JCW Strut Brace Install How To

cbowens Sep 23rd, 2005 Link

Thanks Gabe & Eric, I did not have the opportunity to get down to my local dealer this week for the official installation instructions. Now I can re-install strut as per Mini.

NICE

GMINI Sep 23rd, 2005 Link

And thanks for the pic of it installed!

tanya Sep 23rd, 2005 Link

Whew, intimidating installation. Not something for your average shade tree mechanic.

ChrisW Sep 23rd, 2005 Link

Any opinions on the JCW hinged design vs. the Dinan non-hinged design?

I’m not into hi-po mods, but I’ve read the strut bar makes a significant difference on the cabrios, so I think I’ll do one.

Blake Sep 24th, 2005 Link

Thanks Gabe. I’ve been looking for these.

Gabe Sep 24th, 2005 Link

I’m not into hi-po mods, but I’ve read the strut bar makes a significant difference on the cabrios, so I think I’ll do one.

I can’t say for the convertible, but on the standard coupe the added benefit is slight since the MINI is already rigid and there’s very little infront of the bulk-head.

Richard Sep 24th, 2005 Link

It appears that the hinges are not intended to pivot in operation and are mostly an installation aid, because the final step says to tighten the nuts to lock the hinges in place. This isn’t as unyielding as a non-hinged design, but IMO hinged/non-hinged doesn’t matter.

A strut brace is very effective at one function, which is to keep the top of the struts at a constant distance from each other. However, its geometry is such that it can provide little rigidity to prevent one strut from moving up and down, or forward and back relative to the other. On this issue, I believe that being hinged or not should make little or no difference.

Richard Sep 24th, 2005 Link

By the way, a question that comes up periodically is how tight the strut brace mounting nuts should be torqued to, but these instructions provide no information!

Richard Sep 24th, 2005 Link

Oops, my bad. A little diagram in the corner shows 35 Nm.