[wils]

it's ok i got what u meant

yeah i don't like the idea of it touching either esp since someone else has had real trouble with it with cracked battery etc....dont want any of that!! i also though of that...i mean if there was a low profile battery case maybe the brace will fit better and can keep the sound deadening? i don't want any issues with paint either....

cool, ur car sounds pretty good, did u get the piperX viper or pk222? probably the latter coz it matches ur initials huh? hahah just kidding

i'm thinking of maybe a viper as well....but again it all comes down to funds i've been planning mods to my car for so long but my money just has always had to go other places! so far i've just got little stuff like remus exhuast, tints, small aerial (c class one)and i HAD changed my headunit already to a pioneer DVD system but then some smuck decided to break my window and steal it...*sigh* well it's all in the past now but yeah i've decided that if i don't change more stuff to my car soon i'll be tempted to sell it so haha we'll see how it goes i've devoted whatever profits i make these summer holidays (it is summer over here in oz) into doing stuff to my car...i'll have to work work and work to get everything i want!!
thanks for all the info, good luck with everything! btw, do u mind me asking u of what background u r? coz putting dragons and pheonixes on ur car sounds very chinese to me i'm from hong kong so yeah just wondering

wils

[OZChris]

Wils

I have tried two front tower braces on my Cooper, I have included pics below.

Both bars are designed for Cooper S and do touch the battery box. However, it sits okay. Both do leave an imprint on the bonnet insulation and that does mean that the bonnet is slightly raised.

Good Luck

Chris

Whiteline Front Strut Tower Brace



MiM Front Strut Tower Brace

[grand_cru]

Hi pkman, hello guys,

JCW strutt brace fits perfectly on Cooper, even without changing battery cover. Bonnets closes nice and I only have the two outer parts (hinges) touching the under-bonnet insulation.

Some pics and close-ups of mine fitted:

Closing the thing and 34 Nm torque applied to the brace afterwards (not on pic):


Well done:


Front view:


Yes, it fits:



Kind regards,


Jan

[pkman]

thanks to both Xminix and grand_cru for your replies...

Xminix - what do you mean by the bonnett being raised slightly?

I have already agreed to purchase the low profile battery case with Maaij...but either way, I think I will put the sound deadening back on and trying to close the bonnet again. It seems both of you have had no problems with it. I am just scared it would dent my bonnet or unhinge it in some way (dont ask me how!)

I have the OMP brace so it will differ to both of yours...maybe it is higher.

[pkman]

Quote: Originally Posted by wsw

it's ok i got what u meant

yeah i don't like the idea of it touching either esp since someone else has had real trouble with it with cracked battery etc....dont want any of that!! i also though of that...i mean if there was a low profile battery case maybe the brace will fit better and can keep the sound deadening? i don't want any issues with paint either....

cool, ur car sounds pretty good, did u get the piperX viper or pk222? probably the latter coz it matches ur initials huh? hahah just kidding

i'm thinking of maybe a viper as well....but again it all comes down to funds i've been planning mods to my car for so long but my money just has always had to go other places! so far i've just got little stuff like remus exhuast, tints, small aerial (c class one)and i HAD changed my headunit already to a pioneer DVD system but then some smuck decided to break my window and steal it...*sigh* well it's all in the past now but yeah i've decided that if i don't change more stuff to my car soon i'll be tempted to sell it so haha we'll see how it goes i've devoted whatever profits i make these summer holidays (it is summer over here in oz) into doing stuff to my car...i'll have to work work and work to get everything i want!!
thanks for all the info, good luck with everything! btw, do u mind me asking u of what background u r? coz putting dragons and pheonixes on ur car sounds very chinese to me i'm from hong kong so yeah just wondering

wils

I did get the Pipercross PK222 and only chinese ppl will know the meaning of pk_man...altho to be fair it is my inital Pui Kee Man..so as you can see I am chinese, my parents are from HK but I was born in the UK (BBC)

The dragon and phoenix prolly gave it a way heh? I am an accountant working in the city - i like my chinese comic books and anime and obv Jap cars. I had a civic b4 the mini this sept. I think after a few yrs I will go back to jap cars.. and mebbe purchase one of my dream cars, GTR-34,RX7 or EVO 6.

As i like reading 'dragon tiger gate' and 'tin ha' i was thinking of getting 'wind' and 'cloud' on the doors - but not sure how it would look....

what about u???

[grand_cru]

Quote: Originally Posted by pkman

Xminix - what do you mean by the bonnett being raised slightly?

I have already agreed to purchase the low profile battery case with Maaij...but either way, I think I will put the sound deadening back on and trying to close the bonnet again. It seems both of you have had no problems with it. I am just scared it would dent my bonnet or unhinge it in some way (dont ask me how!)

To my opinion, the low profile battery cover is a waste of money, cause it's not only the battery case that's pushing the brace against the bonnet. I saw a MCS at JCW with plenty of room under the bonnet and ... two prints in the insulation from the strut braces corners.
I only give it a more powerfull swing to close. Visually, I do see a slightly larger opening between bonnet and body-work

Regards,

Jan

[pkman]

Quote: Originally Posted by grand_cru

To my opinion, the low profile battery cover is a waste of money, cause it's not only the battery case that's pushing the brace against the bonnet. I saw a MCS at JCW with plenty of room under the bonnet and ... two prints in the insulation from the strut braces corners.
I only give it a more powerfull swing to close. Visually, I do see a slightly larger opening between bonnet and body-work

Regards,

Jan

So the idea is the corners of the strut brace causing the main problem here as they are touching the bonnet. This could be more of a problem for me because the OMP corner sticks up more - have a look at my gallery - what do you think -

a bigger swing? So ur pushing it all down (forcing a bit)?

The low profile battery case is to stop the battery cracking - but its only one person that had this incident... I told someone to order one for me..ur giving me 2nd thoughts.

[grand_cru]

The lower battery cover won't do any harm, so don't worry about that.
But the standard battery cover is not able to push up the very riggid strut brace. As you mentioned, the cover is more likely to crack first, and surely long before it would push up the brace and your bonnet

Grtz.

jandaman

[Maaij]

The Whiteline strut brace looks almost the same as the JCW strut brace

[OZChris]

[quote=pkman]Xminix - what do you mean by the bonnett being raised slightly?/quote]

Slightly raise bonnet as the sound insulation sits on the brace. The attached pic is more raised than my Cooper.

[Maaij]

[quote=XMINIX]

Quote: Originally Posted by pkman

Xminix - what do you mean by the bonnett being raised slightly?/quote]

Slightly raise bonnet as the sound insulation sits on the brace. The attached pic is more raised than my Cooper.

XMINIX:
Who's Cooper is it? Have you a pic of your Cooper?

grand_cru:
Do your Cooper has something like that too?

[OZChris]

Quote: Originally Posted by Maaij

XMINIX: Who's Cooper is it? Have you a pic of your Cooper?

The red Cooper is mine.

Let me know what pics you need and I will take them and post them up.

[MiniFr34k]

chris can u let us know if this raising of the bonnet also occurs for the mcs??

[OZChris]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniFr34k

chris can u let us know if this raising of the bonnet also occurs for the mcs??

Pete

The raising of the bonnet is due to the insulation. As the insulation is compressed the bonnet drops back to normal.

I have seen one where the gap was significant - it seemed to be the mounting bracket was out of alignment, because after modding the bracket all is okay.

Chris

[grand_cru]

Quote: Originally Posted by Maaij

grand_cru:
Do your Cooper has something like that too?

Nope Maaij, maybe I only notice a bit more open space between the bonnet and body work, but mine is not "rising" like the one on the pic posted here

But as I said, it's mostly due to the insulation layer. Some guys do cut some away in order to provide more room for the strut brace.

Jan

[MiniFr34k]

Quote: Originally Posted by XMINIX

Pete

The raising of the bonnet is due to the insulation. As the insulation is compressed the bonnet drops back to normal.

I have seen one where the gap was significant - it seemed to be the mounting bracket was out of alignment, because after modding the bracket all is okay.

Chris

Thanks mate - im going to have a look under the bonnet and see what can be done to the insulation.

[pkman]

Hi guys -

I am just wondering doesnt this raising of the bonnet - doesnt it damage the hinges etc in anyway? Wont it cause LT damage to the bonnet?

I took the sound deadening off (insulation) but it seems like you guys are just slamming the bonnet harder to shut it...and leaving a gap on the car.

I am prolly going to just take the battery casing off - since most cars I know (old cars) dont really have a casing like the Mini does. This way there is no chance of the brace cracking the case.
After that I am going to put the deadening back on - and hope it closes with out too much of a gap!

[grand_cru]

Quote: Originally Posted by pkman

Hi guys -

I am just wondering doesnt this raising of the bonnet - doesnt it damage the hinges etc in anyway? Wont it cause LT damage to the bonnet?

I took the sound deadening off (insulation) but it seems like you guys are just slamming the bonnet harder to shut it...and leaving a gap on the car.

I am prolly going to just take the battery casing off - since most cars I know (old cars) dont really have a casing like the Mini does. This way there is no chance of the brace cracking the case.
After that I am going to put the deadening back on - and hope it closes with out too much of a gap!

LOL pkman,

Hope you won't have the strut brace making a short circuit in you battery with the cover removed, otherwise you'll have broken hinges anyway

Jan

[Maaij]

Quote: Originally Posted by XMINIX

The red Cooper is mine.

Let me know what pics you need and I will take them and post them up.

Can you make a pic of the raised bonnet just like the pic with the pure silver Cooper?

Thanx

[Maaij]

Quote: Originally Posted by grand_cru

Nope Maaij, maybe I only notice a bit more open space between the bonnet and body work, but mine is not "rising" like the one on the pic posted here

But as I said, it's mostly due to the insulation layer. Some guys do cut some away in order to provide more room for the strut brace.

Jan

I am happy it doesnt looks like the pic with the silver Cooper No way I am going to cut in the insulation