I have a 2004 MCS and am preparing to take the plunge and do some major mods such as staging kit (head work, new cam, header, exhaust, ECU, pulley, intake, throttle body). I want to install lowering springs. My MCS has the sports suspension and I want springs that perform well and also allow the most drop without having to worry about tire rubbing. I run the Dunlop 9000s on R90s. Any suggestions/recommendations is appreciated. Also pics before and after would be good to look at too.

 

H-Sport Springs W/ 17" ASA AR1's no rubbing at all.

 

I also recommend H-sport Springs. They are well balanced, improving handling while maintaining ride quality. They lower the car approx. 1". They even come with polyurethane bumpstops. I haven't had any tire rubbing issues with my 215/40/17 tires. I'm very pleased with these springs.

Good Luck!

 

I had H-Sports on my 03 and loved them. I now own an 05 and went with M7 and I enjoy them just as much. I changed brands because the M7's lowered the car a bit more, and I wanted a lower stance. I don't think you can go wrong with either brand.

 

I also have H-sport that I got from randy Webb and love them.

Earl

 

H-Sport. :smile:


hit info below for picts.

 

I too have H-Sport (From R-Speed ). I Love them. they keep the ride quality and still gives the car the look I was going for. I have 18'' on 215/35 tires and NO rubbing whatsoever. Sorry no pics as of yet...been procrastinating.

 

check out the vogtland springs. i like mine quite well. they are supposed to lower 30mm. just a bit more than the h-sports. now all i need are some bilstein sp's.

 

H-Sport here as well

Before:

After:

 

Thanks guys. The pics of the cars are awsome. I like the way they look. I will check out the H's.

I can't wait till I get all the mods done. It will be one fast Lil Red Rocket when completed.

 

Like my dad said the VOgtland will lower the car the maximum amount that the car should be lowered to keep the suspension geometry right. If I remember right the H Sports are made by H&R so they should be of good quality. If you want the lowest you can go go with the Vogtlands.

 

and what does your dad say is the "right" height that the car should be
lowered to?

 

Actually, the H-Sport springs are made by H-Sport (Hotchkis). They are very high quality.


We helped with the development of this set up, and I like the H-Sports for several reasons:

1) The MINI has limited front suspension travel, so it is imperative that the front not be lowered too much, or you will constantly be riding the bump stops. H-Sports lower the car 7/8", so you aren't ruining your travel.

2) H-Sport springs split the rate front to rear, so in addition to improving the polar moment of inertia by lowering, they also dynamically improve the turn in and correct understeer.

3) They are a progressive rate (as are all of the other brands), so they don't kill you around town with ride quality.

4) Back to number 1, they are the only springs that include new bump stops that are shorter, which give you back the ride height you lost. You must use bump stops with any replacement spring - they are the last dicth effort of the suspension. If you make them shorter, you need to increase the durometer, and that's exactly what the H-Sports do.


The M7 would be the other spring I recommend, based on the rates. I do like the H-Sports a bit more, becasue of the bump stops and front drop.

Hope that helps!

Randy

 

Do these come with shorter bumpstops? what are the spring rates? They look linear rate.

Also, your son (i just noticed that you and orthomini-jr
are dad/son team) claimed that the car will be lowered to the
maximum amount that the car SHOULD be lowered to keep the
suspension geometry RIGHT... he even sent me a couple of PM's.

On H-Sports, which is about a 25mm lowering, it is already close
to its negative camber outer limits on the rear and front/rear sus
stroke dramatically reduced, not to forget the roll center lowered
in parallel along with toe and caster changes. How can your son
claim that a 30mm lowering will be lowered "to keep the
suspension geometry right" when the rear camber will most-likely
be out of spec, sus stroke further reduced, roll center further
altered, front caster maybe going out of spec too?....without
additional sus parts to get the geometry back?

What was your "before" alignment measurements after installing
the springs without additional parts?

Please explain here, send no more PM's to me.

 

wow, im suprised to find out im the only one here running eibach prokit!

rides hard, but liveable on daily driving... rear lowering shifts weight slightly backwards, and so far on the track and autocross they've been phenomenal with koni shocks

eibachs lower 1.0 front, 1.2 back, i believe they are the only spring available for the mini that splits lowering front and back

 

i had only posted what springs i have on my S. i dont claim to be a suspension expert and neither did i make a claim about what was the right amount of lowering. i just stated how much the vogtlands lowered the minis. my son has his own ideas and opinions about suspension and is studying it as a hobby. i do try to tell him to not to try to sound too know it allish as ive seen some former NAM members do. BTW it is my understanding that vogtlands are progressive rate. the pictures ive seen on vogtlands site dont show the actual mini springs as i recall. vogtland springs dont come with shorter bump stops. i think h-sports are the only ones that do. i have a larger rear sway and h-sport lower rear control arms so the rear camber is at least close to stock but its not been aligned yet. it really doesnt feel as if it needs it at this point anyway.

 

Thank you for the explanation and info.

Where can one find more info on the Vogtlands springs?
(spring rates, etc)

 

What do these BUMP STOPS look like, I recently bought those springs and they did not come in the box!!!!!

 

the 4 black things in the middle of the picture :smile:

 

Should have been in a plastic bag with the install directions..

 

The vogtlands are progressive front and rear so it'd be hard to give a rate, at a compression obviously...

Just post/PM any questions you've got and I'll see about getting you an anwser.

 

I've got a question about the poly bumpstops. Poly doesn't really compress like, say, a rubber bumpstop would. So instead of having more of a dual rate setup where you hit the bump stop and stiffen so many pounds you are just going to stop dead in the travel right? Wouldn't that make you more prone to lifting a wheel? That's not to say that you havven't already reduced the contact patch and gotten loose.

You don't know if H Sport looked at making or using a progressive rate bump stop do you?

 

max rate would be fine.

 

this is my car with the ALTA lowering spring set and control arms.
**left pre lowering right alta lowering set**
Pretty nice. I totally feel the difference. I love it.

 

Using a durometer, you might be surprised to find that some species of rubber are harder than poly and that some species of poly are softer than rubber.