Thanks for all this useful information. I'm planning on putting the H&R springs on my MINI. This is the first modification I have done to a car and I've been thinking about it for a long time now. I have decided to go through with it but I don't want to cut any corners. Before I read this thread I thought that aside from replacing the springs nothing needed to be done. Now, thanks to you I know that negative camber is a normal side-effect of this modification. I don't plan to track this car anytime soon, but I would definitely like to return the car's alignment to OEM specs. With this, I have decided to purchase the rear control arms in order to remove the negative camber from the back side of the car. I would like to know what happens to the front-end of the car after the springs are replaced? Is negative camber an issue? Do I need to purchase a different component to set the front to OEM specs?

Thanks for your help!

 

With springs.......the change in camber will be close to nothing (if it changes at all). The rear camber is the only one that is really altered by lowering the MINI. You should be fine with springs + rear control arms.

 

Yes currently the price is the same for both 18 and 17". I am sorry the drop down didn't work the other day to choose size. I will try to figure out what is going on there.

We are working on combos for the wheels and tire and will try to get them up there as well ASAP.

I have 215/40/17 Dunlop Direzza tires on Howard. I love them. Plenty of stick and no whining at freeway speed.

Hope that helps! Thanks again for asking!

 

Front should be a-ok! Different suspension geometry. Back would be the only concern.

Thanks in advance for the business. Let me know if I can help in anyway!

 

WOW, sweet deal! Makes me want to buy them now - any idea how long that will last (18's being priced identical to the 17's)? Also what about weight and width on the 18's? I'm definitely interested in a tire wheel combo so I'll wait it out to purchase at least until you guys get that up.

 

Width is 7.5" on the 18"'s. They weigh about 18.5 lbs each.

Let me know!

 

VERY nice - especially for 18's. Keep me posted on when you guys start offering them in combination with tires. I'm supposed to wait for the snow to end before making my purchase, but given that I'll be purchasing all-season non RF's anyway (assuming that you all offer them), I may be tempted into getting them earlier. Might just have to put a couple other mods on hold but I'm DESPERATE to get these stock wheels/tires off!

 

Sorry to resurrect the thread, but I have a question...

On the ALTA site I only see the H&R's listed under the Mini Cooper S

I have a Mini Cooper (non s) with a stock base suspension(non sport) and would like to lower it with these H&R's are there different springs for the NON-S coopers?

I've been able to find a different set on outmotoring.com, but wanted to throw the business ALTA's way. so, do you use the same springs for both the S and the normal?

Help me out please

 

FIXED! Sorry about that. They were on the site, then they left, now they are back! MY bad!

CLICK HERE!

In stock too!

Let me know!

 

everyone check out this website if you have any researvations on doing aftermarket parts on your car. And if a dealer gives you a hard time about your aftermarket parts just ask for the service manager and mention
MAGNUSON-MOSS act, trust me they know what that means.


http://www.impalaclub.com/naisso/magmoss.htm

 

Thanks for posting that! I understand you work at a high end car dealer and am sure that your familiar with this type of thing. Thanks again!

 

Adam - Thanks for a really well written tutorial! I wasn't able to get the pictured version because I didn't want to wait for the forum registraion. So with the "Narrated Version" in hand, I attacked the spring swap.

It took me just under three hours including shop cleanup and definately one of the easier spring swaps I've done. There were no surprises and your small bits of advice about things like being careful around the abs wires and disconecting the front links at the bottom are the great little clues I look for in these homegrown instructions. I could easily do this job in under two hours the second time.

One note and one tool add to your list. When using the "blast away" method (my favorite) to remove the top shock nut, wrap the whole strut in an old bath or beach towel and place the bottom of the strut up against something solid and stand on it just as you show in your pictures (which I finally saw!). This way, when the nut pops off, all the little bits stay neatly wrapped together and there is much less risk of damage or lost parts. It's a trick I've used hundreds of times.

The tool list is fine but on my Mini (mid 06) both the lower shock bolt in the rear and the top nut on the front were 20mm.

That's it. Thanks again! - Mark

 

An option I posted elsewhere.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ompressor.html

 

^^^ Thanks guys ^^^^

 

I'm getting new wheels and tires at the end of this month. The stocks are shot due to an excess of positive camber. I think this is what it's called anyway, the outside edges of all four tires are worn pretty badly. I'm lookng at getting the springs to both accentuate the new wheels and perhaps fix the camber issue. What do you guys think?

 

You probably need an alignment. Your toe is probably way off too. Go get it checked before anything. I've never heard of R56s with positive camber!

 

I'll definitly get it checked out. It really doesn't look like a toe in issue, there just isn't any scrubbing on the tire. Regardless, I don't think the springs can hurt and since I need an alignment anyway I might as well put the springs on too.

 

Lower the car, and get the alignment checked. Sounds like a combo of toe and camber, but more than likely just toe. The springs will really help the looks of the car, so congrats in advance!

 

I have a simple question.
I have a 2005 Conv non-s with standard suspension and I am about to have new 17" wheels and tires mounted and I know I want to put a spring kit in. So here my question.....finally hehe
Do I need to get any other parts along with the springs or will an alignment set the toe and camber issues straight without causing extra wear on the tires?

 

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. you really only need the Springs, (shocks / struts only if worn out) and an alignment to be back in business.

If I can help in anyway further, PLEASE let me know!

 

Hey Adam, great writeup on the spring install...Newbie here, just got my Clubman S yesterday! I'm considering springs and was wondering, would the instructions for your R56 apply to an R55 Spring install? I don't know if it's the fact that the R55 is newer than the R56, but I see very little talk about R55 performance or suspension mods around here...

 

No problem and always happy to help!

The R55 Clubman would be identical instructions to those shown here for the R56.

I haven't tried an R57 Convertible yet but I can 100% say the front will be the same but minor adjustments to the instructions might be needed in the rear.

If you have ANY questions on this project (even on the weekend) feel free to PM me and I will get back to you ASAP!

Good luck!

Adam

 

Hey guys,
Excuse my ignorance but I've only changed the springs on a car once and that was my fery first car (98 honda civic). I never alligned the car after changing the springs myself and quite honestly i dont remember if my tires were wearing off evenly or not. I've heard mixed stories as to HAVING to have the car alligned after i install the springs, other say i dont have to.
Since I intend to use this guide to install the springs myself, I thought i would ask here
Any suggestions? I mean, from the estimates i've gotten around for the labor, it looks like i'll be saving myself a decent amount of money if i do it myself

 

To add to my previous comment, I was actually told that I "must" install the "rear control arms" if i lower the car using the springs. I haven't seen anything from Adam's DIY guide stating such a mandatory step so i'm trying to get this straight

 

I added Eibach lowering springs and did not do an alignment for about 10,000 miles until I hit a bad pot hole and needed it then. You need rear arms if you want to be able to bring your camber back into factory spec. Again I have not changes the rear arms and can get my camber real close to factory spec but ever after 15,000 miles on really sticky tires, I still had even tire wear but then again I corner real hard all the time so it evens it out. Just put the springs on yourself and as long as the steering wheel is straigh and the car doesn't pull one way or the other you should be fine.