel box section I met with my new Golf on I-87... 200 miles on the clock, less than 48 hours after picking it up from the dealer, and in an area with no cell reception. I was lucky to still have the stock 15in marshmallows on it and didn't kick up and damage anything else. My R53 would not have survived.
 




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