I plan to add M7's Under Strut System and I wonder if anyone's installed their own. M7 recommends the car be on a lift and I'm thinking of jack stands on a level surface. Also, if you've had one installed, what did it cost? Any input would be appreciated.

 

I did it my self... and failed damn riv nut things... I did find a way though, jb weld... I used so much jbweld I dont think its ever going to come off...

at anyrate went to a gargue that had a "2 post" lift one where you swing the arms under and went to town didnt take long at all, I had to dismantle the front part so I could jb-weld the drivers side where the riv nit goes. What I did is sand it down to the metal on the uss and car, mixed the jb-weld (keep in mind I have the one part of my car on a jack) applied the jb-weld, got some 2x4's lowered the car onto the 2x4's so the weight of the car was on the 2x4's. I also had to rig up a barriar as it was freezeing out that night, I put a 100 watt bulb in the barrair with and let it cure 24 hours... to this day I have drivin the hell out of my mini and have yet to hear a creak or a crack... I sure hope it contuines to hold this well....

The uss is amazing by the way!

 

Thanks. Are the riv nut things what they supplied? How do you like it by the way?

 

you can DIY it if you have a right angle drill or use a step drill only to the size specified. M7 recommends on a lift b/c the bit they include is like 8-10" long (seriously). Might also want to look at the MINI Madness and TSW x-brace alternatives (simpler install and effective)

 

I did mine on jack stands, ALL the way up, with the nutserts provided. Two tips:
1) you either need a REALLY compact drill, or a right angle drill to do it on jackstands. The provided drill bit for drilling the nutsert holes is very long - in a regular drill, the whole thing is too long to fit under the car with the stands... I have a compact air drill that *just barely* fit... but a right angle drill would have worked fine.
2) you really need to follow the instructions closely for the nutserts, and ideally have an impact wrench to set them properly so you don't have to resort to JB Weld. I did mine with hand tools, but it was a challenge to get them set properly...

The nutserts are definitely the hardest part.

While I love my USS, if I was going to do it now, I'd do a TSW X-brace...

 

Simulposted with PGT... great minds...

 

+1 on the TSW!


triple post FTW !

 

1 more for TSW

 

Yes, there are other alternatives on the market. The OP is asking about the M7 USS install. So lets look at it this way. Both PGT and BlimyCabrio at least offered some advice about the USS as well and given the current NAM climate and the fact this thread has been reported for teh +1's lets try to keep the + posts out.

Thanks

 

Also, what exhaust do you have or are you planning on possibly using. There are some fitment issues with certain ones. I don't remember which except for my own experiences with the USS not fitting with the RMW Header. Might want to check with M7, since they don't list the known issue on their site.

 

Sorry for the plus 1. The known issues are with Miltek and Alta's, I believe. The positive on the TSW is ease of installation. No holes to drill, easy 4 bolt mounting.

 

Not sure why we shouldn't be able to offer some alternatives, especially since they would be easier to install.

 

Reading to much into it Scott...just asking that if you are going to offer alternatives to state why.

It's not a poll, so +1 offers nothing besides bringing the M7 camp out of the woodwork to report that post has unauthorized advertising. So in the interest of appeasing all instead of saying +1 say something like...

TSW's V2 is even more affordable, using tabs instead of collars for mounting and a different steel. Trade offs over V1 are slightly more weight.

That example offers an alternative and conveys a message. +1 looks so much like piling on.

 

So I guess my idea of offering an additional endorsement for an alternative isn't appropriate?

How would I go about offering an endorsement to a previous post?

 

This is now going off topic. PM Sent

 

Thanks for all the input. I'll be putting on the Borla 'touring' or street exhaust btw, there doesn't seem to be any fit issues with the M7 USS - I'll check out the TSW X-brace too before doing anything, less money and easier install are definitely good things. M7's just been nice to deal with on other mods so I typically have gone back to them.

 

 

I am getting a Used USS from a local. Is it worth it? Can these things be reinstalled? Was handling that much better? How about lowered MCS? Will I scrape more ofter? I have M7 Springs and like them a lot... Thanks for your help

 

You can call the office and they have a kit of new nutserts etc. to allow you to do a reinstall. I am on coilovers which would be lower than the springs and have no unusual rubbing issues. The fact that our system ties together three different sections, not just the front, goes a long way towards improving your handling.

Randy
M7 tuning

 

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