Here's a link to both braces

And this is their homepage.
Nice looking stuff. That bottom brace is only $45. I might try that just for fun.

Here's the original thread from MINI2
http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...76#post1749776

Any thoughts on the frame brace?

 

I'd like to see where it hooks up to the car. I'm wondering if it's as useless as the rear strut bars that are out.

 

It sure looks nice as I am partial to red.

I am afraid that this opens up the controversial (and oft revisited) frame brace subject. As best I can summarize there are the following camps:

1. The MINI is rigid enough that any frame brace is useless except for cosmetic reasons (i.e., bling)
2. If the frame brace serves some purpose and reduces some deflections, then the best ones are unhinged, single piece bars.
3. Frame bracing of any sort is especially useful if you regularly do "hard driving" like track and autocross.

So, as I see it, if you subscribe to 1 you should get this one because you like its looks (I think the price is good, too!). An adherent to 2 would have some concern about the adjustable nature of this (upper) bar and how mechanically sound that connection is (i.e., does it reduce the overall stiffness and limit the deflection resistance). An adherent to 3 would buy the upper and lower brace and motor on.

 

Finally obe's first thread start on NAM .

Interesting find obe! Looks very similar to a PM I got earlier .

It appears that you forgot the link to MINI2: http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...76#post1749776

For 45 bucks (should be NO VAT), it's certainly not costly...

 

Here's the US site
Remembered the link this time

I have a voice message and email inquiry pending with them.

I've no interest in the strut brace but the frame brace interests me.

I'd think an X brace possibly using the jack points as anchors would be another scenario. Ground clearance?? Might be an issue.

 

Watching thread with anticipation.


Looks like the lower one would be a good addition. Not sure about the strut brace tho.....

 

might want to check this out...they sell those braces on ebay, and ship worldwide

http://www.strutbracer.co.uk/tables/mini.htm

A pic of the upper one...

 

If one already has an upgraded and adjustable Rear stabilizer bar (i.e. H-Sport),

Does this rear bar have the same effect as putting that on the most RIGID setting?

 

No. The effects would be different.

 

that stabilizer bar does just what it implies...it will stabalize the suspension going into turns to make the car more stable.

These bars do not move with the suspension. Rather, they connect to key frame points and add more structural integrity to the car...which will aid in removing any kid of flex that the chassis is going through.

 

I was wondering when this product would shop up on the boards. I saw it on ebay the other day and almost totally ignored it.

 

Has anyone stateside tried this yet. The guy from MINI2 seems very pleased.

 

Just got a voice mail from the OMP America recommended vendor. motorspot.com

They want $99 + $25 shipping.

WTF!! Over?? A 200% markup. I don't f'n think so.

I called, they won't bend on the price and could care less that the price is ridiculous. Screw them.

I'm now waiting to hear back from rallynuts.com

 

Sounds like waiting a few days for the oversea shipping will be worth it

 

I contacted another vendor, distributor ...I told them the price on the international web site, they are looking into why the price discrepency and will e-mail me if they can get a BETTER price than 99$

Phil

 

With that kind of attitude, I wouldn't want to deal with them either...

 

What you're giving up with this design is the strut tower sheet metal reinforcement against mushrooming that solid mounting plates would give.

Dinan and Helix both have braces with heavier mounting plates, and M7 has shown pix of a prototype.

Neil
05 MCS

 

I never should have posted a link with the pic of the strut tower brace. I have no interest in it and I wish everyone would stop commenting on it.
All I care about, and the intent of this thread, is about the lower brace.

I would have thought my leading question "Any thoughts on the frame brace?" would make that clear.
The strut brace discussion is old and done to death so please everyone lets drop that bit.
Let's keep the discussion to the lower brace.

Thanks

 

Tony;
I went ahead and ordered one ( lower frame brace) from strutbracer.
I'm not too patient somethimes
$70.56 all in.

 

This is a photo of M7's prototype strut brace. Randy says that it is due the second week of June. Go figure...

 

Well.....that lasted all of 5 minutes

 

This was posted in TEAMMIGHTYMINIZ...

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 9:53 pm Post subject: The strut brace shown is a prototype of our new unit due out the second week of june. It is very close to the production piece with the exception of some cosmetic changes.

Randy
M7 Tuning
_________________

 

I wonder if it will be made of unobtainium?

 

obehave,
Great. When you get it would you please:
Get a weight.
Take a picture of it unmounted.
Tell us how it looks- well finished, any visible flaws?
If there are instructions on how it mounts can you take a picture of any diagram or just let us know the attachment points.

Go for a test drive and do some hard cornering.
Tell us what you think.

More rigidity in the front end is fine but not really of help unless you are going fast enough. I would not imagine that it would help for street driving or for the average driver. I have talked to BMW mechanics before about front end braces from above and below to add stiffness. Most say that stiffness in the MINI is quite good. If your front bottom bar helps reduce fatigue then that is worth something- factor that plus against the weight of the bar which looks like powder coated steel- figure about 9 pounds plus hardware.

 

No problems
I'll do the full skinny. I hope to get it on before my next Auto-x event.