Suspension Springs, struts, coilovers, sway-bars, camber plates, and all other modifications to suspension components for Clubman (R55), Cooper and Cooper S (R56), and Cabrio (R57) MINIs.

Suspension BC Racing r56 coilover review

  #1  
Old 06-14-2010, 12:42 PM
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BC Racing r56 coilover review

I began upgrading my Jcw on the first day of ownership and to this day the best mod was upgrading from stock non sport suspension with runflats to BC coilovers with swift spring 7kf 7kr .

When first shopping for suspension upgrades I compared lowering springs with koni/bilstien shocks and every coilover from kw v1 all the way to ast with vorshlag camber plates and I always returned to BC Racing because of price, features and customer service.

I had heard many people say BC was chinese junk and you get what you pay for and that BC Racing coilovers ride rough and stiff.

All I can say after a very easy and quick install is why did I wait to upgrade ! The ride with non runflats and BC Racing/swift spring combo is more comfortable compared to the stock suspension with runflats.The Handling is a solid 15 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 7 being stock .

After owning/modding 2 porsche 911s , 3 dodge vipers and 2 subaru STI and many mitsus starting with a turbo colt and ending with a hennesy stealth twin turbo I can honestly say that this mod is THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK you can do to your car .


Total cost of suspension upgrades inc BC coilovers ,control arms ,bushings,springs and sway bars was much less most companys charge for a base coilover !
 

Last edited by Graham Hill; 06-17-2010 at 01:49 PM.
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  #2  
Old 06-15-2010, 09:37 PM
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I love when people say it's a 15 on a scale of 1 to 10
 
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Old 06-15-2010, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by countryboyshane
I love when people say it's a 15 on a scale of 1 to 10

 
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Old 06-15-2010, 09:52 PM
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Great you love them. OK easy to put in . Long term? How do you drive? Track the car any? How long have you had them in your car? What are your alignment specs? Did you get them corner balanced?

So many questions...

The problem with NAM is that someone goes out and get some XYZ aftermarket product puts it in their car and writes a glowing review the next day.

I have the JCW suspension on my car for about 15 months. And still to this day I do not know if I like it or not. I want to do coilovers too. But I do not know enough about them to put them on and then spend the time to properly adjust them.
 
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Old 06-16-2010, 06:07 AM
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The Bc coilover is a great dual purpose coilover that rides smooth on the street and handles very good on the track.

The bc's have been on my car a little over 2 months without any problems .


Car has been cornerweighted and running stock aligment specs .


BC Racing North America has gone above and beyond for customer service and support. BC even offered to do the install for free if I was in the area.


I have extended a invatation to Orangecrush/Mark to testdrive my car if in the area .
 
  #6  
Old 06-16-2010, 05:32 PM
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Played with a Exige last night Lotusboy was so impressed with the pace thru the twisties that he followed me into a gas station to check the car out
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:21 PM
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Went to the local twisties and did a informal test back to back pitting a jcw with base suspension and runflats against a jcw with bc suspension and non runflats.

Jcw with stock suspension exit speed 76 mph and the jcw with bc suspension exit speed 93 mph.
 
  #8  
Old 06-17-2010, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Graham Hill
Went to the local twisties and did a informal test back to back pitting a jcw with base suspension and runflats against a jcw with bc suspension and non runflats.

Jcw with stock suspension exit speed 76 mph and the jcw with bc suspension exit speed 93 mph.
Probably meaningless unless, of course, the same driver in both cars....and same level of effort.
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:29 PM
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same driver same day within 15 minutes

Stock jcw understeered ,huge body roll and did not feel good at all.

Bc car was neutral with very little bodyroll and felt like I could push harder .


Thank you to the local mini dealer for letting me take a 500 mile demo for a spin .
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Graham Hill
same driver same day within 15 minutes

Stock jcw understeered ,huge body roll and did not feel good at all.

Bc car was neutral with very little bodyroll and felt like I could push harder .


Thank you to the local mini dealer for letting me take a 500 mile demo for a spin .
That's good then. But still the matter of your tune, versus the stock JCW... but if you're happy, that's great!

Paul
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:40 PM
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Running stock tune until my Hpfp comes in
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:41 PM
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There is a good review done by a very respected MINIac to be found here.

http://www.michiganmini.org/forum/in...?topic=2455.30

In this discussion he compares BC and KW and gives both pretty high marks.
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:42 PM
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Skid-pad on Dynolicius , not bad for measuring lateral G.
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:46 PM
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I think rye compaired old style bc to the kw . My car has the latest version of BR coilovers that BC Racing offers .
 
  #15  
Old 06-17-2010, 01:48 PM
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Originally Posted by wac
Skid-pad on Dynolicius , not bad for measuring lateral G.

Skid pads dont tell the whole story.I had a 85 dodge ram 50 that would pull 1g on a skidpad .
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:55 PM
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^ Well neither does "I took a corner at X mph in this car and could take it at Y mph in this car." That's definitely not the whole story.

An almost 20 mph difference in 1 corner means there were different levels of effort and lets call it "*****" involved (same driver or not).

- drew
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 02:07 PM
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felt i could push the coilover car much harder
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 02:31 PM
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Planning to track the car, BC on my list...and a 19mm s.bar
 
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Old 06-17-2010, 06:21 PM
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I tracked with the BC and swift combo for a bit now. I love them a lot.
 
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Old 06-21-2010, 09:55 AM
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Love my BC coilovers
 
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Old 06-15-2011, 01:32 PM
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Any more info to add . Maybe a update . I'm
Looking at getting a set of BC coils . 19 mm rsb , alta psrs, rear control arms . Maybe adjustable endlinks and also a front sway bar as well . I'd like to do as much as possible while the car is down . 09 factory jcw with stock suspension , I do also have a bsh race lower engine mount too . I don't mind the vibration in the cab . I know this is a old thread but I would like input from the owners that have set ups like this . I'll probably never track the car but I drive about 45000 miles a year . My 09 jcw is fixing to hit 80000 miles in a few commutes .
 
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Old 06-15-2011, 02:47 PM
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I have had almost that exact setup for 10 or 12k. I love it. Coilovers adjusted to minimum height and medium dampening, camber -2fr -1.25r. Definitely not the specs for everyone as the ride is pretty stiff, but the handling and aesthetics are a significant improvement over stock.
 
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Old 06-16-2011, 04:04 AM
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Thank you creeve .
 
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Old 11-05-2011, 10:28 PM
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Where did you guys go to source the Swift springs? Or did you buy the coilovers with the springs pre-installed?
 
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Old 02-03-2013, 02:15 PM
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Old thread but.... I am debating between ST's and BC's.. I like how the BC's have the Camber plates because the Top Mounts on my stock sport suspension needs some attention and I would have to purchase new top mounts.
So, anyhow, I drive a lot. In the last 6 months I have done 23,000km (15,000miles) will they do well in a long term/high mileage run?
 

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