About once a month I take my 08 MCS to a road track (Hallett Racing Circuit). The car is completly stock except for a competition rear anti-sway bar. The bar has three settings and I have it on the middle setting. I am turning some respectable times. However, on a few of the turns I end up lifting the inside rear wheel completly off the ground. Sometimes this can be a little unsettling to the car especally when the car comes back down on all fours. I thought maybe I should put try putting the bar on it's softest setting. Any other suggustions or tips would be appreciated.

 

A softer rear sway bar setting will help. That competition bar is way thick, 25.5 mm. Be careful with oversteer on the track with that thick of a bar.

Otherwise, put a stiffer bar in front.

 

When I had the bar set for the most stiff setting, the oversteer was too much. But I really don't have an issue with oversteer on the middle setting.
I have the stock "Sport" suspension.
Any recomendations on a stiffer front bar?

 

Lifting the rear inside tire is not unusual or bad. Too much lift can be bad but can be easily fixed. Soften your rear sway bar (softest setting) is your best option. I lift my inside wheel in most corners while on track, and thats how I want it. I have never felt the tire come back down and hit the ground, if it werent for video and pictures I would have no idea that im lifting a tire. You shouldent be worried too much about how much lift there is rather how much is the car rotating. If its twitchy and likes to oversteer then soften it up but if the car still pushes then stiffen it up. In your case you say when the tires comes back down if unsettles the car, how much is your tire lifting, 2 inches 3 more? A little (1 to 4 inches) off the ground is normal for a FWD car like the MINI especially on a race track.

 

I really don't know how much it is lifting. I just now that there are a couple of parts of the track that descend with sweeping turns. It can get pretty spooky sometimes. I would like to push the car faster but I have to back off because when rear wheel sits back down it's almost like I hit a bump in the track (even though there is no bump). At 75 to 80 MPH this can be a little unnerving!
Here is a picture I found that is somewhat deceptive because the cameraman is actually taking it at a higher elevation from a cherry picker crane and is actually going downhill here.

This picture is around turn 8 going Clock-wise. The other area is near turn 4 (also going Clock-wise)

 

I understand why it feels a little unsettling, turn 8 at Hallett is probably the scariest turn at that track. Ive not driven my Mini at Hallett and doubt I will because its just to far from Houston (where I live). I was up there in my Lotus. BTW, what kind of times are you putting down at Hallett? Im guessing mid to low 1:30's.

As for the 3 wheeling, I get it quite often as well, normally under heavy trail braking as Im not running sticky tires. If you soften your bar the wheel will come up less, but you will probably end up being slightly slower.

 

I run 1:35 to 1:36. I personally have never seen another Mini break 1:37. Typical Mini times are 1:40+. There are a few cars like Lotus', Z06's and Vipers that run in the low 1:30's.
Next month I'll try running with the bar at the softest setting.
Thanks TxExige, RockyMC40 and Slinger688 for the input!

 

"Dog Pi$$ing" is what a fwd car does. I think the only way to stop it is to slow down. From my STX Sentra SER Spec V to my Type R all the solo pictures show the "lift". From what I remember my '64 Cooper S did it too, even back in "64.
I never felt the tire come back to earth.

 

Ive only been to Hallett for one day and I was running low 1.29's. Id expect I could cut another second or 2 off that with some practice. I still think I can carry more speed through 1, I could probably be faster through the 4/5 combo, I know I have some time left in 8/9 as well, maybe a bit in 10 too.

Normally I run about 6 to 7 second a lap slower in the Mini than I do in the Exige. Hard to compete with a car that has more grip/power and overall handles better. My mini is near stock with just a rear swaybar, BBK Kit and 215 dirrezza star spec tires. I also have about 80 days on track in my Lotus and only like 4 in the Mini.

 

Those are impresive times as is the Exige an impresive car!
When were you at Hallett?

 

OkieSnake,

The 27 mm front sway bar I think is made by H&R but I heard it is a PITA to put it in.

Also, if you have stock sport suspension, you may be running close to zero camber. I added adjustable camber plates and the turn in is much better. I am running -1.4 right now for front camber and will go to -2 when I get the chance.

I run the NE circuit so I do not know much about the tracks you guys are talking about, but it is still fun to see what others can do with the car.

 

I was there 6/11/09. Was just a day where someone rented the track for a private testing day... There were only 10 of us. A cooler day would net me at least one second on its own, it was pretty hot. I only got 4 sessions as I boiled my brake fluid, guess I should have changed it before I went. First time Ive ever boiled the fluid in that car.

Just went back and looked at my times. Best was a 1:29.648, video link posted below.

http://vimeo.com/5142080

I'm hoping to make it back up to Hallett in late September or early October for another run of the track and at least 2 days this time. Ill probably play around with the suspension a bit this time as well. The roughness/bumpyness of the track was a bit to much for my current setup and I was fighting the rear wanting to come around all day, not real confidence inspiring.

For anyone that has not been to Hallett and is within driving distance this is a extremely fun track and quite challenging and I bet it would be great fun in a Mini.

 

Nice Video!
Hope to see you at Hallett someday.
Trent

 

I put the rear sway bar on its softest setting and it helped. It didn't add any apprecible understeer or slow me down.

 

If you are on the brakes while turning, even a little, I suspect you would feel the wheel come back down because it will have stopped while in mid-air.

If you go with a bigger front bar, you will decrease body roll, but also induce understeer. Counter this with camber plates and/or rear bar settings.

Like others have said though, inside wheel lift in a FWD car isn't a bad thing, it just means "You iz doinz it right!", as they say on the interwebs. Search for autocross images for volkswagens and you are bound to see lots of wheel wagging pictures. Since it is causing a particular problem at a particular track, getting it back down might be a good idea. I'd pay attention to braking during turn in and make sure you aren't doing any more than you need to to get a smooth transition.

Let us know how your times or impressions change with any mods, please!

Brian

 

I supose that could be possible. I am sure that I am not on the brakes when the car comes back down but it could be that the wheel has stopped while in mid-air.
I am not sure what future mods I might be making. Front camber plates would be good and I had been thinking seriously about some slicks.
However, next season I am thinking about selling the Cobra and using the proceeds to get a Legends race car, a used truck and a trailer. If I get the Legends car I really don't want to spend money on more track mods for the Mini.
But, it sure would be nice to shave 2-3 seconds off my Mini lap times!

 

Sorry new for the cars and not able to help u out the same but hope u will get the solution soon.