OMP Upper strut brace

[vintageb3]

I recently bought an OMP Upper strut brace...and today the OMP lower arrived from Lohen.

I went to my local garage (mate) and we stuck the car on the ramp and fitted the lower with two nice and new bolts....easy pezy!

Fitted the Upper strut brace and couldn't get the bonnet closed.

Anyone got an OMP upper Strut brace fitted to a Cooper S? ( I have a convertible)

Thanks

mark

[james f]

unviversal fit you just have to shut the bonnet hard the first few times i had mine fitted at lohen and andrey ahd to give it a good thump but i removed my underbonnet liner but i think its taken some of the paint off the under bonnet but i dont see any damage to the out bonnet

[ajamesj]

Mine is ok its an OMP too and I still have my soundproofing intact on my bonnet

[KenL]

Don't slam it, you might damage the bonnet.

[vintageb3]

I certainly won't be slaming the bonnet down!:eek:

Don't really want to have this fitted if its scratching paint either...that's simply too close for comfort.

Maybe I'm wrong...but I will have the 18"s back on in a few months and they cause the suspension to bottom out when you hit a pothole. With all this internet talk of mushrooming the tower metal work...won't that force the strut brace up against the bonnet even more?

Oh dear!:(

mark

[illegalhunter]

its very tight Mark but it will close with both it should stick to tyhe road like glue now

[vintageb3]

quote:Originally posted by deerslayer

its very tight Mark but it will close with both it should stick to tyhe road like glue now


Hi John...

Both myself and my mechanic noted that because I have an "S" and no battery...there is room to drop the strut brace down. I'm hoping to get a chance today to go to an engineer to see if he can alter this top tower strut brace. I've used this guy before and his work is very good. I have the tools myself but although I can weld...he has better welding gear and knowhow than me....I want this to be neat as well as functional.

I'd like to get this brace on but not at the risk of damage to anything on the car. I can't belive that OMP (and most others) sell a brace that basically doesn't fit! I won't be happy with a brace that touches my bonnet...or raises it up any.

Will let you know how it pans out...after all we are only talking about modding a mod

mark;)

[vintageb3]

Further to my last post: I went to see the engneer about altering this strut brace and he said he would have a look at what could be done. I didn't take the car with me....as I wanted to give the guy a chance to show his interest without hassling him. He sugested that if the OMP won't work he could make a strut brace from scratch that would clear the bonnet etc.

I will post what the outcome is in due course.

mark

[vintageb3]

OK...the engineer says he can alter the strut. He says he will throw away half of it...the bit with the bend on it. He thinks the OMP strut brace is a poor design since a brace should be straight so that it doesn't bend when under stress. I've been told that the OMP strut brace does in fact bend when cornering hard as guys have complained about it scratching the underside of the bonnet.

He reckons he could redesign the part that is bent over the area to clear the battery on a Cooper. He reckons he could take the strut over on top of the tower and still keep it lower to the airbox etc.

But!...I've just realised that I've told me insurance company about the OMP strut brace...and i don't think my insurance company would be too happy if i had the strut altered....bummer.

Maybe just sell it on to someone that doesn't mind the related issues.

mark