Starting a new thread for this rather than adding to the apparent mayhem in the swaybar thread...

Background is simply I'm rallycrossing my R53 and want to remove my front swaybar for the additional wheel travel/traction (I'd already removed my rear one to settle the back end down and it helped a TON). The swaybar removal discussion is over in the other thread.

My question here is, say I wanted to get some springs (custom I'm assuming)...since they're typically dirt cheap compared to coilovers - where would I get them?

Nobody does springs anymore, do they. I saw some 'Tein' springs - price was right at $160, but they were lowering. Years ago I put VR6 Corrado springs in my A2 GTI which was an absolute magic bullet...one quick, off the shelf swap - instant height and firmness. Too bad MINI never put a V6 in a gen1 body...

My wife would kill me if I snagged the Countrymans springs I bet.

(I should probably just buy stock factory springs...my car has 204k miles of abuse on it, guessing the stock springs are in need of replacement anyway)

Thanks guys,

Pat

 

There are a number of after market springs for the mini but they will all be lowering. There is little demand for raising a mini.

That said, there are a few posts by people raising their minis. You might want to try a search to find them.

You are definitely different from most MINI owners. Go for it...

Let us know how you make out...

 

I'm seriously considering some Countryman struts. Right? I just brought ours in (even though my wife forbade me to touch it - she's at work, she won't find out! - heck, at least I'm not sleeping with the maid or something... ) - they look really close. The only thing that looks not plug-and-play is the location of the studs in the strut bushing.

Maybe use the R53 strut bushing with the Countryman strut? I'm assuming I can't get a strut tower top from MINI that I could just weld in. I'd call my dealer but the parts girl there hates me...I never just want an oil filter which is apparently all she wants to sell.

Or maybe just chop off the studs and move them. I already had to do that once when I added a 1/2" plate between the strut top and the body (my rally tires rubbed a little).

Now to find a set of 4 used ones.