What has been proven to be the best strut brace and along with that, an anti mushroom device... Names, and where i can get it would be very helpful! They would be going on a 2008 MCSc

Thanks!

pete

 

Camber plates might be the ultimate solution for shrooming, otherwise most like M7 strut tower bar. Find in Vendor Directory. But is It an R57? Or R52? If so I don't think those have the shrooming problem.
2008 MINI S Cooper Convertible?

 

All cabrios at this point are R52.... including 2008. And Shrooming is an issue.

I had the M7 strut tower plates, and had no mushrooming during the 40,000 hard miles I put on them. The newer Craven plates are very nice also. I now have Ireland Engineering fixed camber plates (which probably do a better job of preventing mushrooming, and also drastically improve cornering).

Note that strut tower plates and strut braces don't work together, EXCEPT for the M7 system which includes both.

For strut braces... the BEST thing for a cabrio is an under-strut brace - the M7 USS or the Texas Speedwerks Xbrace. Makes a huge difference on the cabrio that you can feel immediately on rough pavement. I ran for about 35,000 miles with my USS and strut tower plates and no strut brace, and was quite happy.

For a long time, I was of the opinion that strut bars don't do anything on these cars. I still think that MOST strut bars don't... but I recently installed the GTT strutbrace (the mother of all strutbraces) and can definitely feel a difference in front end rigidity with that brace, combined with my USS.

Warning - you may have to sell a child to pay for the GTT strutbrace in the US...

 

I happen to have a low mileage child that I would be willing to part with

How much are these things and where do I get them.. If they all mount the same way, why would one be better than the other?

It would seem to me that all strut bars/braces do the same thing.. go from one side to the other with a solid bar made out of metal...


Oh and yes, its a 2008 Sidewalk R53 Convertible ( isn't a "S" a R53?)

 

I've had an upper strut brace on and off several times. As far as I can tell, it does nothing for handling on the MINI, and the only change it makes is a slight reduction in interior plastic-noise, so none are "best". IMHO, those who claim handling benefits are being misled by the change in the noises, just as a louder intake makes the car seem "faster".

A lower strut brace, ranging from $125 to $400, will make a big difference on the Cabrio. Here's the least costly: http://www.mini-madness.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=290

As to anti-mushrooming, the only one that is well-designed for the job is the Mini-Madness version, which is steel, and goes between the strut and the tower. I't's not visible, but it works far better than any of the aluminum plates that bolt on top.
http://www.mini-madness.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=334

BTW, I've got a used strut brace offered for sale in the Marketplace...
6^)

 

OldRick and I will agree to disagree on this topic...

The design of strut bars is quite a bit different, depending on the bar. The GTT bar is a very stiff piece of billet aluminum, welded to the plates so it's one piece and is quite stiff - you can grab it and move the car with it, with very little discernible deflection of the bar. Blindfolded and earplugged passengers can tell a difference in the feel of the car with it on vs. off...

Now, whether this translates into time on the track, I can't say - though some owners claim they have the stopwatch data to prove that it did for them. Not trying to put words in OldRick's mouth, but I believe his theory of strut bars is that, in order to work, they must stabilize the camber of the vehicle when cornering. He did a test that was unable to show that the bar had any effect on camber when sitting on an alignment rack. He assumed from that the bar has no performance benefit. While I applaud his testing, I (a) don't agree with his theory of operation of strut bars and (b) don't believe this test replicates dynamic chassis conditions in the real world.

That said, I bought mine to be "furniture" that hopefully might also do something. I was pleasantly surprised that I could actually feel the difference...

It's available from GT Tuning in the UK.

As for anti-mushrooming plates - mine prevented mushrooming for 40,000 miles, thus were 100% effective, so I'm not sure how a different design would have worked much better in my case.

I agree with OldRick that sufficient under-tower reinforcement is theoretically superior to a plate bolted on top.... but, in practice, both seem to work....

 

I'd be curious what the GTT brace cost you to get here in the US? It's certainly pretty...

 

One Million Dollars...

Actually, closer to $560 with shipping... exchange rate has been a bit better since I ordered it... but not sure what it is now... but INSANELY expensive, regardless.

Yeah, it's hella pretty.... again, that's the real reason I bought it... as a show car part... gonna powdercoat some more stuff in my engine bay to match...

 

OMG


is there any flex left in the front? LOL could also be a back up tow hook.

 

Honestly - between the stock cabrio braces, the M7 USS, and the GTT brace.... the car feels like an M3 when I'm going in a straight line... it just feels *solid*. It's not just the absence of squeeks and rattles - I didn't have much of that to start with - it doesn't feel like a light, tiny car, until I corner, and then, with the camber plates, FSDs and current alignment, it's bliss.

Hard to tell in the picture - but the thing is about 4" wide... and about 10mm thick...

 

According to the M7 Website, you cannot install both the Upper strut brace AND the tower reinforcement plates at the same time. They say that either one will prevent mushrooming...

 

BTW, with an upper strut brace that will fit over the MINI airbox or most aftermarket versions, you will have issues with the hood bulging. Note that the GTT pictured does not have an air intake box visible.

 

So which do I do? Mine is a daily (kinda) driver, not used for track or hard motoring yet I want to control the flex and god knows I do not want to have mushrooming. I want it to be stiff and flex free with the protection...

It sounds like if I want the stock airbox then I would go with the M7 USS and the tower plates with NO crossover bar...

Or go with the GTT pictured ( that thing is a work of art!) change my airbox to (???) and go with the M7 USS

Correct?

 

So Im confused. I have a R52 S but it is a 2008 model. When I look for tower defenders, they list 2002-06, or 07 But not 2008. I have the last year of the supercharger so how do I know which to buy?

 

The GTT fits over the stock or JCW airbox with no mods and no bulging.... at least this is true on my car. I have the JCW airbox - the GTT brace literally rests right on top of it, no gap, and requires 1cm of clearance. For aftermarket "sheetmetal" airboxes, they must be "notched" to clear the GTT brace properly.

The M7 brace *includes* the plates, cut/slotted for the brace to bolt onto.

My personal opinion, with the driving style you describe, I would recommend an under-strut brace (M7 USS or TSW Xbrace) and either M7, Craven tower-top plates or the Moss under-tower plates and skip the strut bar.

Note that, if you get the GTT bar, it is NOT designed prevent mushrooming... you'd need either the Moss under-tower plates or camber plates for mushrooming protection...

 

You'd buy the 2002-2006 model - which is the Gen 1 coupe... the R52 cabrio is the same body style through 2008, but they just may not have it listed separately or correctly.

 

Danke

 

I've had an M7 strut brace which incorporates the strut top defenders on my MINI tin top for about 43,000 miles. In that time my struts have remained un-mushroomed. They obviously have worked on my car.

I have since added IE fixed camber plates. They will help a lot to prevent mushrooming with the added bonus of improved handling. I feel that using both will just about ensure that my strut towers remain the correct shape. If you don't want to go to the trouble of putting camber plates on the M7 brace will work. The added bonus is it is a 5 minute install.

 

Having seen a couple of the M7 USS that tore out the nutserts that attach it to the pan, and bent the aluminum cross bar downward, I wouldn't use the USS on a bet. It's only virtue is that it was the first product available that proved the concept.

The TSW X-brace or either of the two from Mini-Madness are much better-engineered products, IMHO, because they are triangulated, have welded corners instead of notched and bolted, and because they attach better.

As to the strut-top protection, now that the Mini-Madness under-tower plate is available, I see no reason to use the less-effective tower-top design.

For what you want the car to do, be more rigid in moderate street and road driving, and avoid mushroom issues, I'd go with any under-strut brace but the USS, and with the M-M tower-protection plates or the Ireland Engineering fixed camber plates (for twice the price, but with other benefits).

You will like the results, particularly if you add Koni FSD shocks. Blimey and I are in full agreement on that part.

 

Me and OldRick agree more than we disagree.

If I were buying an under-brace today, it would be the X-brace, for the reasons he cites. But I've had no USS problems in 35,000 miles. So for me personally, it has had some virtue beyond proving the concept.

 

Matty is that your MINI in your Sig Picture the 08 MCS in BRG, that may be an R56, if so no need for plates

 

I think it is a bit early to say no plates are needed for an R56. I'd sure hope MINI would have fixed an obvious design flaw by now. The jury is still out & only time will tell. Me, I'd buy a set if I had an R56.

 

Mega Dittos

 

I dunno. It's looking pretty conclusive to me. R56 started deliveries over 2 years ago, hundreds of thousands produced and many millions of miles logged. I would guess that there are now at least half as many R56 as all R50/R53 ever produced. Has anyone seen even a single reported case of R56 mushrooming?

 

I would need a LOT of mushrooms to justify purchasing a R56...


j/k