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BFP · Oct 31st, 2004, 12:00 AM

Dear Sir,

This Carbon Fiber strut brace is comprised of 12 layers of PrePreg Carbon Fiber (of different grades, though I cannot disclose the exact laminate schedule) laid up at 30 degree angles from each other to form a perfect 360 degrees. This process was developed for military aviation use by the company making these for us, and results in a structure that bears load in every direction. Lateral push-pull (the majority of force that a strut brace sees) is exactly what this bar was designed for, and in our beta vehicle, our driver noticed the biggest difference in load-transferring maneuvers such as a slalom. While the MINI is a very tight car, the addition of this strut brace only enhances the suspension for those who push their cars to the limit. For those who drive like a granny, then yes, this is only a cosmetic upgrade.

Regards,

Dan Bennion
BenFer Performance, Inc.
www.benferperformance.com

Quote: Originally Posted by alankilian

The information I've read about front strut braces and the MINI lead me to believe that a strut brace is more of a decorative thing than a performance enhancer due to the rigidity of the MINI front-end.

And I can't imagine why a 45-degree angle carbon-fiber weave would provide any strength at all.

There might actually be front strut braces that do something for the MINI, but I suspect this one isn't one of them. I also understand that on other types of cars that are much more flexible than the MINI, that a front strut brace can make a difference in certain situations.

Oct 31st, 2004, 12:00 AM	#17
BFP MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Local Time: 01:29 PM Posts: 22 Offline	Dear Sir, This Carbon Fiber strut brace is comprised of 12 layers of PrePreg Carbon Fiber (of different grades, though I cannot disclose the exact laminate schedule) laid up at 30 degree angles from each other to form a perfect 360 degrees. This process was developed for military aviation use by the company making these for us, and results in a structure that bears load in every direction. Lateral push-pull (the majority of force that a strut brace sees) is exactly what this bar was designed for, and in our beta vehicle, our driver noticed the biggest difference in load-transferring maneuvers such as a slalom. While the MINI is a very tight car, the addition of this strut brace only enhances the suspension for those who push their cars to the limit. For those who drive like a granny, then yes, this is only a cosmetic upgrade. Regards, Dan Bennion BenFer Performance, Inc. www.benferperformance.com Quote: Originally Posted by alankilian The information I've read about front strut braces and the MINI lead me to believe that a strut brace is more of a decorative thing than a performance enhancer due to the rigidity of the MINI front-end. And I can't imagine why a 45-degree angle carbon-fiber weave would provide any strength at all. There might actually be front strut braces that do something for the MINI, but I suspect this one isn't one of them. I also understand that on other types of cars that are much more flexible than the MINI, that a front strut brace can make a difference in certain situations.