1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Suggestions for Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates

I highly suggest the Craven units. They are much better designed and are A LOT stronger then the m7 plates. The M7 ones get as thin as 1/4" over the 'support' pieces on the factory top.

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Better yet, get some camber plates and get twice the benefit for the work done!

 

agreed!

 

I have the M7 reinforcement plates on my MC as well as on my MCS, and have never had a problem since putting them on. The MCS also has IE fixed camber plates, and they are not expensive.

 

I'm heading down a similar avenue, I have a set of Vorshlag's picked out that will work with OEM style springs (In my case TSW lowering springs) and JCW Struts/shocks.

I have a set of Craven's on the wife's 10' and a year on they seem to be working real well. That said she drives pretty sedately compared to her MINI crazy husband

(EDIT-See that your inquiry is for Gen 1 MINI's, my comments are all around 2nd Gen, sorry)

 

I believe the answer is...not at all I'm just finishing installing them with the JCW suspension, should be back on the road this week after a trip the the alignment shop

 

The IE Fixed camber plates are a great upgrade, IMO should be one of the first to any Mini. And yes you can just do the plates and nothing else and it will be a very nice difference. This is IMO a better mod than strut tower reinforcement plates if you care about handling.

For the 1st gen Mini there was a thread here with some issues on using the Vorshlags with OEM style fixed perch struts.

- Andrew

 

Not sure about the R53 version but I was strongly advised to avoid the IE camber plates and go with Vorshlag. This was from a trusted and well respected MINI vendor

You get what you pay for is what I'm sayin'

 

^ I never understood that and I don't remember seeing a real reason for that warning. I'm running the IE's on very mild drop lowering springs and they are perfect. Love them. I have an R53 but they aren't that complicated speaking in general.

- Andrew

 

My understanding is it is a durability issue between IE's and Vorschlag's. This was from a vendor who sold and used both on R53's and R56's alike

I don't know what the delta on quality. For my use -hard twisties, some HDPE's and getting into AutoX these are what were recommended

 

http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/suspension-brake-modifications/1765-installing-konis-vorshlag-camber-plates-bumpstops.html

That thread points out how the Vorshlags are probably not a good choice for those not on coilovers.

I have seen some negative feedback on the IE adjustables with regards to durability, but i have not seen anything for the fixed plates.

- Andrew

 

It really depends on how hard you drive. Regular track use will abuse the IE plates, but general street and twisty use will not push them past their limit prematurely.

The problem is that they're kind of a gateway camber plate. They're cheaper and the effect on the handling is phenomenal, so people often mod their car with them early. Then the same owners start tracking the car more as the mod bug eats away at their brain, and voila, you start to see IE plates failed, and they upgrade to something beefier. If you properly coordinate the plate to the type of driving you'll be doing for the next five years, you won't have any problems.

Also, if you're tracking the stock upper strut mounts, you can expect to see the same premature failures for the same reason - you're pushing the part past its design envelope.

 

Again, I haven't seen a failed IE fixed plate yet. Adjustable, yes those seem to fail but not the fixed plates.

I can see the rubber slowly wearing out over a long time just like any other rubber topmount (or pillowball mount) but not "failed." They seem pretty beefy.

Yes, for hardcore track use I suggest Vorshlag's or similar adjustables when used on a coilover to get even more camber but I would have no apprehension about taking IE fixed plates on the track and having a good time.

Not trying to pick a fight or anything, just being honest! If anybody does have that first hand experience of IE fixed plates failing I would like to hear it.

- Andrew

 

I don't know who advised you, but Way did both my M7 strut tower plates AND my IE camber plates. I trust his judgement completely. I've been doing 3-4 BMW CCA Schools every year since '06.

 

My MINI has close to 89,000 & my strut towers are not bent.

My secret?
I have an M7 strut bar that has been on since I bought my MINI.
At 30,000 I put a set of IE fixed camber plates on. No problems with them at all. I seem to remember that the IE adjustable plates are the ones some folks have had problems with.
One other thing that I believe has kept mushroomed towers away is the use of 16 inch tires in summer & 15 inch snows in winter.

 

Do them both, IE fixed plates and Craven Speed plates.
Better handling and no mushrooming.

Hope this helps...

 

Really no need to do both.

I have had the adjustable IE plates on my car for almost 4 yrs now with no issues, except for the cheap allen bolts used. They started rusting right away. I simply replaced them as needed. The camber plates have a nice healthy plate so you shouldn't need anything more.

 

So what is an IE plate? :blush2: