threads merged

 

I have the current M7 brace and I'm with you. I would it in black with a silver M7logo Hey Peter

Another great product from M7

 

What size bolts would you recommend to replace the stock ones so as to get a slighty longer one for a little more piece of mind?

 

If you notice the pics, it looks like the holes are sunken so i would only think you should add about 1/4 inch or so to the stock length

 

You can not just swap out the bolts, they are part of the guide support. Not sure if they are pressed in and able to be swapped out. If they are pressed in then you have a major task at hand finding a longer bolt and pressing it in.

 

Nice photography (and hosting), DiD!

 

Thank you everyone for your kind words. We have contemplated a black version
of our M7-STB with some additional trick features in the near future. We will let you know, but I hope you understand manufacturing takes time and proper engineering even longer. We are also coming out with many new products
to meet the needs of all of your insatiable needs...




More common then you would think, it's funny DID brought over his "S"
to pickup the SRP's (to be installed on his cooper) and no kidding the passenger strut tower was all mushroomed. Here's a link to problems related
to mushrooming problems:https://www.northamericanmotoring.com...archid=1029766

The SRP plate is all that is required, no additional parts.And no re-alignment needed.


Good question, but I can't promise that it will, the procedure would be to
flatten out the sheet metal with a 2x4 and a sledge hammer, with the car
up on a jack so there's no load on the shock tower. Then install the SRP.


The struts have captioned bolts, so exchanging them for longer units would be a job outside the scoop of most MINI owners. But with that said the load
is on the strut tower, adding almost no additional stress on the threads.
As for failures of the bolts we found that almost 100% of the failures are
related to over torqueing. The correct torque is 34Nm or 25Ft-lb.


You are buying the plates, no additional hardware is included.
Adding a stb to the plates would most likely not work. If you need a stb
M7's unit would add the benefit of the SRP.


Thank you Scott, I emailed all the info to my web guy, so I hope tonight
but we do work Saturday so feel free to call in your orders.



There's only 4.35 mm of metal between nut and shock tower, taking away material will only weaken the the plate interface.

Peter
Team M7
562-608-8123

 

Maybe I'm missing something here, but isn't your product supposed to prevent mushrooming of the strut towers? If so, it would seem that in the event of a mushroom-worthy event, the top of the strut tower would try to push your product upwards, with only the insufficiently-threaded nuts keeping it from moving?

You could always open up the holes in your product and use a nut with a shoulder on it, which would grip more threads yet still allow a decent amount of material thickness:

 

I did bet my partner money, on you comming on spouting your negativity.
We both won as we did bet you would come on with negative comments
adding nothing constructive or helpfull to the MINI community.

The problem is in that the sheet metal is to thin, allowing it to have a mushrooming event.....simple as that. And we have an answer to the problem.

Peter
Team M7
562-608-8123

 

Does the M7 strut tower bar (That I already have) prevent mushrooming ?

 

Yes it does...

 

I might have missed a thread about it or something, but were the nuts ever called "insufficient" or had any problems? Again, i just haven't heard such....but may easily have missed it.

 

Please do not get into a M7 vs. Andy thread........ that movie is getting old...... we have all seen it enough.....know the plot and the ending......

On topic. Nice product Peter...... since the question came up about the brace..... for some reason the fasteners in the bar bother me..... I don't know enough about the stregnth of designs like this but could you address the strength of a design with fasteners in them vs a solid bar.

 

I'm sorry if you found my feedback not to be "constructive" but typically you should utilitize all the threads in a nut:

http://www.boltscience.com/pages/shortbolting.htm

What exactly did you perceive as me "spouting negativity"?

 

 

I really like the idea behind this product for no other reason then the damage that it could help prevent, but have one very simple question that would affect whether I would entertain buying the SRP's or the STB ...

• Is a front Strut Tower Brace TRULY a beneficial value on this car, or is it just Under-Bonnet Bling?
  • Does it noticeably increase the precision of the steering feel under heavy lateral loads?
  • Would it increase torsional rigidity enough to prevent front-end geometry changes, thereby noticeably improving Handling (including front tire grip, mid-corner camber & toe changes, left-to-right weight distribution, etc.)?

... OK - that's actually 3 questions...

BTW - as a former owner (and racer) of a BMW E36 ///M3, I can tell you that this 'mushrooming' issue is common to MANY BMW models, as they use VERY similar front-end geometry with their MacPherson struts and strut tower structure. Guys that install stiff lowering springs and very short sidewall tires on E36's have to be very careful to avoid potholes, and never stray off-track at Driver Schools. I installed an STB on my M3 that had Koni single-adjustables and stock springs, and it was a total waste of money - I found no tangible steering feel or handling improvement.
.

 

One more question - would camber plates (such as the Helix/RDR's) provide similar protection against mushrooming?

 

Disagreeing with them publicly... that's all. As a vendor, I would think you would be more than hapy to answer questions instead of attacking someone for asking one...

I had the same question - seems to me it's not going to do anything... If it helps avoid mushrooming, great, but now enough force will just break the seam weld around the strut tower instead of mushrooming the top of the tower...

I've seen it happen twice at the track where the seam weld broke when people went off. In one case there was mushrooming before the break, but in the other, the metal didn't deform at all but the weld broke (beefy camber plates were installed).

 

Yikes....which weld broke? Is it in those pictures?

 

Bottom of the pic in post #32... and in both pics in #31. It's what looks like smeared on goo - my guess is that's where the "hat" for the tower attaches to the walls? Shrug. Nearly that entire seam blew out, though. That much I know...

 

the part is a good idea but unless it is mounted underneath the sheet metal the solution is no stronger than the thin "washer" band captured under the nut.

Adding a 1/8" thick steel part, similary shaped, but beneath the sheet metal would be much stronger and only change the ride height marginally.

 

There has always been a huge debate on this . I will put my personal observations down as simply as i can.

My car is lowered 1.3 inches on LEDA coil overs.

Without a PROPER strut tower brace my front tires rub with on the plastic fender liner while under hard cornering .

With a PROPER strut tower brace they don't.

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

A plate under the suspension would work well no question.We also looked at this solution but ruled it out for two main reasons .The first is installation cost and effort. By putting it under the strut tower you have now created a part which requires both front struts to be removed which will make it almost mandatory to be taken to a shop for the install. With our part this can be done in the back yard with only a torque wrench needed . You do not even have to lift the car. The second minus in most people's eyes is that you will you be raising the front height the same thickness of whatever plate you put in. This is also not a good idea as now you will be showing more fender gap and most likely need to have the car realigned. All in all both ideas would work but for the reasons stated we feel ours is the better way to go for most people. Judging from the PM's and orders today many others agree as well Thanks for the constructive comment and support

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

OK, let me ask my question this way...

Given the obvious advantage that a true 'sandwich' of metal plates installed both under and above the stock metal band would provide, couldn't a set of camber plates be used below while the SRP's are used above? In theory, that would be make a very rigid platform for camber adjustment, while simultaneously preventing the mushrooming.

The Helix/RDR CP's (in particular) do NOT raise the ride height of the car on their own, but DO have a thick plate of metal to provide the surface area needed to spread out the effect of big impacts. Also, they do not require re-drilling, slotting or relocating the mounting holes that the SRP's need.

SO- could camber plates be successfully used WITH these SRP's to provide both of these advantages? Would they interfere with each other, bind up or prevent adjustment?

This would OBVIOUSLY require more installation effort then the SRP's would by themselves, but if the typical buyer of SRP's is assumed to ALSO be interested in improving his suspension, then he will already have plans to replace the springs and/or struts, anyway.


P.S. - IN ANY CASE, I really appreciate the effort by vendors like M7, Webb Motorsports and Helix, etc., etc., who continue to bring such a great variety of quality, customized products to the MINI enthusiast community. This was a MAJOR deciding factor in my recent purchase of my MCS. Your input and communication here on NAM is also VERY valuable. THANX!
.

 

In one word YES the sandwich effect of a good camber plate system would be ideal. We have looked at several camber plate systems and do not see a problem with using both parts. Any camber plate such as H-Sport which require adifferent bolt pattern will require some modification however. Thanks for the kind words and I hope I have answered your question.

Randy
m7 Tuning