Hi everyone. I've had my new-to-me 08 MCS for about a month now and am looking into lowering it and adding a rear sway bar.

What are your guys' thoughts on a front sway bar? Coming from a Honda, I've always heard that front sway bars on front-wheel drive vehicles are actually detrimental.

Also what will I need to return the alignment to factory spec for daily driving? Rear endlinks and front camber plates? Thanks in advance!

 

You are correct a front sway bar is NOT the first mod you want to do, you will make the car understeer more if you add it.
Go with a rear sway bar first, we use the Hsport as they are the best.
http://www.waymotorworks.com/h-sport...-sway-bar.html
You don't need to do anything with the alignment, or replace the end links to use the sway bar only.

 

Thanks for the info! Do I need the end links in order to restore factory spec alignment after lowering it though?

 

You'll not need the end links, but you will want a set of adjustable control rear arms to correct rear camber after lowering.

http://www.waymotorworks.com/h-sport...ber-links.html

 

Thank you! I noticed WMW has a kit that comes with Springs, sway bar and adjustable Hsport control arms. I'll probably go with that.

Is it possible to reach factory spec alignment in the front without camber plates?

And happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

Yes we always recommend the Hsport rear camber links when you lower any MINI.

 

Anything is possible, but why would you want to go to stock camber?
If you intent to track or autoX the car, you want significantly more negative camber, especially for the front wheels. Incidentally, you will pickup negative camber as you lower the car. How much will depend on the amount of lowering.

If you want to get the camber exactly right (to your, not OEM spec!), you need new adjustable front camber plates and rear end-links.
On the other hand, the more you lower the car, the more negative camber you will pickup (front and rear), the better the car will handle on track/autoX course. So dialing out the negative camber with rear end-links will only become desirable if you lowered the car too low, or if you want to hit a specific alignment target.

It doesn't sound like you know what you really want. Why not start by researching here before you get talked into spending tons of money on shiny parts:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...uspension-192/
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ouring-fwd-58/


HTH,
a

 

Thanks for the advice. I do know what I want though. Tires aren't cheap so I don't plan to drive around every day with crazy negative camber. I want to return the front end to the factory spec for daily driving. The kit already comes with rear control arms to correct the rear alignment. The car is not going to be auto crossed much, just some spirited daily driving.

My Honda was lowered 2" and I had camber bolts in the front and shims in the rear to set it back to factory as a DD.

So adjustable camber plates in the front will not allow me to achieve factory spec alignment?

 

Most adjustable camber plates (not sure which ones you are after) will allow you to go back to stock camber.

All of this begs the obvious question: why are you lowering the car w/out targeting performance improvements in the suspension geometry?
Just for looks?

a

 

I've seen the ireland engineering ones and the eibach adjustable front camber plates. Ate there any others you would recommend?

Mostly just to close up the wheel gap and some spirted driving. Also some heel-toe fun in some back road canyons but nothing to devote a whole day to like auto cross.

 

If you do not lower the car excessively, the camber should stay in a fairly reasonable range, and the tire wear won't be much worse than with stock settings. If, that is, you make sure to keep some toe-in. Toe-out, especially combined with negative camber, kills tires fast. The tire winds up always "scrubbing" on the ground, and it wears the inner shoulders away very quickly.

If you wind up with less than 2 degrees of negative camber I think tire wear will be close to stock, if you keep some toe-in. At least, that's my experience with my old 1990 CRX.

 

Like Feline said, you shouldn't need camber plates for the front if you lower it modestly. I've lowered mine by 1.2" and front camber is fine.

 

Yeah, what he said. You lower a Mini any more than that and you are gonna be bumping on stuff or rubbing the wheels. The rear bar will help, and even the JCW suspension kit only lowers the car like 1/2".

 

Ah I see. Ok Thanks everyone. The Springs are advertised at a 1" drop.

 

Factory alignment is not very good. You'll get better performance and tire life with a slight change.

The "free camber mod" is a good cheap way to do it. Just a little more negative camber in the front but it's noticeable.