Since I do a lot of rural driving and my urban roads aren't the best, should I consider a strut brace? If so, has anyone installed the Moss MINI carbon fiber model and is it strictly bolt on? I don't want to mod anything to accomodate the bar or to have to drill holes. Would the Dinan be a better choice?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

I own a M7 strut brace and I love it! Some people will say its only for looks and others will say that they feel a difference. Me on the other hand I felt a difference. The ride feels smoother when going over rough roads and it feels stiffer. Some will say that it just in your head, but I honestly felt a difference when I installed the brace! Another thing to look into, not sure if this will help and some have said its great is the new M7 under strut brace. Something you can look into as well. Oh yea, one of the good things about the M7 strut brace is the full thick plates that cover the whole strut tower area for more strength to prevent mushrooming.

Garrett

 

i don't think you need it.

 

I can't tell from the pic but do you have 16' or 17' wheels. Seems that 17' wheeled cars may be more prone to strut tower mushrooming. You may wish to search this site on that subject. It may be that strut tower reinforcement plates are in your future.

I don't own a bar, can't justify it (dang) but I may be in need of the plates.


....Les

 

For the mushrooming problem, aren't the reinforcement plates what really prevents the problem? I'm thinking of getting these for my two MINIs but I really don't like the looks of nor having to reach around a strut brace. Neither car will be tracked but I'm looking to prevent any issues with the crators that pass for roads here. Do the plates just attach over the top of the struct tower (simple removal of three nuts, mount plate, tighten nuts)? Thanks in advance.

 

well i pute on the h-sport bar on my car and within a week my sunroof broke, the metal that attatched itself to the glass snaped the dealer looked at it and said that they have never seen that happen before so if anything it made something happin but with over 120,000 miles my frame is prolly weakened from all the hard driving
who knows but i do notice a difference when i am driving onto an elevated driveway the car is way stiffer, took it off hit the same driveway and even my passinger noted the difference in feel

the cool thing is that the h-sport strut brace is ultra stiff at its ends and dosent use stamped peices rather cnc'd ends witch help my mushrooming, one of the onley ones i know that uses this, its been over 15,000 miles with it and i have no more mushrooming it also works with my camber plates

 

This is the thread you want to read on mushrooming.....post #31 has pics of M7 solution......

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=61264

....Les

 

again thats why i got the h-sport bar
does simular thing as the m7 thing but i get a strut brace two so a double positive since if you get that m7 plates you cant get the brace

 

My wheels are only 1.333' (=16"). The 1.417' and especially the 1.5' wheels
will tend to transmit more impact to the strut towers.

 

4GZM - The strut brace made the sunroof break? I notice a little squeak and creaking lately. I don't have a strut brace installed, but I wonder if it's something that I should checked out before my warrenty is out...

 

you better thats over a 3 thousand doller fix if you let it pass acually that squeak and rattle you speak of means it may be already broke since thats exzacley how mine sounded, it wont look broke but it is, push a little on the sunroof and see if it raises up a little, you may be lucky and just loose fittings
luckily i had the cartrige fixed way beck when, beacause of a fsulty screen
so i was lucky, 3 grand is not cheap

i think the sunroof may be a weak link for us higher milage cars that have bad roads and small amounts of body flex brought on by stiffer suspention and bigger rims

 

The M7 plates are exactly the same (except for minor cosmetic stuff) on the M7 strut bar. The strut bar on the M7 includes the thick plates and do two things, protects the strut towers from mushrooming and has the bracing!

Garrett

 

Yikes. I have the same issue when I'm going into our driveway. The sunroof creaks (and sometimes pops on bad days). Should I try pushing up on the sunroof when it's closed or open?

 

Thanks, Guys! The link to the thread with M7's response convinced me that with my 16" wheels/tires and otherwise stock MINI, I don't really need the strut brace.

 

awsome!!! yea when i bought mine that was not conceived yet so thats cool to hear !!!!

 

A strut brace on a bumpy road will probably make the ride quality worse. But the mushrooming thing is true - the plates are probably a good idea.

 

That is what I thought until I actually took the car out for a spin. The ride seemed much better!

Garrett

 

hmmmmmmmmm

 

Haha, it is hard to explain, but things just feel much tighter and no creeks coming from the front of the car inside the cabin. When I rode on rough roads, the dash would tend to creek and make noise, but that is not the case now. That is my personal take on the strut brace and it will very much so for everyone else. Too each their own!

Garrett

 

I have a front and a rear brace. The front one seems to give a tighter feel and more precise control when turning. I think that the effect on ride would be similar to anti-sway bars. Transfering stresses from one side to the other should dampen the over all effect and provide a benefit. I drive on very bumpy roads and it seems that both wheels track better with the brace.

 

I must agree. I have a works strut brace and I drive on many rough roads and noticed right away that on corners it seamed to be smother and more planted. I was very impressed.

 

I have had a front brace on my 3 series coupe since 1996 (1994 car) and rear brace since 1999. With 106,000 miles on Michigan roads, 18 wheels, track events, H&R coilovers with camber plates the car does not rattle. I also have a sunroof. No issues. I swear by braces and over the long term it seems to be aid the car. I placed one on my MINI two years ago and so far no issues. I did not order a sunroof though so that area of problems I will never have to deal with. No mushrooming (yet). I'm about to install a rear bar this weekend.

Couldn't do any harm having one. Not having one could.

-C

 

I bought the H-Sport for $117.00 deleivered. It took 30 minutes to install. The difference is subtle but noticable. No sunroof.

The USS is on its way.

 

I recently had both the M7 strut tower bar and the under-strut system installed. Noticed an immediate difference on the way home. Highway expansion joints and bumps felt smoother and the impacts were deadened. Overall, the ride is just more comfortable, which is important to me because my suspension is already pretty stiff. Definitely a mod I'd do again.

 

I installed the under chassis brace from Rallynuts:

http://rallynuts.com/motorsport/The_..._Mini_1817.asp

I was skeptical that the front end needed any stiffening. After the install, I noticed car started understeering a little more than before. Presumably this is because it stiffened up the front end. My car has 22mm rear bar and I don't remember if it was on stiff or soft setting at the time.

I did not notice any sharper steering.

I like the under car brace as it is a "stealth" mod.