My MCS had the SS+ package new. I swapped in FSDs to improve the ride (after going to Webby 16" wheels and non runflats first). I already had an Hsport 19mm rear bar. The ride was lots better, but it lost some of is sharp turn in. This weekend I installed a set of JCW springs, dropped the car about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, added an Hsport front sport bar and replaced the control arm bushings.

Thanks to the NMAers that posted "front subframe removal" and "installing control arm bushings" both of those posts were very handy. The ride is still good but the suspension feels very buttoned down and well damped, I am very happy with it in my limited driving so far.

I got the JCW springs because I wanted it just A BIT lower due to the local driving environment. I have read all about the "FSD+lowering springs debate" figured I will be ok since these are the least aggressive lowering springs.

Just though I would post all this as another datapoint for those agonizing over which suspension mods to chose.

Thanks to Classic for the springsand CA bushings and Tire Rack for the bars, TSW for the FSDs..all our helpful sponsors

PB

 

I did almost the same thing with my '06 Cooper - went with FSDs & used the JCWs for my car in order to have slightly stiffer than my "standard" Cooper springs & very slight drop. Already had the 19mm Hsport rear bar, and 15 X 7 BBS RGFs with NRF tires. Love the combo

 

Keep in mind that one reason for the loss of sharp turn-in was likely ditching the runflats. The sharp turn-in provided by the ultra-stiff sidewalls are one reason why I happen to like runflats! I don't care about the harsh ride - if I wanted a damn Cadillac I would have bought one!

Of course I'm not suggesting you have to keep RFs to keep that turn-in feel. Obviously there are other ways to compensate - I just wanted to state that ditching RFs will usually have that side effect (other things being equal).

 

The car didn;t have runflats any more when I started the parts changes. I bumped the tire pressure up a bit on the replacement tires to compensate for the loss of the stiff sidewalls. PB

 

This combo sounds like exactly what I'm looking for when I do my suspension upgrades (hopefully before the end of the summer).

Had been planning on the FSDs, control arms/bushings/camber plates (budget permitting), and a rear bar (replaced stock 17" boat anchor/AS runflat combo w/ 16" ASA JH6 & Dunlop SP Sport Maxx a month or so after buying my MCS), but hadn't seen any springs that sounded like they weren't going to slam my car, the new dampers, & my spine. Slightly stiffer w/ 1/2-3/4" drop sounds just perfect for me.

Are the springs commonly sold outside of the full suspension package? Any recommendations on where to buy the JCW springs w/o the dampers?

 

I had an H-sport rear bar installed a few weeks ago. In the last few days it started to creak like crazy on the passenger side. I've added more grease to the bushing but it doesn't make any difference. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

 

I got mine from Classic mini, it was no problem getting them without the struts. They will need youo VIN to order the correct springs for your car/option package. I am still very happy with this set up : ) PB

 

Cool, just realized about a half hour ago that you had answered my question in the last sentence of your OP ( I need to pay closer attention )

Kind of on the fence between the H-Sports and the JCW springs now that I know the H-Sports will work with the FSDs thanks to the bump stops.

Do you happen to know the approximate spring rates on the JCWs front and rear?

If you don't mind me asking, what did the JCWs set you back?

 

The JCW suspension is tuned to your car. In other words, when you order JCW suspension from a MINI dealer they use your VIN number to get the correct spring/damper rates for your car. I believe there are 3 different rates available. Whether the springs are all the same with the variation being in the dampers only or whether the springs themselves vary as well I cannot say, but I think you need to look into this as it can clearly have an impact.

 

Guess I worded that question badly....

I got the "tuned to your VIN" part, I guess I'm looking for more impressions on what kind of front/rear bias they wind up having (although spring rate ranges would be great, but apparrently they are guarded like ICBM launch codes...).

From other descriptions of the JCW and H-Sport springs I have read it sounds like maybe I would wind up with a bit less rear bias (and space on my credit card) with the JCWs. This would play a big part for me in what rear sway I'd order and its initial setting.

 

I had the same issue with a 22mm H-sport rear sway on my 06 JCW. Taking it back to the installer, we noticed that the coating on the underbody right above the swaybar had some solidfied drips... these were rubbing against the swaybar, and caused the squeaking noise. They were removed with a chisel/hammer, and that fixed the problem. The swaybar did start squeaking again about 3-4 months later, but I think that was due to the grease having worked its way out of the polyurethane bushings.... being that I' don't have the equipment or time to grease my swaybar every couple of months, I gave up and swapped in an H&R 19mm swaybar (which doesn't need to be greased).

 

The JCW springs can be had for about $300 from Morristown MINI (just send them an email or give them a call to order the springs w/o struts). They'll ask for you VIN# so they can send you the appropriate springs matched to your car.

For the record, I went with JCW springs, FSDs, and a H-Sport 22mm rear sway (initially). I'm pretty sure the FSDs/springs we're installed without modifying the stock bump stops, so I don't think there's any issues there... Anyway, after swapping in the H&R rear sway (on soft setting), all I can say is that the ride is excellent. No more harshness, and pretty well controlled over bumps (although the ride is still pretty firm). I've also swapped in non-runflat tires (although 35 series 18"), and fixed camber plates up front (which have a bigger bushing, apparently, than stock). I'm really satisfied right now, and don't envision any more suspension upgrades unless something breaks...

 

Interesting! When I looked at the sway bar yesterday I thought the top of it looked mighty close to the bodywork in the area of the solidified drips that you refer to. When your installer removed the drips with a hammer and chisel (sounds drastic) did he remove the swaybar first?

I don't mind greasing the bushings every now and then. According to H-sport it only has to be done every couple of years, but if it becomes something that has to be done every couple of months I'll probably swap it out for a 19mm grease free model like yours.

 

Hi MisterMINI,
The installer dropped the subframe when doing the hammer/chisel method... I can't remember if the swaybar was still there or not... but I'm thinking it might have been, as we needed to see which drops looked like they might be rubbing. And if you think the hammer/chisel method was drastic, you should have seen/heard it when they, uh, "modified" the support ridge in the front wheel wells to allow the fixed camber plates to work without rubbing (look for some pictures on the Ireland fixed camber plates thread...).

As for the rear swaybar, I don't know what's common... I think I've heard some say they've gone >1 year without re-greasing... search on NAM for more info, maybe. As for my case, I mentioned that it had started squeaking again after 3-4 months, and the installer told me that he usually regreases his by then. FYI, the squeaking was more pronounced in cold temps (i.e. early morning), so it actually improved when the weather warmed up in Spring... but as I didn't want to deal with it again this Fall (or at some point...), I just swapped to the 19mm. (I also wanted a somewhat softer bar, as the 22mm on medium was _very_ stiff over uneven sections of road...)

 

Thanks Balmmo. Useful info. I was however surprised that you say the 22mm bar was very stiff over uneven sections or road. I always undestood that the rear sway bar has no impact on the quality of ride when driving in a straight line. I can vouch that the ride quality in my car hasn't changed since I had the swaybar installed, but when I turn into a corner -OMG. The understeer has virtually disappeared. The car just turns in with ease and isn't fighting to pull me to the outside of the turn. I have mine set on medium but I can't wait to see what it'll be like on the full setting when I attend our annual MINI dealer autocross event this fall.

 

In my previous expreience w/ big @$$ sway bars in other cars I've owned, they will effect straight line ride quality negatively in situations where one wheel/spring/damper is in compression more than the other (ie:hitting a pothole or raised manhole cover, a road surface where one side of the car is riding higher than the other or going over ruts) as that side of the suspension/bar will be under more load much like in a corner. This causes the swaybar spring multiplier effect to kick in, making that side of the suspension stiffer and more jarring, in addition to initiating the weight transfer effect to the diagonally opposed wheel, causing the car to pull the opposite direction a bit.

Expansion joints/railroad tracks/etc. that both wheels hit at roughly the same time shouldn't be amplified by a sway bar when travelling in a straight line though.

 

[quote=SilverRocket;1569888]In my previous expreience w/ big @$$ sway bars in other cars I've owned, they will effect straight line ride quality negatively in situations where one wheel/spring/damper is in compression more than the other (ie:hitting a pothole or raised manhole cover, a road surface where one side of the car is riding higher than the other or going over ruts) as that side of the suspension/bar will be under more load much like in a corner. This causes the swaybar spring multiplier effect to kick in, making that side of the suspension stiffer and more jarring, in addition to initiating the weight transfer effect to the diagonally opposed wheel, causing the car to pull the opposite direction a bit. quote]

That makes sense. I'll pay closer attention to the 'one sided' bumps to see if I feel the difference.