Has anyone with a clubman use or have a aftermarket chassis brace? Did it help stiffen up or eliminate flexing, notice any improvement in handling?

 

I've had mine on for a few weeks....in combination with a CravenSpeed SARS up top (installed several months ago), Megan coilovers (installed a couple of years ago), and a 20mm Whiteline rear sway bar (installed several years ago). The TSW lower brace had more effect than the SARS....the difference with the TSW was definitely noticeable, but not a night and day difference. I notice it most when I'm going over rough roads (the front end feels very solid - hard to describe, but zero shaking...not that it was bad before) and when I'm on an on-ramp (fewer small correcting steering inputs). My goal was to make the car more fun to drive, and it definitely delivered on that. I would make the investment again - a "no-brainer" for me.

 

Thanks bugeye1031.

Did you have the TSW brace on a clubman?

 

Yes, the brace is on my Clubman - sorry I wasn't clear about that.

Also, I have to add that my Clubman is lowered (coilovers) there isn't much wheel gap, so it's not slammed. I have had the brace rub a couple of times...not on every speed bump though. I don't have to go into/out of any irregular driveways. I'll probably take it off over the winter though.

 

Yes the X brace becomes the lowest thing on your MINI, but still will clear most things you drive over. But the bigger thing is it really works to reduce body flex.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/tsw-xb...6-r55-r57.html

 

I spoke with someone who had a lower chassis brace on an R56 and he felt that it made more difference than his strut tower brace and really liked it a lot.

 

I'm slowly beefing up the suspension so it can handle better on the street. I've heard enough good things about having the brace vs without it so I just ordered it.

WMW my money is coming your way!!!

 

Update: Got the brace by WMW and installed this morning. Took about 20 mins install. The chassis feels tight and solid in a great way. The brace seem to isolate the suspension so it can do its job. Turn in and steering inputs seems quicker and more direct. I would hear the car creaking when turning in and out of driveways... no more creaking!

The best way I can described this mod is like the engine torque arm bushing mod that's for the chassis. Solid investment in terms of improved overall handling. I like the way the car rides now more than any other suspension mod aside from the Koni FSD's.

 

^^^i think the comparison to a torque arm bushing is pretty spot on. I have the MARS two piece set up on my clubman and its a pretty noiticeable difference over stock. It made more of a difference than the upper strut tower brace also. Im happy with the set up and i should have done it sooner...

 

Looks tempting, but why is the minimum order 100 units??
That’s 99 more than I need.

 

The website has had that listed for a long time. I only need one as well!

 

They are on back order indefinitely.
I ordered this instead:
Takes several weeks to get here from
Germany to ECS Tuning but should have
it to my door by the end of this month.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-wiechers...el/063001~wei/

 

Got the part but it doesn’t mount up
as I expected and no instructions to
clarify matters. Waiting on further
info from ECS before deciding to
return it.

 

We got your email and sending some info back. Hold tight.

 

Can you start a new thread for the Wiechers brace, including a bunch of pictures?

Found this on the interwebs:
http://www.auto-ksport.cz/cz3006--rozpery-vyztuhy.html



Looks like it only mounts to the front subframe, not the mid-chassis like the Way Motors brace...

 

ECS tuning just sent that exact pic to me a few minutes ago.
That looks like where I figured the mounting points have to be, but the ends at the back of the brace
(top of the picture) look different than the part I have. Mine just has the flat end with a hole like
the front has, and a bolt and washer as shown here, but a flanged sleeve part above the brace
(a cylinder about 15 mm in diameter and 14 mm long with a flange about 24 mm x 3 mm like a
top hat with a threaded hole down the center for the bolt). The area on the subframe just above
this has a smooth 10.5 mm hole, bigger than the bolt and much smaller than the 15 mm sleeve.
Even if I drilled the hole out to 15 mm and had someone tack weld the sleeve in, the main
acheivement of the brace would be to stiffen the connection of the subframe to the front bumper
instead of reinforcing the locating points of the control arms on the body like the Way TSW brace does.

I'm trying to sent the part back, but ECS says I should wait at least until Monday when the MINI part specialist
may have time to respond to my concerns. It might be time to get a scraped up used TSW one instead or
wait a long time and see if new R55-59 TSW ones become available again or just fuggetaboutit altogether.

 

ECS did get back to me late yesterday.
Have RMA and shipping label now and sending it back today.
Too bad it didn't work out.
I've actually had very few returns to ECS with many orders over many years.

 

I am sad it wasn’t as expected. Thanks for trying.

 

Sorry about that, when we get it back we will check it out and work with wiecher to get this thing sorted for the future.

Hole must be drilled out to 15mm and Nut inserts must be tack welded into place for the 2 rear(front just bolts in), after that the nut insert can be painted. I guess they changed the design after the last.
These are the same guys that make F1 and racing series foll cages for germany so their must have been a change.

 

Thanks

 

There are a bunch of chassis braces available from Ultra Racing that look interesting, especially the 6-point front lower brace (1648).
ECS has them with $125 shipping for one or several pieces, or $38 for that piece from CA to PA from https://ultraracing-usa.com/product/...-r55-2008-2014 .
ECS page for my MINI here: https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2009-...h/ultra_racing
Both places take a couple to several weeks to ship.

 

If I was going to go with their lower braces, I would combine the 1648 with the 1649. Should make a nice and stiff chassis. However, they look like they would reduce some ground clearance....

 

Ordered the 1648 and 1649 from https://ultraracing-usa.com . Shipping for both was only $42.

The laws of the universe dictate that this order will result in the TSW XBrace becoming available again soon.

At least it looks like they will fit and function much better than the Wiechers Sport lower brace, which I ordered a couple months ago and promptly returned.

 

Nice! Looking forward to your review.

 

@cristo I assume you got these installed within the past uh, 20 years almost! What kind of difference did they make? I am looking at ordering the Ultra braces for my 2010 Clubman S. I hope you’re alive and well & that I hear back from you!