So they discovered that the springs do not drop as advertised in the rear on a JCW. So they are going to updated the website stating that fact and credit me the install cost on their website. I don't really need anything but I am sure I will find something. They really did not have to do anything but agree to take them back, so I think this shows good faith on their part.

 

Way has his opinions, I have mine.

I am an H&R fan, have been for years.

I installed H&R springs with H&R sway bars, and never looked back.
This MINI is a go-kart on rails now.

Here's the height with H&R. Settled 1/4" after this pic
Going on a year, never sagged.

 

so that is the S, the craven springs drop correct on the S, just not on the JCW. The rear only drops about 1/2 an inch on the back. I will probably keep them and see If I can find a way to get the back to drop another 1/2 inch.

 

That makes absolutely no sense, the S and JCW share the same suspension, except springs sway bars and dampers.
Only the springs determine heigth.
Remove the springs and the geometry between JCW and S is identical. Install a set of springs on a JCW and an S, the drop will be identical.

 

Return the Cravenspeed, get a set of either NM engineering, or H&R.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-h-and-r-...et/28813-1~hr/
I personally like the H&R as they don't want you to cut the "Micro Cellular Jounce Bumper" as its used as
part of its spring progression.
http://www.hrsprings.com/technical/m...-jounce-bumper

 

 

Yah I thought about it but don't want to eat the 375 for install. working with garage maybe can cut me a break. I don't hate the look I have now, and ride is actually pretty good.

 

Tell me about it, it's massively perplexing to us too. Though since @madmix brought this up to us, we looked at stock MINI height compared to the 2017 JCW and 2014 MCS we have here, and sure enough, they have different drops on our springs.

@Chedder2017 Do you have any thoughts? I know you're riding on our springs.

Thanks everyone!

 

After asking around it seems that the JCW does sit a little higher in the rear than the S

 

That is due to springs, the JCW and S are different.

The trailing arm and frames are identical.

As you see above, when you put on H&R springs on a JCW, it sits just like my S.

 

JCW on NM springs

 

I don't disagree, but like I said don't want to eat the 375 install cost, if I could find a shop to install for free I would do NM. I have noticed that my ride height in the back does change about 1/4 due to the DDC.

 

DDC doesn’t affect ride height. Only damping.
i have DDC.

i still think you should check the lower rear spring
seats for proper positioning.

As a background. I was a Certified brake and suspension specialist, with GM, and Volvo for
18 years in my previous career.

 

I have checked them they are fine. Derek from Craven has the same springs on his JCW and his is the exact same ride height.

I know that DDC is not supposed to affect ride height but it seems to, at least in the back, not supposed to, but it does......anyway this is mostly mute since the springs don't drop like they should, the dealer has confirmed it. HR and NM do, but I didn't purchase those, I am deciding to live with it for now, not crazy about it, but I am being cheap about it. A friend of mine has a S with HR springs and I really don't like the ride that much, that was the final reason I went with Craven. The Cravens ride pretty good and are a lot less "bouncy" than the HR springs. If I do change I will more than likely go with NM springs.

If you want to come over and change out the Cravens, then I will put on HR .......kidding.

 

I just installed the Schnitzer springs in my 2019 JCW. With the rear, the alignment nipple needs to go into the hole, that's pretty obvious. But also you have to be careful the spring seats down into the lower rubber guide properly, that can be easily missed because when you first slip the spring on, it pushes a big piece of the rubber inward and the spring would sit on it. It's a fairly sizable block of rubber, it needs pried out as the spring slips past it.

That said, I'm sure in this instance with Craven looking into and going over it with madmix, that it's not the problem here. BTW, anybody want to buy my Schnitzer springs?

 

I did not install them, but I guess it is possible, is this something you could see? Derek since you have guys in your shop, is this something you can check? I admit it is very wierd that these springs are this much different on the JCW. It is possible it is an install issue.

I am confused are the springs on your car? How are you selling them?

 

I'm thinking your rear springs are installed correctly especially if Craven sees the same thing ride height wise. However, here are some pictures of the lower rear spring seat on mine in case you want to look. I did take the tire off and the one picture I couldn't see the issue for myself. I had to stick the camera all the way into the spring and snap the photo with the flash. Then I could see it. The top is just round and positioning isn't an issue. You might want to glance up there to make sure the round coil looks like it's where it should be. But I can't imagine that could be the issue at all.
BTW, I'm gonna make a second post in this thread about progressive springs. I just wanted this one separate.

 

About those progressive rear springs. Sorry, but you'll have to read this entire post before I get to it. Hee hee. One caveat is, I think we all have different expectations on ride and handling, so this is just my opinion.

The first suspension mod I was happy with was the front & rear Eibach sway bar kit. I think it makes the weight transfer ratio more correct on corning. I think stock is all wrong. I first tried the NM rear bar only and although it flattened it up, I think the weight transfer ratio got worse. Then switching to the Eibach kit (with the stiffer front bar), it all seemed correct. The entire car leans and bites the road properly. I now leave the rear Eibach bar adjustment full soft. I experimented with stiffening the rear Eibach bar, but the weight transfer started to go the wrong way again.

This got me thinking the thing to address with this car is stiffening the front. So I bought the Schnitzer Spring kit, it seemed to advertise the least amount of drop which I wanted. (After install, the drop on mine was 14/16 inch front and the rear drop 13/16 inch).

As my experimentation, I installed only the front springs first and left the factory rear springs in place to see the ride quality. It was a stiffer ride. I'm sure on a track it would handle better. Lower. Stiffer etc. and it was reasonable ride quality. A little more bouncy, but fun.

Then I installed the Schnitzer rear springs (which are not progressive and obviously stiffer throughout the suspension travel). I still left in the Schnitzer front springs. Yeah, it's kind of a blast being that stiff and again I'm sure it handles even better at the track, but recently I drove back and forth to Ohio, a thousand miles each way with the Eibach bars, but still the factory springs, and someone asked me if that small Mini was uncomfortable for that amount of driving, My response was just the opposite, I thought it was a great and comfortable long distance car.

But after putting the rears Schnitzers on, it's bouncy enough there is no way it would be so comfortable on a long drive like that. But it is super fun when you want the stiffness and corner-carving handling style. No doubt about it. I'd venture that's the reason many in the JCW crowd bought the car in the first place.

So anyway, madmix, I think there is a good reason Craven has the progressive rates on the back, When I installed my non-progressives on the back, that's when it jumped up to being too much for me. I know that doesn't address your ride height issue. But I'm just throwing this out there so maybe it'll help a little. I will likely pull the Schnitzers back out, but I'm gonna give it a little more time before I decide.

 

Great explanation. I am liking the ride from the Craven springs, not a big difference from stock, I can feel the bounce more but I can live with it.

 

so I was able to get a good deal on some Used HR springs. I through the HR rears on the car and everything settled where it supposed to. Car is dead even now. Hopefully I can sell the HR fronts with the Craven back to someone for inexpensive, People seem to be twitchy about having different brands. I do think the Cravens felt a little stiffer int he back than the HR. So after looking at both springs, the one extra coil on the Cravens gives it that extra height. The HR's were same height but had less wrap at the bottom. I like the Cravens on the front since they are linear and I like the more predictable handling.

 

Have you tired the H&Rs on the front?

I don't believe the 28813 H&R front spring is progressive.

I remember when I installed mine, they were equal coils.

 

No I have not put HR on the front. I might have to since I cannot seem to sell the mixed pair of cravens and H&R, might have better luck selling just the cravens.

You could be correct about the fronts not being progressive with H&R. I just assumed base on this statement from the website : "The progressive spring rate design provides superb ride quality and comfort"

 

Ive spoken to the US H&R distributors, they are not even a part of H&R, so based on speaking with them, I don't trust anything about them.

Heres the German site's quote: "Linear or progressive spring design (depending on application)"
Looking again at the physical spring is linear, progressive would have some tighter winds at the top or bottom.

 

NM is progressive on front not H&R
http://www.nm-eng.com/338/0/0/3107/n...ring-kit.html#

 

Yah that is a good point. I guess I will plan on changing out the Cravens with the H&Rs in the front then try to sell cravens.