Hi guys ...

...looking to get coilovers in the next few months and been reading up on a number of different brands etc (both here and MINI2).

MINI2 doesn't have as many people with suspension mods as the guys on here (hence no thread there).

From what I can tell most people who get the coilovers I've seen so far either haven't changed the roll bars at all, or just changed the rear.

I've already got the Eibach front and rear anti roll bars fitted and wondering whether its worth getting coilovers with a specific spring rate to take into account the reduced roll from the bars.

Now I'm looking for something that will be more comfy for very fast road use, track ability is secondry.

For reference I already have fitted:

GTT Top Front, Lower Front and Lower Mid Braces
Alta PSRS
Eibach Front and Rear Roll bars
18" Superleggeras + Yoko Parada Spec 2's
Stoptech BBK

Planning on these extra mods to go with the coilovers to:

Adjustable rear control arms
R56/GP Rear Trailing arms
Rear 'Boot' Brace

Anyway wondering whether different or a speicific spring rate would work best with the current and future mods.

Any advice, help or recommendations would be appreciated

 

Just to clarify.. I think 99% of people with coilovers running around have swaybars both front and rear. Most have the front stocker and a larger aftermarket rear. So I would think your application would not be much different than anyone else's.

As far as the 'correct' spring rate, it depends. (But I bet a bunch of ppl think they have the magic numbers.)

 

dunno 'bout magic, but you are right on the money everywhere else - i've h&r coil overs, stock front bar and aftermarket rear

 

I started with SPAX coilovers, and the RDR 22mm RSB (stiffest setting) and stock FSB

Went to PSS9s, same sway bars

Went to linear rate 350lbs/in springs on the front PSS9s, same sway bars

Went to H-sport hollow 25mm RSB (stiffest setting) - a little less rotation

Went to H-sport front 27mm bar (softest setting) - did this so I could soften the front dampers for more grip in sweepers, without giving up transient response. It worked for me.

The above series of changes happened over about 5 years of heavy autocrossing. No promises that it's the hot ticket for open track work.

At the starting line, the car is nearly 3000lbs. Non-stock wheel width, weight, offset. -2.5deg front and -1.7deg rear camber. Zero toe both ends. Other minor changes also.

Scott
90SM

 

there is a school of thought were some people use relatively softer springs and stiffer bars on both the front and rear for just this reason, i think randy webb set up his car like this

http://store.webbmotorsports.com/ind...ain_page=index

you could try talking to him about it

 

There are certainly no magic spring rates; it all depends how heavy your car is, how much suspension travel you have, and exactly how you want it to handle.

How do you want the car to handle, and in what situations/applications?

 

AXC can customize a coilover setup with the springs you want. Drop me a PM to chat about the details. While the Megan 3.0 system is working very well for most, there is still room to make changes for those that want/need too.

 

Been reading the responses whilst at work so got chance to write a quick reply.

Sorry I worded my original post quite badly in part of it (will edit it in a mo). When i was saying no roll bar what I meant to say that the roll bar was not changed and was standard.

I'll reply properly to each post this evening (your afternoon as I'm in the UK) and look forward to any other help or advice

 

It was the above that I was thinking along the lines of.

The Dampners and or springs don't need to be as stiff as I already have the rollbars. So with softer springs and damning I'll still have good grip/roll but it will handle bumps better.

I thought I maybe missing something though. Or am I?

That link doesn't seem to want to work for me :(

 

Basicly I'm one of those annoying people who wants his cake and eat it I want great handling (got that already I feel but always room for improvement) and for the car to be more comfortable but deal with bumps better.

I've had Eibach lowering springs for over 80k (50k on my S) of driving MINI's now and I want something more comfortable. My plan was to get coilovers to improve the ride quality (I'm happy with the current ride height).

I got the roll bars with the idea that it will reduce roll for a softer dampning setup, but now I know you can get different spring rates then I though, Ohhhh maybe that will help to.

My car is mainly used on long motorway miles, or what we call minor B roads over here for a bit of fun. These B roads are a best just wide enough for 2 cars to pass each other, windey and of questionable surface quality, not talking loads of pothole (which the main roads have lots of anyway) but broken surface, as opposed to perfect tarmac.

Hence track work is secondary as I've only done that once and it wasn't done in proper anger more of a couple of very fast parade laps.

 

Thanks Will send you a PM shortly

 

hmm seems to work fine for me are you click or copying the text?

try this one

http://store.webbmotorsports.com/ind...age=contact_us

 

I'm trying to determine what kind of spring rates I should get too...considering I use the car mostly on road, 8 kg might be too much, I was thinking along the lines of 6 kg both front and rear...is it possible to get such a setup with BC Racing coilovers?

 

That combo is available as an option with the BC coil-overs. I believe a few namers are running the 6k front/rear combo. Standard BC rate is 8k barrel front matched with 6k linear rear. These coils can be setup many different ways at no additional cost.

-Cliff

 

I see. Do you think 8kg on the front is too much for normal street driving?

P.S. did you get my PM about the BC coilovers?

 

I am running 6kg springs all around on BC coilovers. It's my understanding that this has:
a) allowed my front end to be a little lower than people running the 8kg springs, and
b) allows me to scrape over rough road... a lot.

In terms of ride quality, I would have to say the set-up is much improved over any lowering spring. I assume this is because the car has actual suspension travel again. Previously I had stock shocks and lowering springs, and then Koni Yellows with lowering springs. The coilovers have linear, higher rate springs, but still feel better over rough pavement.

I switched from the 8kg to 6kg springs for ride quality and because I wanted to make sure I could get a lot of front camber (worried about the barrel-shaped 8kg springs rubbing). I never ran the 8kg springs, others have. I might throw them on some day just to compare. I wouldn't think it's a huge difference between the two.

 

I'm clicking :( Tried a less direct route and webb motorsports whole site doesnt work for me

 

Works for me

 

Very odd will try with Mozilla.

 

Nope, it doesnt even "try" to connect for a few seconds just comes withMust be something to do with by internet as the other pc last night didn;t work :(

 

Thanks for the post. Do you think I could get -1.5° of camber with barrel springs?

 

Oh, most definitely. I had -2.2 with H-Sport lowering springs, and the 8kg barrel springs that come with the BCs are much narrower than those. It's probably not an issue at any reasonable camber, actually.

I got a deal on the 2.5" ID springs. And they're red. That's the real reasoning behind getting them.

 

Seeing as the the standard rates are 8kg front and 6kg rear, would say 7kg front and 5kg rear be a good bet for a compromise between comfort and handing (working with the roll bars)

Incidently the Eibach rollbars have no settings at the front and 2 settings at the rear (Hard and medium) Rear is currently on Medium.

 

I've got the JCW rollbar at the front, no setting for that one, and the Alta one at the rear, setted on the hardest position...

I think I might go with the standard 8kg/6kg setting...

 

Well I can finally say that the coilovers I was looking at were the BC (had previously read about the Megans and the new Version 3 sounds nice, but the BC's come with different spring rates at no extra cost.

Couple of questions if anyone knows though about the BC's (or Megans for that matter)

Can you get the front springs in the 2.5" size spring from BC direct in the same Spring rate? Was thinking of just copying the rates of the Cross coilovers.

Do the adjuster extenders come with them included or not, if not how much?

Am I right in that when people talk about stanchen thickness they also mean the Piston thickness? I think cliff posted somewhere else that the pistons were 46mm and the shock bodies 53mm on the BC's? (will try find his post).

I want something that will cope with the bad roads over here in the UK, as my car is my daily driver you see