Lowering Suspension for Track Day
#1
#2
OVERDRIVE
iTrader: (1)
Yikes!
Cha-Ching
DIY
First, a bunch of questions: Is the car new to you? How many track days do you have in total? How many track days on this car?
How is the alignment right now? I you think it still the way it should be (not pulling left or right, etc), then forget the dealer.
If I remember correctly, there is only a bit more than an inch of ride height adjustment on the GP. Personally, I would only drop it about 1/2 inch at a time to see how it changes how the car performs on the track.
You should have the shock adjustment wrenches with the GP. First put the car on a flat surface and measure the height of the car at the lip of each wheel well flare (write it down). Jack up the car; best to jack up both the left and right sides in the front and then the rear so when you make the adjustment the sway bars don't interfere. Remove both wheels. There will be an adjustment ring on the barrel of the shock and under that a locking ring. Loosen the locking ring and screw it down 1/2 inch. Then screw the adjustment ring down to the locking ring. Then tighten the locking ring up against the adjustment ring. After doing all 4 shocks and you have the car on that flat surface, remeasure the height of the car to those same 4 spots to check that you have it lowered evenly.
Lowering a MINI adds a little negative camber to front and rear wheels. This is a good thing basically. Front camber is not adjustable, but don't need to as added front camber is really good.
If you are new to this whole track thing, then added rear camber is good. But even if you are experienced, the amount of added camber will be minimal and can be dialed out later, after you learn how the car handles.
Lowering a MINI, just 1/2", adds a little bit of toe-in. Not the best for the track, but it won't hurt as it is only a little. If you are handy, you only need to screw in the tie-rod about 1/6th (one flat on the tie rod) of a turn to correct this. So for $400 the dealer is basically removing wheels, lowering the car, putting the wheels back on and resetting the toe-in.
Have fun with your GP
Cha-Ching
DIY
First, a bunch of questions: Is the car new to you? How many track days do you have in total? How many track days on this car?
How is the alignment right now? I you think it still the way it should be (not pulling left or right, etc), then forget the dealer.
If I remember correctly, there is only a bit more than an inch of ride height adjustment on the GP. Personally, I would only drop it about 1/2 inch at a time to see how it changes how the car performs on the track.
You should have the shock adjustment wrenches with the GP. First put the car on a flat surface and measure the height of the car at the lip of each wheel well flare (write it down). Jack up the car; best to jack up both the left and right sides in the front and then the rear so when you make the adjustment the sway bars don't interfere. Remove both wheels. There will be an adjustment ring on the barrel of the shock and under that a locking ring. Loosen the locking ring and screw it down 1/2 inch. Then screw the adjustment ring down to the locking ring. Then tighten the locking ring up against the adjustment ring. After doing all 4 shocks and you have the car on that flat surface, remeasure the height of the car to those same 4 spots to check that you have it lowered evenly.
Lowering a MINI adds a little negative camber to front and rear wheels. This is a good thing basically. Front camber is not adjustable, but don't need to as added front camber is really good.
If you are new to this whole track thing, then added rear camber is good. But even if you are experienced, the amount of added camber will be minimal and can be dialed out later, after you learn how the car handles.
Lowering a MINI, just 1/2", adds a little bit of toe-in. Not the best for the track, but it won't hurt as it is only a little. If you are handy, you only need to screw in the tie-rod about 1/6th (one flat on the tie rod) of a turn to correct this. So for $400 the dealer is basically removing wheels, lowering the car, putting the wheels back on and resetting the toe-in.
Have fun with your GP
The following users liked this post:
jerome_arlington (02-08-2018)
#3
Vendor
iTrader: (10)
Honestly I would just take it as is first if you haven't tracked it before and make a plan for future days as it is really good out of the box.
Also doing a rear sway bar would be more value than paying to have it lowered.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-rear-sway-bar.html
Also doing a rear sway bar would be more value than paying to have it lowered.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-rear-sway-bar.html
The following users liked this post:
jerome_arlington (02-08-2018)
#4
#5
#7
Trending Topics
#8
Another vote for keeping the ride height but for a different reason - body roll is great for giving you a sensation of cornering forces. A super stiff and flat car will go from gripping to slipping more abruptly than one with a touch of roll. and that isn't a characteristic you want for a track day.
#9
#10
The physics are simple - when you are at an angle you feel a slight component from gravity in addition to centrifugal force as the two components of the force vector. Without the lean, there is no gravity component contributing to the cornering forces felt. Also, body roll causes a gradual decrease in camber and therefore a gradual decrease in grip. Granted, this last one also heavily depends on how your tire responds to camber changes, but in general this is the case.
#11
also wanted to add, mini's corner on the bumpstops, with softer springs & slalom sections or autocross with slaloms I found the back and forth will cause the car to lean onto the bumpstops too quick and when it does the effective springrate shoots way up, it'll cause the rear to step out suddenly
The GP2 may not have issues with this as they come with the kw's dont they? I'm not sure what the springrates are on the factory gp2 setup
The GP2 may not have issues with this as they come with the kw's dont they? I'm not sure what the springrates are on the factory gp2 setup
#13
#14
#15
So it sounds like the original suggestion of NOT dropping the ride height is the right move then. The last thing OP wants is to be lower (ie closer to the bump stops) with the same spring rate
#17
OVERDRIVE
iTrader: (1)
Interesting discussion about body roll. On a MINI the loss of camber is most pronounced on the front which will tend to make it understeer. For a beginner, this is probably a good thing.
#18
OVERDRIVE
iTrader: (1)
I had the car for 3 years now. I put 27000 miles, and 3 sets of tires. But no track day yet.
I just completed an track initiation on COTA, and enjoyed it so much that I need to do some more.
I think WMW is right. Let's try it as is first. At least we will have a baseline...
I just completed an track initiation on COTA, and enjoyed it so much that I need to do some more.
I think WMW is right. Let's try it as is first. At least we will have a baseline...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...7&goto=newpost
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post