Can anyone compare and contrast who's tried or at least ridden in Coopers with one or the other?

TSW:


M7:


M7 has the advantage price-wise...but other than that I personally have not experienced the effects of either one.

 

but the X-brace is a stiffer peice. I was shocked at the difference it made on my car. Easier install too! just four bolts.

Matt

 

I've had the USS on two cars and currently have the X-Brace. No contest. MUCH! easier install, no exhaust system clearance issues, made in the USA, etc....go with the TSW brace.

 

I had the USS on my cab and switched over to the X-Brace a few months ago. The USS was good, but the X-Brace is fantastic. It makes my cab feel just like a tin-top (confirmed by numerous tin-top owners). And as others have said, it was simple to install. 20 minutes, a jack, a torque wrench and that's it.

 

Love my USS... but that was the best game in town when I bought and installed it. If I had to do it again, I would go with the X-brace. But I'm happy enough with the USS that I don't plan to switch...

 

So does anyone have a pic of the X-brace installed? I know it might be kinda hard to do since it is low under there, but was wondering how low it sticks down. Also, anybody weigh them? And how much money we talking here for both? Thanks

 

Mine weighs about 6 pounds, as indicated by the shipping label. It certainly doesn't feel any heavier than that. Mine is a "Gen 1", which may be slightly heavier than the newer version - can't remember.

Unless someone beats me to it, I can post a pic of my installed brace tomorrow. It doesn't drop any lower than the lip that runs side to side from the front mount point near the front wheels, and I've never rubbed against anything, though I'm also not lowered.

 

I like the look of the X-brace and had one on my Mustang. It was a world of difference...

 

Cool thx. P.S. I cannot find the X-brace on TSW website?

 

I couldn't either...it's on AXC's site though...www.autoxcooper.com. It's probably going to be my next mod. Even in my tintop with the sport suspension I've got noticible sway and I'm not loving it.

 

Have you already installed a stiffer rear sway bar? A brace has benefits but not to reduce sway.

 

The first on my MINI was the USS. Simply by looking at it I knew it was going to be more a cosmetic part then function. It simply has to many fasteners to be a usefull suspension stiffeng part. I use a G-tech at times to see if things are as claimed. In the case of the USS no change indicated what so ever.This was by driving on an open flat cement parking lot and executing a series of turning maneuvers.
I was given a TSW to try out. And was surprised that it also did not show any indication of helping with lateral movement. So between the two I stayed with the USS for looks.
If the TWS or even perhaps the USS was used with a 4, 6,8 or10 point roll cage it might serve to lock in the lower subframe? And subsequently be a usefull part. I would love imput from either company on my findings and conclusions.

 

The claim is reduced body flex. How does the G-tech measure that?

 

The purpose of reducing body flex is to maintain suspension geometry for improved lateral forces. Hence, the G-tech is a valid measurement tool.

 

Just not sure I'm buying that... when taking a downhill, off camber hairpin corner on washboard pavement, there are dynamics at work (chassis vibration and active suspension play) that you CAN NOT replicate on a skidpad. ESPECIALLY on a cabrio...

 

Agreed. The skidpad willl not reflect the full benefit of the bracing. Use the G-tech to measure the hairpin or washboard surface. That's why the G-tech has enough memory to record a few laps.

 

Wish I had my G-Timer before I installed my USS so I could have measured lateral G's before and after on my favorite local off camber washboard corner... unfortunately I got it later... and I'm not taking off the USS just to test it... But if someone else wants to come over and take it off and put it back on and test before and after, I'll bet $100 that MY car has better front grip in those conditions with the USS...

And this brings up an interesting point... you hear a lot of noise on NAM from time to time between the "if it's real, you can measure it on the dyno" crowd, vs. the "if it's real, you can measure it with lap times on the track" crowd (and there is some, though not 100%, overlap between those two groups). But sometimes what gets lost in that noise is that aggressive street driving (especially Dragon / canyon carving type conditions) introduce variables that I've never seen on the track... taken to the extreme, this is why you don't see F1 cars racing on the World Rally circuit... no doubt, a purpose-built track MINI will outperform a stock MINI with a few parts bolted on it, when taken to the track. But, beyond a point, adding performance for track conditions compromises "real world" street driveability on potholed, washboarded, 8-ft-wide-lane tarmac-like ashphalt... or cobblestones... so for cars that are primarily driven in these street conditions (and rarely on the track), sometimes devices like these braces that would have marginal or no benefit on the track on an otherwise-prepared track car will have demonstrable benefits on a mostly-stock street car... again, taken to the extreme for purposes of illustration, I'm sure there are some track MINIs out there that wouldn't fare so well on THIS drive...

 

gen 1 is chromoly - gen 2 is a cheaper heavier normal steel

 

Blimey Cabrio -
I think your music for that video should have been the theme from Deliverance!! Your dash mascot seems to be enjoying the ride!! Hope you don't break anything serious out there in there in the middle of nowhere. At least you'll have a video tape of it!!

 

No prob - looks like PGT beat me to the pic. He circled that lip I was referring to - you see it doesn't drop any lower than that.

Regarding it's disappearance from the website - from what I understand about TSW, they are one of those rare sellers who do not have items on their website that are not currently in stock (autobarn, anyone?).

 

Blimey nice video. You give new meaning to enjoying your MINI

An observation reading other posts I notice that the people that seem to feel a difference have a Cabrio or are useing Cabrio front bars.This would make sense as the bars would help strengthen the front sub structure and help the TSW and USS work as claimed.

Can someone please post a picture of the bars I am refering to.

 

may not drop any lower than teh flap but it looks like it does at cross point,(at teh X) in front of resonator!? does it?

 

Yeah sway is probably the wrong word for what I am experiencing, although there's some of that as well that needs to be better controlled. I think "roll" is probably more accurate.

All I know is, for the stock sport suspension it's ridiculously sloppy.

 

I'm not convinced that lateral G force measurements are a good way to measure a change in body flex (unless the change is truly extreme). Are roll cages by themselves known to increase lateral G's?

If you mean staying flat and not leaning on turns, an underbrace should have little or no effect. Look first at stiffer sway bars, then springs and shocks.

 

Yes. When I was building a datsun 510 track car, my G-Force analyzer registered a .06 g improvement after the cage was installed. That is significant. The weight of the cage also slowed the car down quite a bit.