JCW Strut Brace Update

Blazin MINI May 9th, 2005 Link

Wow, even more expensive than the Dinan brace. Has anyone see a piture of the entire bar?

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Gabe May 9th, 2005 Link

You can see several pics from this MINI2 post.

I have to say, after seeing the Dinan brace several times, I’d still opt for paying the extra $70 for the JCW brace.

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nrkist May 9th, 2005 Link

Absolutely yummy. My dear, one simply can’t have too many JCW logos in one’s engine bay, now can one?

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David May 9th, 2005 Link

That $320 includes dealer installation right? It’s painted carbon fiber, right?

Wow, That’s a ridiculous price for any strut brace. Uh, IMHO.

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Robert May 10th, 2005 Link

Gabe,

Any news on the JCW suspension for pre ‘05 cars (MCS)?

BTW, if you hunt around the Web and look at the links on other MINI-centered websites, I’ve seen JCW strut braces going for significantly less.

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Gabe May 10th, 2005 Link

No word yet…

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ANTSMINI May 10th, 2005 Link

Will this fit a Cooper CVT?

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Philip May 10th, 2005 Link

Boy, $320???

The strut brace is manufactured by Wiechers in Germany where the part is €140. Some vendors here have the part for ~€120 ($154, tax included).

By the way, installing the strut brace is a matter of 5 min. Unscrew the nuts on the domes, fit the strut brace, make sure you buy a set of new nuts and use them to fasten (torque: 34 Nm) the strut brace on the domes.

Cheers Philip

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Jorge May 10th, 2005 Link

LOL this price is ridiculous…

AND, it’ll only fir Cooper S. Since I own a Cooper I didn’t have to choose and bought a great Sparco strut brace for $95 :)

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Jorge May 10th, 2005 Link

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michael Boice May 10th, 2005 Link

Very nice looking indeed. Some have tested the Mini’s chassis with a sliding strut bar in an effort to determine just how much it moves…barely measurable – new. I would still by one to keep my car feeling new and for the bling bling.

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Edge May 10th, 2005 Link

Cool – thanks for the update, Gabe! While at MINIs On The Dragon, I spoke briefly with Jeff from MINIUSA, who was in attendance with a loaded JCW MCSC (sans JCW suspension, of course, but it did already have the brace). I asked him about the strut brace, and he explained that they were all being held up simply waiting for the proper installation instructions!

What surprises me most about this is that JCW is a British company, so you’d think that the instructions in English would have been readily available all along.

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David May 10th, 2005 Link

Philip,

I was being facetious, but thanks for the instructions.

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greg May 10th, 2005 Link

Ok. For us newbies. What does a strut brace do? This isn’t included in the JCW suspension kit? (!)

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Gabe May 10th, 2005 Link

Typically on larger cars strut braces increase the torsional rigidity of the car by adding a reinforced cross member usually mounted above the engine. However since there’s so little mass ahead the front bulk-head, the MINI really doesn’t need much, if any reinforcement. It’s also incredibly stiff to begin with.

That said, it still looks very cool.

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Neil Maller May 10th, 2005 Link

Strut bars reinforce the car’s front structure against deforming under stress, especially during hard cornering. Depending on how stiff that structure already is, and how you drive, they may or may not do anything useful.

There’s a long running quasi-religious debate about whether non-hinged bars are better than hinged ones. (Hinges at the ends make the bar easier to install.) My opinion is that since there’s zero downside to buying a non-hinged design, it makes no sense to risk potentially inferior function with a hinged one. This isn’t an engineering analysis: it’s simply covering my bets.

So I rate the JCW (and many others) unacceptable.

The other thing a well designed strut brace can do for the Mini is to help protect the strut tower top sheet metal from the mushrooming problem, at least if the mounting plates make full contact in that area. This eliminates several other strut bars from contention.

Remaining “good” (by my criteria, obviously; feel free to disagree) designs that I’ve found so far are Helix, Dinan and a forthcoming product from M7.

Neil 05 MCS, w/LSD!

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michael Boice May 10th, 2005 Link

I agree, I prefer a solid strut bar. That said, look at how the Mini’s engine (05) and tranny is attached. These components sort of fill the strut bar role…have a look see.

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greg May 10th, 2005 Link

So, a (nother) waste of money. Why did JCW bother to come out with this? So the car looks cool with the hood up? I am becoming disenchanted with the whole JCW thing in terms of “bang for the buck”. They won’t sucker me on this one.

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Gabe May 10th, 2005 Link

Just because someone likes the look of something and wants to add it to their car (and has the means to do so) doesn’t mean they’ve been suckered.

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johnsocal May 10th, 2005 Link

You can make the JCW strut tower work on the MC by buying a modded (lower profile) battery cover from promini.com

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greg May 10th, 2005 Link

I hope this question is appropriate in this forum. I am looking into putting a rear sway bar (22mm?) on my Mcs. I saw a set that had both rear(25mm) and front(27mm). I’ve never heard of anyone mention this before, but just the rear. Is this a good idea or not a big deal?

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Gabe May 10th, 2005 Link

Greg – MotoringFile isn’t a forum site so we really have no forums for questions like this. We are a news site that allows users to comment on stories that are posted. For general questions (like the one above) I’d recommend going to a forums based site like North American Motoring or MINI2. I would imagine you’ll have much more luck getting answers.

Hope that helps.

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nrkist May 10th, 2005 Link

Greg: I am becoming disenchanted with the whole JCW thing in terms of “bang for the buck”. They won’t sucker me on this one.

You go, girl.

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David May 10th, 2005 Link

I’m with Greg,

For the minimal gains this strut bar will give you, considering the stiffness of the Cooper frame already, JCW is asking an awful lot for this piece. What it tells me is that there are a lot of people willing to pay for JCW parts because they’re JCW parts.

I understand the whole warranty thing when it comes to the engine mods, but this bar could be two thirds to half the price. I consider it engine bay dressing and not much more.

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David May 10th, 2005 Link

Oh, and it also adds weight.

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JeffS May 10th, 2005 Link

Looks like something that should be selling on ebay for $35 to me.

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Art May 10th, 2005 Link

I have a set of strut braces on my ‘84 volvo station wagon I got mine for 30 bucks and it makes a difference on the boat, but a car as small and stiff as the mini? I guess it couldnt hur’t. and they look spiffy :-)

-Art

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alfredino May 11th, 2005 Link

Hey,

What was that….$154…..outta Germany……Group Buy, Group Buy, Group Buy…….what about it Philip sounds like you could work it for us mini blingers…. a buck fifty four sounds good to me, let us motoringfilers again share the good, still love my armrest by the way.

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Doug May 12th, 2005 Link

$154….I’d be in for a group buy.

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steve Jul 21st, 2005 Link

Please email me what the front shock tower nuts should be torqued to when replacing with new Dinan Strut bar. Also how much is supposed to be tightened down on Dinan strut Bar? Anyone have the “manual” for this product. Ibought it second hand and need installation info. Thank you.

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dgszweda Aug 21st, 2005 Link

Gabe,

Any updates on this?

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Mr ED Jun 5th, 2006 Link

John Cooper website lists a Motorsport, solid Strutbrace for ALL minis @ £100. Can possible require small mod to sound insulation on bonnet underside.

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