Mods: I couldn't find a place to put this post other than here. If there is a better place for it, please feel free to relocate it.

I got my TSW engine damper in today. It only took a couple of hours, which is good for me.

The instructions were okay, but there was some info missing that could have been very helpful, such as which part, and which nut and bolt sets were which. Basically, it looked like it was written for someone who had already done it, which is less than optimal for a first-timer. I had to second-guess a few things, which shouldn't have been necessary. But, if I had to put in another one, I could now do it without the instructions.

BTW, I have one unaccounted for piece - a large black washer. Anyone know where it goes?

Oh yeah, so, driving impressions . . . it does make a subtle, yet dramatic difference between shifts. The car moves forward more . . . positively between shifts. There is little to none of the jerkiness that was there that interrupted forward momentum on a less than perfect upshift without the damper. And although the engine makes its presence known a bit more . . . positively, there is virtually no extra vibration. The feeling is sort of like being more intimately connected with the car. It's kind of hard to describe. It's very subtle, but it's there. Overall, I LIKE it.

Zip

 

I have one to install, hopefully tomorrow. You should call TSW and that them know about the instuctions. They have great customer support and would want to know your opinion. If you could post a couple of photos of it installed, that would be great. I am glad it made such a positive change for you and I'm looking forward to feeling the improvement on my car.

 

Okay, here's a few after it was done. I'll try to explain what's what.

The first two are pics of the TSW damper installed, first from the passenger side, and the second from the driver's side. In the first pic, you can see where the front TSW damper bracket bolts to the top of the MINI's stock engine damper bracket.





Below is the rear brace or bracket (driver's side to the bottom of the pic). The bolt you see way down there secures the bracket to the frame. If you look carefully, you can see a bolt head sticking out slightly to the right of the clevis end of the damper. I think this is where the leftover washer I have goes - between the bracket and the frame.



Below is the front bracket (front of car at bottom of pic). You can see on the left where the damper itself attaches to it. The shiny piece down at the bottom is part of that bracket and you can see one of the two engine mount bolts right in the middle of the picture. The other one is just to the right, but is out of the picture. These two bolts secure the front bracket to the engine:



This is the rear of the damper mounted to its bracket (pic from the passenger side) - the bracket that dove deep down onto the frame in the third pic.



This pic makes the other bolt on the front mount on the engine more visible. It's just a slightly different angle than 2 pics above.



Zip

 

I think the washer goes between the bolt head and the bracket, at the location you mentioned. The instructions I have (about 6 months old) do not mention the washer but one of the pictures shows the washer installed there.

 

Thanks, I'll ask TSW about it, just to be sure.

Zip

 

An update on the damper:

After driving the car around for a while tonight, I noticed that the damper makes a nice difference on downshifts. No more jerkiness. DSs are very smooth with little to no effort. I also noticed that there is a bit of vibration through the steering wheel at idle when the car is at proper operating temperature. No biggie there, because the car is rarely at idle. ;o)

Zip

 

The TSW Dampener was installed last night on my MINI. I couldn't agree more with your comments. For me, the difference in feel is HUGE! It's less jerky and I feel more in control; at one with the car. I love it.

Wendy

 

awesome. how much did you pay for your damper?
glad u liked it and hope someone weary about this will get one and feel the same as you do. share the wealth and you will prosper.
contact Shoe in this forum to get your dampers for a reasonable price.
check him out. if anyone know how to contact Shoe, please post it for the next guy.

 

It cost me, with shipping, $125 n' change to my door. It's about $116 by itself, with all brackets and hardware, of course.

Zip

 

I studied both dampers, and went with the TSW one at its higher cost because of ease of installation, and then ease of adjustment once in its installed location. I was also not crazy about the tight clearance down there and the 'it may hit a belt' or something possibility of Shoe's unit. Also, the angle of it when mounted was not perpendicular to the engine.

Listen, I love to spend less $$ whenever possible, but the damper you are referring to didn't appear that it would install, adjust, or work as well as the TSW. My .02.

Zip

 

Maybe I'm just a better driver than you . . .

Just kidding!

Zip

 

No doubt about it, you are. As is anyone else driving a MINI at the moment.

I'll be the first to admit, I have alot to learn. I've been driving a succession of boring, humdrum, no-excitement-added SUVs for the last 14 years. And then....I drove my husband's MINI. The rest is history~ I had to have my own.

But I know that owning one doesn't make you a good driver of one. I fully acknowledge that my heavily-mod'd MCSC is a car FAR beyond my current abilities; so I drive my own drive, try not to get too far behind the pack, and apply what I learn to get better.

Someday, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, I'll see you at the track(s)

In the meantime, I'm having a love affair with my MINI and I wouldn't give her up for anything.

W~

 

Zip,

As mentioned before, the washer goes on the bolt that mounts horizontally to the motor mount/chassis. Nice job on the install and fantastic write up.
Cheers,
Dan Zipkin

 

Thanks! Great write up and photos.

 

Thanks very much guys. If it helps anyone have an easier time of it, themselves, then it's worth it.

Zip