You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!
I've tried another well-known strut bar on my MINI, and found only minimal improvements from it. I've even tried to measure the interaction between the wheels and a strut brace, using a suspension alignment machine, and found no benefit. However, the brace I used had a fault in common with almost all MINI strut braces - it was curved, and thus subject to shortening and lengthening under stresses.
The IE brace is one of the few that puts the cross-piece in a straight line, and thus is not subject to compressive forces, unlike all curved bars. It is also aligned across the front of the strut towers, unlike others that cross several inches aft where the firewall already strengthens the tower. As can be seen in the pictures, it braces the free forward end of the tower. It is also close to the point where the Cabrio diagonal braces attach, thus reinforcing both.
The bar itself is hollow rectangular-section steel tubing, nicely welded and of fixed length. It is a straight line between the minimal risers, which are attached and triangulated solidly, so it won't be compressing or stretching. The end-pieces are a surprisingly complex design, which might have some claim to torsional rigidity if the towers were to move fore-and-aft or twist relative to each other under strain. These aspects make it unique among MINI bars.
The tubing has a long-way slice taken out of it above the MINI intake and ECU cover, which it clears by around 1/8". The slice has flat steel welded edge to edge, and it looks like it has maybe been filled with epoxy for strength? (you can see two filled holes on the top) Because the bar rides low and slopes toward the front, there is no interference with the hood or the under-hood blanket.
There is. however, a clearance issue with the oil-filler cap. You can unscrew and slide it out backward from under the bar, but just barely, and you will need a long-neck funnel to add oil without removing the brace.
The fixed-length design can make it a bit difficult to install the first time - I had to oval the holes in the brace to fit my `05 S. To compensate for the oval holes, I got some thick (5mm) oversized (22mm instead of the standard 16mm) steel washers to better clamp the bar in place (not shown in pix).
How well does it work? Well, it makes the car quieter and feels more solid than the OMP bar did. As to handling, it seems to make a small but definite difference in cornering, particularly on grade changes or sharp hairpins with a drop. I also notice a reduction in impact feel over tar-strips and small cracks - the ride is improved with less thump in the bumps, and the car feeling more resistant to the impacts. I'm pretty sure I could tell if it was installed in a blind test.
Overall, if you feel compelled to add a front strut-top brace to your first-gen MINI, this one is well engineered and well-made. It's the best-designed bar I've seen.
Will it shave tenths of seconds off your lap times? I remain skeptical.
Does it reduce noise and vibration on poorly-maintained roads? Yes, and better than most less-well-designed strut bars.
Does it look cool? Yep - it looks like it belongs in a serious engine compartment, not in a glass case.
;)
;)
;)
