I'm very happy with the work Bodymotion did (www.bodymotion.com) installing these ducts from Way Motor Works. Perhaps this thread should go in "interior/exterior," but I did these to help my brakes, not look good. Happily, though, I think they look great. The challenge here was to get them to look okay with the Aero front since they're made for the stock bumper. They did a nice job of cutting and fitting so they don't stick out too far. It looks like they just stick right in there, but they said the scoops don't fit in there quite so easily with the Aero front.

I ordered the black vinyl inserts from Aesthetic Creations to make the rest of the surrounding area black, too, but I don't know if I'll use it or not since I think it looks fine this way.

Now, will they work? I hope so!

Far view:


Closer:


Right up in there:


Wheel well:


Closer:


Mike, the owner of Bodymotion (who races Porsches and preps race MINIs), said that this is the best fitting option for brake ducts he's seen for a MINI yet, and he said he'd recommend them to his other track-addicted customers.

As I was washing the car today I decided to do some truly scientific testing. I shot some water into the duct, and sure enough, it shot through the duct, brakes, wheel, and onto my feet! hahaha

mb

 

Looks great!

If I could do it again I would forgo my foglights and put those ducts in.

 

You can still do that... remove OEM fogs, add aftermarket fogs in the lower grille, wire them to the factory fog harness to keep the factory toggle control, install brake ducts.

I may do this eventually...

 

Nah, the OEM fogs are just more weight...

Looks great Mark. I've opted for the BDM (going to R-comps and the TSW KW v2's also, this is only going to stress the brakes more), but I think I may put the ducts on too eventually. Also thinking of getting the R56 underpanels to smooth out the underneath of the car for aeorodynamic purposes; at high speeds I sometimes unconsciously catch myself listening for air traffic control to ok me for lift off--that can be a bit disconcerting at 125 mph....

 

Hey coop,

That looks GREAT. That definitely looks like the best I've come across. I've been looking lately and couldn't find a set that looked and worked as well as these.

Congrats.




That difinitely sounds like the best idea. I've been wanting to add brake ducts but don't want to relinquish my fog lamps.

Paul's idea may be the very next best idea.

Great suggestion.


Mark

 

Of course, I think they look fantastic
Nice job the shop did. I added 2 more rivets just for certains...but mine are installed on the stock MCS bumper, whereas yours look great all tucked up inside the aero bumper.
...and yes, they sure do pump whatever liquid (air, water) is forced in the front out past the brake calipers...haha.

 

Neat!

Are there pictures of anyone's MINI with this setup on NAM?

 

Thanks all

Fog lights: They were removed and are now in a box. Anyone interested?

If this takes care of cooling the brakes as I hope it will coupled with me getting better at braking and making sure they're cooled before I park the car, then I can start worrying about fun stuff like r-comps and coilovers. R56 underpanels sound fun, too!

DrPhil - I've always seen your pic in your sig and never realized the ducts were there! They fit in perfectly with your car. Forgive my ignorance - you said, "Of course, I think they look fantastic." Were you involved in bringing these to market? If so, great work!

mb

 

Nice install Mark...but to me, that's only half of the system.
For those ducts to do what they are supposed to...and to get true brake cooling,
you need to finish off those ducts with the MiniMania backing plates and hose...



...here's the link to the kit...
http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/NMB4000/InvDetail.cfm

...the drop down menu on the left offers the option to buy the individual pieces.

 

I looked at that, and the consensus was that they break very often because the scoop is below the control arm. But I think you're suggesting to get the backing plate and try to match some tubing up to the WMW outlet in the wheel well, right?

That would certainly guarantee that the air hits the rotor! Has anyone done it? Do you think it'd mate up nicely? Thanks for the link...

mb

 

Right...just use the backing plates, and the hose. The ID of the hose may or may not fit over the Way duct outlet, but you could trim some back where the duct is a little smaller.
I'm not sure how well the hose would mate up to your Way duct, you would have to call and get the ID from MiniMania and then do some figuring.
You wouldn't have to run the hoses hooked up all the time while on the street. Just bring them with you to the track and put them on while you're swapping wheels.

 

The ideal kit would have the Way inlet ducts connect with the Mini Mania backing plate and direct air to the hub so it could go inside out (which is how the rotors are supposed to vent). I think it would be pretty tough to find something that would direct air from the Way ducts to the hub though, and then there would be the added hassle of changing tubing...

The Mini Mania setup, from a functional standpoint, is probably the best. But from a practical standpoint, the Way setup is better IMHO--no worries (I think) with rubbing the tubing on the struts, it's permanent rather than temporary solution (the Mini Mania ducts would have to be removed between track sessions). As it doesn't appear there is any permanent aftermarket ducts that use the foglight and go to the hub, for most of us the Way ducts are a more realistic solution.

 

Not that I'm aware of - though there are lots of photos around of cars with either two driving lights down there, or 2 driving lights + 2 fogs.

 

Those look fantastic! Very well done.

 

And grasshoppers!!

I have these ducts as well and on a drive on some West Texas backroads found myself between 2 fields during a grasshopper migration. The ducts blasted them against the inside of the wheels and on the calipers. That was fun to clean up...

Another drive found me in a frog march between 2 ponds on opposite sides of the road. Frogs fit into the ducts as well.

I figure one day an armadillo is gonna get stuck in a duct....

One thing you want to keep in mind when driving in the rain. A lot of water is directed at the rotors and it does increase the braking distance. A cold rainy day with track pads on, might as well put a foot out the door to stop the car, probably more effective.

 

Nate
You are way too funny .

 

I was wondering about that. Perhaps someone should make a nice-looking plug/cap that one can put in place for a driving in the rain.

 

looking good!
i like the ducts on the aero bumper.

 

That means in the rain ya gotta duct tape them? Or use that Aestetic Creations backing plate as a template to cut out a plastic cover to place over with adhesive, maybe even color code it with paint or red vinyl tape. A clear one would be cool to, with the thin lexan license plate cover material.

+1 pics
I would like to see pics of this set-up, or a how-to even better
Do you mean in the lower grill?

Watch out, you don't get a deer stuck in your caliper.