i bought a JCW strut tower brace for 2005 mcs. found that the bolts to mount it to the strut tower were to short. is there a strut mount for the JCW cars that have longer bolts. # ?

 

trashmanbob
The JCW strut tower brace for the first generation came with special recessed nuts to allow use with the factory strut plates. This will work but IMHO not the best design. If you replaced your stock strut camber plates with something like Ireland Eng. fixed plates you would get several benefits like added -1.25 front camber, reinforcement for the strut towers, and longer bolts.
Steve

 

i talked to them and will not work with lowering springs

thanks bob

still looking

 

trashmanbob
I am not really sure what your comment means here. Both the strut tower JCW brace and Ireland Eng fixed camber plates will work with lowering springs.
In order to help you we need more information as to what you want to do and what you are working with. Your first post just stated that the camber plate bolts were too short.
Steve

 

Itch, the IE fixed camber plates were not intended to be used with any lowering springs since it will likely take the camber to far out.

Trashmanbob, adjustable camber plates should solve your problem since you can adjust the camber back into spec and save the tires.

 

got it,was trying go cheap as pocket book short

 

Blaxin41
I disagree. This would all depend on the extent that you want to lower your MINI. Lots of people out there running a 1" drop and I.E. fixed plates with great results. MINI's need more front camber and neg 2 degrees will not overly wear your tires if rotated regularly.
Steve

[QUOTE=Blaxin41;3629874]Itch, the IE fixed camber plates were not intended to be used with any lowering springs since it will likely take the camber to far out.

 

the gentleman from way motors said not a good idea. also tein springs drop 1.5 they say.

thanks bob

 

Exactly why I was trying to give you the correct advise. A lot of people can run them with lowering springs but that's not what they were made for.

 

Sorry guys I'm still not thinking that their is some miss communication here.
The Ireland Eng fixed plates are designed to give you added negative 1.25 camber to whatever you started with. They are thicker than the stock plates so they give added support to the weak towers to help prevent mushrooming. They also use a more robust bearing mounted in urathane that comes from BMW (I believe Z3). This style will not give you the noise you may get from ball and socket adjustables plates for a street ride. They also give you longer mounting bolts so adding strut tower braces is not a problem.
I run these on my GP and have -1.8 camber up front and get no added tire wear for a street ride. This is on the stock JCW springs which only lower 10mm.
I would certainly like to have Way chime in here to clarify this, as I have said earlier, I believe there is some miss communication about running them on lowering springs.

 

JCW springs are not really lowering springs the way I thought you were talking about. IE can work with 0.5" drop and stay within spec. I was talking more about over 1" drops would push past 2 degrees of neg camber.

 

i have tein lowerig springs that are a 1.5 drop (+or-), i wish way would chime in to this thread so i can buy what i need before i pull it apart.


thanks for all your help i love this place for info

bob

 

Lowering your MINI adds negative camber. How much I do not know. It's my opinion that with IE fixed plates you may end up with too much negative camber. My 06 on stock springs comes in at -1.8 & -1.9 with IE fixed plates. On a street driven car -2.0 is the sweet spot. I think you should call one of the fine vendors here & get their opinion on what adjustable camber plates you should buy.

One more thing, the IE fixed plates do not have urethane mounted bearings, at least on mine.