I have the Miltek also - have the 1/8 clearance and zero rattles.

This system is awsome! Every Cabrio should have it. Peter and M7 have really turned aout a fantastic product. Tested out on the dragon. It is really worth the $$$$

 

My USS rubbed a bit on the main bar with the stock cat as well. No issues with the Miltek resonator, has about 1/4“ clearance. To solve the rubbing on the cat I inserted a piece of 1/8” aluminum metal between the cars frame and the front piece of the USS where it bolts to the car in all 4 spots. You could also use some thick washers. It may take a couple of washers or spacers depending on how much contact is taking place, in my case it was very minimal.

My suspension setup now consists of the M7 USS, M7 Strut bar, Webb extreme sway bar, Koni yellows on H-Sport springs and Webb rear camber links. As good and tight as the car was in stock trim it has a entirely different feeling now. Just a flick of the steering wheel and the car responds instantly. I can’t say which part of the suspension made the car come alive as it is now because I did all of them at once but it is awesome now.

Thanks to M7, Webb Motorsports and BBM (they installed everything) for helping me take my MINI to the next level.

 

we have a Milltek and it's tight. I'm still waiting for direction about how to mount the passenger's side insert, as the hole is too large (my fault) and the insert won't take.

We talked to you and Peter in person at MOTD, PM'ed, emailed, called...still have the same problem and no solution (except being told to buy a larger insert at a hardware store). Help please?

 

I am sorry for the perceived no solution, and I am a little confused about the
calls and emails with no answers as we did find an insert size that should solve the problem.

Peter
Team M7
562-608-8123

Size: 1/2"-13 nut insert.

www.mcmaster.com
Type > Thread Size > Compare Items



Nut Inserts, Rivet Nuts, and Rivet-Type Studs
This product matches all of your selections.



Part Number: 95105A169 $10.34 per Pack of 10
Material Type
Steel
Finish
Zinc-Plated
Steel Type
C1008-C1010 Steel
Type
Knurled Rivet Nuts
Thread Size
1/2"-13
For Material Thickness Range
.063"-.200"
Flange Diameter
.865"
Drill Size
11/16"
Body Diameter (A)
.685"
Dimension B
1.150"
Dimension C
.865"
Dimension D
.047"
Dimension E
.860"
Thread Fit
Class 2B

 

Shelly directed me to Home Depot or Lowes to find something (but didn't give me thread pitch, etc) - I asked for specs - she was supposed to email me, but did not. I did get your email Peter - thank you.

 

Finally, my USS has been installed so I'll offer these observations which may not have been covered here:

(1) In light of the problems experienced by others in trying to drill out and install the nut inserts without the benefit of a lift due to ground clearance issues, I wimped out and asked my dealer to do those (lending credence to my observation that they are mod-friendly). I'm happy to report that on January 2003 build Coopers, there were no problems with fit or the shared bolt-hole problem that has been reported as everything went together perfectly.

(2) My Cooper (a non-S) has the 16" wheels with run-flats but not the Sports Plus Suspension. Having driven base Coopers, Coopers with the + suspension as well as S's, the feel of the car is much tighter and I would say it very close to the plus option but not quite as the general compliance of the base Cooper is preserved. I've only taken it out on a few twisties and turn in seems better as the car feels like it's rotating around the driver rather than plowing ahead. Will need to give it a better workout later and report.

BTW, the tech's was seriously impressed with the fit as well as the build and finish quality of the USS as he hadn't seen one before. All-in-all, a worthwhile mod.

 

just took my newly installed USS out to the twisties this afternoon and all I can say is................yyyyeeeeesssssssssssss! I'm all smiles. It compliments the rear H-Sport Comp bar very well.

Thanks to Peter and the M7 Team for putting out another quality product.

 

if anyone fu><ors the right hole for the insert, PM me. I'll have nine extra larger inserts soon (sold in packs of ten).

 

An update....this is an excellent mod......car is very tight and the turn in is improved......it instills extra confidence ..... car feels very solid

 

jusust wondering.. does this increase/decrease understeer/oversteer or just reduces body roll overall...\

 

Understeer seems to have been greatly reduced although I haven't had the opportunity to try it out on a track yet.

 

Installed the other week. Have had it out for a couple of rides around the back roads. Oh Yes!!
Did have a little trouble with the inserts, Got two from a friend and cameup with a modification of the tool to install them with. Tightened everything up and away we go.

 

when i first installed mine, i thought i felt a tiny bit of oversteer. after living with it awhile, it's probably just the much quicker turn-in. i'm amazed at how tight and responsive the chassis is now-total control!

 

Just out of cutiosity, how much oversteer are we talking? I autocross my Mini in street modified with the mods listed below. As it sits now I got probably too much oversteer. I'm seriously thinking about putting the stock rear bar back in. The USS sounds intriguing, but I don't want to totally goof things up.

 

with all your`suspension upgrades that you have you should be very much able to tune out any oversteer without going back to the stock rear bar.
What are your camber settings, front and rear?

 

...H-Sport springs are like the Megans, heavier rates out back. This is the correct way to tune a set-up for the track, but I get enough rotation with my stock bar. My Webb bar is not installed yet, but it can bet set softer than stock...

 

I'm running -2.2 front -1.5 rear with 1/8" toe out front, no toe rear. Hsport bars=full stiff front, full soft rear. Koni's= 3/4 firm front, 1/4 firm rear. Interestingly, the major oversteer started when I went from 205 to 225 r-comps. The oversteer is worst under braking. Trail braking=spin.

On the good side, I've developed the perfect Mini drift setup.

 

...worse under braking...I would tell you to add in some bound if the Konis are double adjustable. This will stabilize threshold braking.

 

 

Alas, single adjustment only, and even that is a pita on the rears.

 

I would say that 1.5 in the rear is too little with 2.2 in the front with how you have evrything set up. Try and add about .2 -.3 negative in the rear. This should nutralize the oversteer a good amount.

 

I'll give it a try, thanks.

 

I've had my USS on for 24 hours and, like the others, I'm glad I spent the money. The car tracks more accurately than before. You need less little corrections on the steering wheel when taking a bumpy corner. It makes the MINI feel more solid, like a more expensive car. I am looking forward to my next track event.

The installation was easy, just follow the instructions, and read the other posts on this thread. Don't be afraid to try this one yourself. The hardest part was getting the car up high enough on jackstands and ramps for clearance to drill the nut-sert holes. In hindsight I wish I would have paid the guy at the muffler shop $20 cash to put the car up on the lift and drill the two holes, and install the nut-serts. In my experience muffler shops like to do this sort of thing if they aren't busy, if it won't take too long, and if you pay them cash. I landed up paying $15 to rent a drill anyway because the bit supplied was 1/2" and my drill is only 3/8".

One more tip: If you have never used the nut-serts before you should know that they need a nice tight hole. The serrations in the net-sert need to dig into the hole you drilled. That's why M7 supplies the right size of drill bit. The first hole I drilled was slightly sloppy (maybe I held the drill at a bit of an angle). I was able to correct this by holding the nut-sert at a slight angle to start it (so it didn't spin) and then straighten out the nutsert as it tightened.

All in all it is a good product - beautifully made, easy install, works as advertized.

 

I am glad it worked out for you and thanks for the detailed post. I do want to mention that because you really need to run that drill bit thru one time and as straight as possible you did incur the usual problem with trying to do it on jack stands. As you said the $20 would have been well spent atthe muffler shop. Our local instal center charges $ 60 for the whole project so it is really not a big deal. Very creative way to make up for the " sloppy " hole. Perhaps that will help others as well. Thanks again and wait till you get it on the track

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

So this is what I need to do if it keeps coming loose?

Front Brace left outside corner...