Best Strut Reinforcement Plate?

[Car54]

I've been pouring over data, but I only really have enough time to search information on my Mcoupe. My wife has an '05 Mini Cooper S and has deformed strut towers.

Out of the three options for reinforcement, which would you guys go with?


Mini-Madness's under plate (http://www.mini-madness.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=334)
Craven's sandwich reinforcement (http://www.cravenspeed.com/index.php?productID=201)
M7 reinforcement plates (http://www.m7tuning.com/parts/product_info.php?cPath=7_2&products_id=30)

Thanks in advance!

[catseye]

The MINI Madness Under Plate looks good, and the design makes sense to me. I have the M7 w/ the strut bar, and like it just fine:

http://www.catseyeweb.com/minicoop/images/M7CAI.jpg

[Car54]

I am reading the strut bars on top are not too beneficial. Maybe just not with street tires.

I like the Mini-Madness option as well since the car is still under warranty so I'd hate to give them any reason to deny coverage.

[elttes reven]

i love the M7. it's what im thinknig about buying.

[MINIGURU]

I've used the M7 and Craven plates on all the installs I do. If you use any of the plates that go under the tower you'll slightly raise the ride height of the car and add positive camber to it. And as we all know the MINI is camber challenged, we need all the neg. camber we can get up from. So I'd advise just going with the M7 either the plates or the brace too.

M7 plates http://www.waymotorworks.com/product.php?productid=16147&cat=293&page=1

M7 brace http://www.waymotorworks.com/product.php?productid=16152&cat=293&page=1

WAY

[Car54]

I'm thinking about the IE fixed camber plates now. My wife's tracked the car once, and plans to do some autox next year.

Any thoughts on the IE plates?

[ScottinBend]

The best product is a set of camber plates, next would be the Madness plate as they both do a much better job of protecting against mushrooming. There are many instances reported of the strut top plates allowing enough distortion of the tower to bind up the plate enought that it is very difficult to remove.

The added benefit of the camber plate is that you would then get a chance to put in some neg camber to help lengthen the life of the front tires and balance out the understeer tendencies of the car.

[LowCountry S]

I have the IE adj. camber plates and the M7 Strut bar w/plates; love them both and I had some of the worst mushrooming the tech said he ever saw(like that when I bought it). Hammered 'em flat, installed the above, 4 wheel alignment and car handles better than it ever did.

[Alpine535i]

I have the VIP's and so far really like them. We don't do any autox or hard driving for that matter. I got them for the horrible potholes in Philly and its suburbs.