IE adjustable camber plates
H sport camber links
Adjustable swaybar end links for the rear
TSW springs
H sport competition swaybar.

OR


Getting
TSW springs
IE adjustable camber plates
IE 22mm swaybar
Rear control arms



Plus getting 15% SC pulley, DT bypass valve, TSW motor brace, IE exhaust and DT Tensioner Stop.


Price is close to each "package". A little less for the 2nd package mentioned.
Both packages have had good reviews on the products that I have read and have had suggested to me.

Planning to get this list for my '03 MCS. Keeping the stock shocks for now.

Any thoughts, opinions or ?

 

But overall, it seems like a fair assemblage...

Or you could blow all those things off and be most of the way to a good head.

Matt

 

looks like a good list

Intake & exhaust ???

your camber plates and springs listed are almost half the price of coilovers with camber plare...

 

I have the Alta intake and want to get the IE exhaust.

Coil overs were a thought but I will still drive this everyday, I will only track it once or twice just for fun, and I don't plan to change the ride height. I just want a good handling car for the back roads, mountains and track when ever that happens.

 

then get some camber plates, but fixed should do you fine. You don't need the rear camber bars if you're not going to lower the car. The rear camber bars are needed cause the rear suspension has pretty high camber gain, and as you lower the rear increases a lot.

I'd go with some fixed front camber plates, and a mild (19mm) rear anti-sway bar, and see how you like that. You don't need adustable end-links, unless you're going to corner balance your car, and since you won't be getting coil overs, you won't be doing that.

I'd also skip any springs for now, as pretty much all I know about do some degree of lowering.

Go for the pully for sure, but I'd skip the DT bypass valve and the rest of the stuff for now. If you really want an cat back system, keep an eye out in the marketplace as they move from time to time at a considerable savings.

Save the rest of the money for some good sticky tires and wheels, and get some driving instruction with what's left over. You'll find yourself a better driver with some coaching than any set of bolt ons will ever provide.

Really, the stock suspension is very good, except for the front camber and a bit of understeer. You can deal with the understeer with some front camber, tire pressures and a very mild rear bar. This is an area where many a driver overdo it and end up with degraded ride for little or no benefit.

Matt

 

+1 hear Dr O well. Very good points made here.

Stock suspension IMO is excellent when front camber is more negative and the rear swaybar is enlarged.

Get good tyres and some small, lightweight rims and spend the rest on driver training. (and a 15% pulley)

 

Alot of people have said that because the Mini's are all a bit different that going with fixed might give me uneven numbers while aligning. The adjustable will guarntee that each side of the car is even. I do want the car lower to get rid of some of the wheel gap. Would go with the TSW because of the reviews and they really dont lower the car that much compaired to the other springs out there. But I wouldn't go with coilovers because I dont care about adjusting the height. I just want it a bit lower..

Do the adjustable end links only help if you have coil overs? Wouldn't it be better to replace the stock ones so they are more stronger?

I wanted to get the DT bypass valve because of the "yoyo" that the motor does. Mine is an 03 and I guess it falls in the year range where this would help that issue. TSW brace is also for that issue and also to get a more solid feel. I have rode in a car with it and it's very noticeable.


I have Rota D2 17 inch rims right now. I was going to upgrade the tires in a few hundred more miles. Still have some life on them.


I just want to get the best setup (for what I drive on) and not have to get something, try it out and then decide I should have gone with something different from the start..

 

Replacing springs usually shortens shock life, sometimes within 10K miles. I'm not that familiar with the TSW numbers so it's hard to say. This is one main reason you want to go with coilovers as the spring rates match the shocks.
Just no reason in your case to spend money on endlinks.
Understand that it IS NOT necessary to have all cambers even. So, don't spend the money on camber plates just for this reason.
Rear swaybar is good
Again, don't know how low the TSW takes the car so it's hard to say on rear control arms, but would really think about a set of lowers to save tires.

If you want to go for performance reasons then there are other routes.

 

I think the TSW if I remember drops the car like 5/8ths?
I really dont think I would use the coil overs to there full potential. It's an everyday car and I wont track it on a regular basis and I also dont plan to adjust the ride height.

Think just the IE fixed camber plates would be fine? Having them adjustable would be nice if I do ever want to take it to a track for the day. Any I think I would be able to get the alignment better with them. But I dont have any experience with that.

I read some reviews on the IE rear swaybar. Anyone with this have any input?

I will definately get the lower control arms no matter what other parts I get..


I just want a good street/going to work/ tearing up twisty roads setup but dont plan to do anything like track days or race it. I think I will make it up to a real track once in a year... Once the car is at least half paid off or fully mine then I will go with coil overs and other race parts.

 

http://www.txwerks.com/servlet/Detail?no=28

 

With a 3/4 to 1" drop, how much extra neg camber will you get in the back? Stock is at around -.5 right?

 

Stock is 0 too -.5 in the front and around -1.5 in the rear. Depending on the car you may see -1.5 to -4. in the rear. I lowered my car one inch and had -3.5 in the rear

 

This is an issue with me. Each day I feel like I can't put off buying springs and Yellows much longer. I would add IE fixed plates just to bring it in but then also remember how much the rear could step out. Any good estimates where front and rear camber could/will end up without camber plates and any adjustment in the rear on TSW springs?

 

IE fixed camber plates are only 180.. Small price to make sure the front camber is good. Skip the Koni's for now.. Get TSW's and a camber plate and see what the alignment is. You can always get rear arms to adjust the camber.

 

With 66k miles on the car, if I go to do it, I'm going all the way. And besides, if I lower it, it'll frag the struts in no time after that and I'll be back to replacing them anyway.

 

On Friday I added Koni yellows and Ireland fixed plates to my TSW's and 20mm rear sway.I had been running the oem strut/shocks with the TSW springs(since Feb.).The drop from this combo was nearly nuthin'.It was a noticeable improvement.Now with the Yellows and plates,the car feels like a tight new car.....awesome handling!From Jeff's own mouth(TSW):the rear control arms are'nt a necessity....others say they are.At any rate,I'm enjoying the distruction of every turn I encounter...heheheI think my front camber is between -1,-2.I think you'll enjoy.

 

So you have the TSW with no rear control arms? Whats your rear camber?

 

Well if you are going to get the yellows and TSW springs, go and add the fixed plates. That will put your front camber at 1.25 to 2.1, and with
the TSWs your rear camber will probably be 1.7 too 2.5 . I would not worry about getting control arms , But start thinking about it if after alignment you have negitive 2. or more

P.S. TSW can get you the plates too

 

Since there is no real change in ride height,I cant imagine there is much change from stock rear number.I should have asked when the alignment was done-I goofed.I would certainly throw some rear lower arms on if it would benefit me.

 

You would not worry about more or equal neg camber in the rear then the front? I would. Not something you want to do in a Mini if you care about how well it handles.

 

Worry no, Want no........but 1.7 to 2. is not far from spec. and if you don't want to spend the cash now, control arms can wait. As most will not feel a little added negative camber.

 

Should the rear have less than the front? I know it would change the balance of over/understeer, but what effects would equal camber front to back have?

 

Do you notice any oversteer and the limit? I'm wondering whether I should go with a 19mm or bigger. My only concern is changing the balance so much that I add oversteer at the limit. I will be getting this same set up since I already have the IE plates and have over 100k on my stock shocks and springs. I will be going with the konis and probably the tsw springs.

 

Do you have the IE fixed or adjustable camber plates?

Anyone running the IE rear sway bar? Any opinions on the IE sway and TSW spring combo?

 

Well, all of this so relies on what other suspension mods you have.
Don't see a time when any street Mini would benefit with equal camber on all four corners. I know though that once you get into 100% race prep that this is a different world all together.
Street, with maybe rear bar, front about .5 more then rear is a good start