Suspension Strut brace observations
Strut brace observations
I recently had my `05 S aligned, after adding urethane control-arm and trailing-arm bushings.
While there, an experiment occurred to me: while the alignment machine was still hooked up on the wheels, we tried to see how much change in camber my OMP strut-top brace was able to make when tightened or pre-loaded. My reasoning was that if the brace were to be effective, it would have to be by resisting changes in camber caused by strain on the suspension, e.g. during fast cornering.
So we tightened and loosened the OMP bar, and saw absolutely zero change in the camber - not even .01 degree. What was readily observable was that the bar was bulging up under the strain as it was tightened, since the strut towers weren't moving.
My conclusion is that even this relatively stiff strut brace is not going to make any appreciable change in the static or dynamic camber of the car. I confirmed this by removing the bar, and taking a test run on some of my local hairpins. I observed that, unlike the lower bar or cabrio braces, there was no apparent change in the handling of the car without the brace.
However, I did reinstall the bar, but for a different reason - it apparently redistributes or damps vibrations in the chassis that lead to interior noises. Just as I had noted when I installed it, it does reduce the cheap-plastic noises in the dash and interior of the car.
So I suggest not buying a strut-top brace for handling improvements, as I couldn't find any, but consider one if you are concerned with quieting your car - the improvement in perceived build quality from eliminating all those little ticks and cricks is considerable.
While there, an experiment occurred to me: while the alignment machine was still hooked up on the wheels, we tried to see how much change in camber my OMP strut-top brace was able to make when tightened or pre-loaded. My reasoning was that if the brace were to be effective, it would have to be by resisting changes in camber caused by strain on the suspension, e.g. during fast cornering.
So we tightened and loosened the OMP bar, and saw absolutely zero change in the camber - not even .01 degree. What was readily observable was that the bar was bulging up under the strain as it was tightened, since the strut towers weren't moving.
My conclusion is that even this relatively stiff strut brace is not going to make any appreciable change in the static or dynamic camber of the car. I confirmed this by removing the bar, and taking a test run on some of my local hairpins. I observed that, unlike the lower bar or cabrio braces, there was no apparent change in the handling of the car without the brace.
However, I did reinstall the bar, but for a different reason - it apparently redistributes or damps vibrations in the chassis that lead to interior noises. Just as I had noted when I installed it, it does reduce the cheap-plastic noises in the dash and interior of the car.
So I suggest not buying a strut-top brace for handling improvements, as I couldn't find any, but consider one if you are concerned with quieting your car - the improvement in perceived build quality from eliminating all those little ticks and cricks is considerable.
Last edited by OldRick; Aug 6, 2008 at 01:05 PM.
I recently had my `05 S aligned, after adding urethane control-arm and trailing-arm bushings.
While there, an experiment occurred to me: while the alignment machine was still hooked up on the wheels, we tried to see how much change in camber my OMP strut-top brace was able to make when tightened or pre-loaded. My reasoning was that if the brace were to be effective, it would have to be by resisting changes in camber caused by strain on the suspension, e.g. during fast cornering.
So we tightened and loosened the OMP bar, and saw absolutely zero change in the camber - not even .01 degree. What was readily observable was that the bar was bulging up under the strain as it was tightened, since the strut towers weren't moving.
My conclusion is that even this relatively stiff strut brace is not going to make any appreciable change in the static or dynamic camber of the car. I confirmed this by removing the bar, and taking a test run on some of my local hairpins. I observed that, unlike the lower bar or cabrio braces, there was no apparent change in the handling of the car without the brace.
However, I did reinstall the bar, but for a different reason - it apparently redistributes or damps vibrations in the chassis that lead to interior noises. Just as I had noted when I installed it, it does reduce the cheap-plastic noises in the dash and interior of the car.
So I suggest not buying a strut-top brace for handling improvements, as I couldn't find any, but consider one if you are concerned with quieting your car - the improvement in perceived build quality from eliminating all those little ticks and cricks is considerable.
While there, an experiment occurred to me: while the alignment machine was still hooked up on the wheels, we tried to see how much change in camber my OMP strut-top brace was able to make when tightened or pre-loaded. My reasoning was that if the brace were to be effective, it would have to be by resisting changes in camber caused by strain on the suspension, e.g. during fast cornering.
So we tightened and loosened the OMP bar, and saw absolutely zero change in the camber - not even .01 degree. What was readily observable was that the bar was bulging up under the strain as it was tightened, since the strut towers weren't moving.
My conclusion is that even this relatively stiff strut brace is not going to make any appreciable change in the static or dynamic camber of the car. I confirmed this by removing the bar, and taking a test run on some of my local hairpins. I observed that, unlike the lower bar or cabrio braces, there was no apparent change in the handling of the car without the brace.
However, I did reinstall the bar, but for a different reason - it apparently redistributes or damps vibrations in the chassis that lead to interior noises. Just as I had noted when I installed it, it does reduce the cheap-plastic noises in the dash and interior of the car.
So I suggest not buying a strut-top brace for handling improvements, as I couldn't find any, but consider one if you are concerned with quieting your car - the improvement in perceived build quality from eliminating all those little ticks and cricks is considerable.
if you want to stiffen the front, under braces i.e. m7, omp, tsw do much more and are immediately noticeable
Thanks a lot! 
Adding the strut tower brace to a car will only make a noticable improvement if the quality of the car is lacking in structure design and materials used to build the car. I have had them on two different cars and they made a big difference.
I have also had other MINI folks tell me not to purchase the strut tower brace for the mini.
I have also had other MINI folks tell me not to purchase the strut tower brace for the mini.
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... if the brace were to be effective, it would have to be by resisting changes in camber caused by strain on the suspension, e.g. during fast cornering.
... we tightened and loosened the OMP bar, and saw absolutely zero change in the camber - not even .01 degree. What was readily observable was that the bar was bulging up under the strain as it was tightened, since the strut towers weren't moving.
....
... we tightened and loosened the OMP bar, and saw absolutely zero change in the camber - not even .01 degree. What was readily observable was that the bar was bulging up under the strain as it was tightened, since the strut towers weren't moving.
....
Thanks for sharing.
Neat product though!
And if you do have adjustables
you loose 4mm of travel to maintain the same height.... Really, there is no perfect solution... The plates on the top help, but really aren't the best design. Plates underneat work better, but have issues with ride heigth. Best way to go is camber pates that are stronger and don't mess with ride heigth... But that's more money.
Six of one, half dozen of another, or a dozen and a half of a third!
Matt
Six of one, half dozen of another, or a dozen and a half of a third!
Matt
It has since occurred to me that the second reason why a strut-top brace is useless on a MINI is because there is no way to install a STRAIGHT brace; it has to curve several inches to clear the top of the airbox and ECU.
A curved brace won't limit tower motion much, because it is simply a large curved spring, which is easily compressed (arched) or flattened by any strain put on it between the towers, witness the relatively-stiff OMP, which arches and flattens when lengthened or shortened with the adjustment turnbuckle.
A straight-line brace, as can be fitted on many other cars, even if flimsily constructed, is not compressible or stretchable due to tower-top stresses, and can actually prevent motion between the two towers, which no curved brace can do effectively, particularly the flimsy offerings from many vendors.
A curved brace won't limit tower motion much, because it is simply a large curved spring, which is easily compressed (arched) or flattened by any strain put on it between the towers, witness the relatively-stiff OMP, which arches and flattens when lengthened or shortened with the adjustment turnbuckle.
A straight-line brace, as can be fitted on many other cars, even if flimsily constructed, is not compressible or stretchable due to tower-top stresses, and can actually prevent motion between the two towers, which no curved brace can do effectively, particularly the flimsy offerings from many vendors.
Does this work?
Beats the heck outta me. But it looks like part of an Autobot. So therefore it is worth what it cost, whether it does anything or not.
And the thing is so freakin stiff you can grab the center of it and move the car back and forth, with no noticeable flex laterally or vertically on the bar. Other bars I've tried that with have flexed before the car moved... I'm pretty confident it's going to add some level of stability to the top of my struts.
I'm not sold on the concept that the only way a strut bar can help is to prevent dynamic camber changes that might otherwise occur... the fact that the bar reduces NVH or "rattles" leads me to believe that it can also be effective in reducing, damping or otherwise limiting the effects of chassis vibration... which is the enemy of grip IMHO...
Beats the heck outta me. But it looks like part of an Autobot. So therefore it is worth what it cost, whether it does anything or not.
And the thing is so freakin stiff you can grab the center of it and move the car back and forth, with no noticeable flex laterally or vertically on the bar. Other bars I've tried that with have flexed before the car moved... I'm pretty confident it's going to add some level of stability to the top of my struts.
I'm not sold on the concept that the only way a strut bar can help is to prevent dynamic camber changes that might otherwise occur... the fact that the bar reduces NVH or "rattles" leads me to believe that it can also be effective in reducing, damping or otherwise limiting the effects of chassis vibration... which is the enemy of grip IMHO...
Does this work?
Beats the heck outta me. But it looks like part of an Autobot. So therefore it is worth what it cost, whether it does anything or not.
And the thing is so freakin stiff you can grab the center of it and move the car back and forth, with no noticeable flex laterally or vertically on the bar. Other bars I've tried that with have flexed before the car moved... I'm pretty confident it's going to add some level of stability to the top of my struts.
I'm not sold on the concept that the only way a strut bar can help is to prevent dynamic camber changes that might otherwise occur... the fact that the bar reduces NVH or "rattles" leads me to believe that it can also be effective in reducing, damping or otherwise limiting the effects of chassis vibration... which is the enemy of grip IMHO...
Beats the heck outta me. But it looks like part of an Autobot. So therefore it is worth what it cost, whether it does anything or not.
And the thing is so freakin stiff you can grab the center of it and move the car back and forth, with no noticeable flex laterally or vertically on the bar. Other bars I've tried that with have flexed before the car moved... I'm pretty confident it's going to add some level of stability to the top of my struts.
I'm not sold on the concept that the only way a strut bar can help is to prevent dynamic camber changes that might otherwise occur... the fact that the bar reduces NVH or "rattles" leads me to believe that it can also be effective in reducing, damping or otherwise limiting the effects of chassis vibration... which is the enemy of grip IMHO...
Yeah - they're insanely expensive in US dollars, with shipping.
If I had seen the Ireland bar first, I probably would have bought that, for the money. But I LOVE the GTT brace...
http://www.gtt.uk.com/home.asp
If I had seen the Ireland bar first, I probably would have bought that, for the money. But I LOVE the GTT brace...
http://www.gtt.uk.com/home.asp
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