11 replies to this topic

[Deathrow]

I was flicking through an old Mini Magazine I was donated by a friend, September 2003 to be exact. This is where I found my inspiration for my project.

Now I'm wondering, he has made some custom brace bars for his flip front and I don't know what an MOT tester would say about them because they differ from the norm.



Although they're made from thinner box section, the bracing now has triangulation and no bends which would make me believe it would be stronger than the regular type of brace bars. They're also welded to the inner wing instead of bolted. I want to do mine like this but I want some input from more experienced people before I think about it.

Thanks for any help.

[Geehawk]

I don't see why an MOT man would have a problem with them. I doubt very much that most MOT testers would even know what the norm is as far as mini brace bars go.

They appear plenty strong enough to me, given that they really are not having to do that much. As Vizard states in one of his books if the rear of the subby is solidly mounted, then even without bars the front of the frame is going nowhere.

[Ethel]

Looks perfectly solid, suspect the coil overs are the reasons for the extra effort. Watch the tyre clearance if you go for something similar.

[gav]

To put this in perspective, my local mini place has only passed one mini in the last 8 years that had brace bars because if you put the car on the rollers and brake you can see the subframe moving about everywhere...

[Bungle]

To put this in perspective, my local mini place has only passed one mini in the last 8 years that had brace bars because if you put the car on the rollers and brake you can see the subframe moving about everywhere...

it should not move as much as a standard shell with rubber subframe mounts

[mini_turbo_pete]

To put this in perspective, my local mini place has only passed one mini in the last 8 years that had brace bars because if you put the car on the rollers and brake you can see the subframe moving about everywhere...

thats probably because they were still on original subframe mounts that were knackered, on most minis that have rubber mounts if you open the bonnet and wiggle the steering wheel from side to side you'll see the engine appearing to move side to side as the subframe mounts have play in them.

As said above "As Vizard states in one of his books if the rear of the subby is solidly mounted, then even without bars the front of the frame is going nowhere."

When i made the brace bars for mine i made them run along the top part of the inner wings and mine are welded to the car as well

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[Deathrow]

I'll go for it then, when I MOT it chances are it's going to the local Mini Specialist anyway.

Ethel, looking at it, they take a much more direct line to the front mounting points, if anything it looks to me like it'd be engine bay space that was lost. I suppose if I make sure the arm never protrudes further out than the inner wing does then it won't have any issues as the wheel would hit the inner wing before it hit the bars.

We've all had the debate about subframes moving on flip fronted cars, I guess you believe what you believe. I've read a few of Vizards books and I'm quite happy to have it this way.

Damn you mini_turbo_pete, everytime you show your car I love it more and more! Still trying to decide just how low I want to go and if I should tub the rear arches or not.

Thanks guys .

[In-a-mini]

Hiya i do my brace bars a little different still i dont like mounting them to the bit left of the inner wing it moves too much. i weld a threadded plate to the bulkhead and fabricate brace bars to the front of the subrame very strong.
Not the best pics to see it from i will try to find some others.

[miniman andy]

i done a flipfront and im a mechanic (not a MOT tester yet) but still...
my dad had a bash and they are better than the ones you can buy!. some nice think 1" box section
and best of all i can unbolt it to do a cluch on the engine while it is still in the engine bay connected up.
just by simlpy undoing a few engine mounts and jacking the one side up to take off the clutch cover.







sorry for the amound of pics. but im very proud of it. and recommended to be done on every mini. just makes working on the engine a piece of cake!

[AshW]

my bracebars are like that too

[merlinsteve]

those brace bars look awsome. I would love to do that to my mini but $$$$
Anyway
Looking at the orange brace bars, there is a simple way to stiffen it up alot.
I would recomend a second bar starting at the front just above the inner silver bolts that hold the frame to the brace bar. continue this bar up to the bottom of the coil over mount brace.
continue this bar up and outwards to the firewall somewhere near the black door hinge mount. you would want to put a large plate there to mount to. this would stop the frame moving at all because it would be secured in more than one plane and can't wobble sideways. I would also put a brace across the front of the engine or across the top so add more stiffness.
Alternatively, bars couls be mounted in a V shape from the top corners of the brace bars and back to the firewall in the centre. these could be made removable easily.
Hope this helps.
As for MOT.
In australia, we need to get an engineer to sign off on it before we can register it.

[Deathrow]

I'm going to go with what I pictured.

I'm not worrying abouut the subframe moving because I believe in Mr Vizards words that the front subframe mounts are completely unrequired, even in motorsport.

I was just thinking the triangulation of those bars would be better in a front end bump rather than the single bar alternatives. Plus I plain love the look of the twin bar setup, even if it winds up being a bit heavier.

Thanks again guys and if anyone else has anymore alternative ways, post them up, it's nice to see the different options.