Wow! What a great upgrade! The car looks nice and the handling is improved with very little, if any, increased harshness. It seems that the springs are very close to stock rates initially and increase in stiffness as they compress.

I have SSR Comps with 215/45x17 Yoko ES100 tires and I do get some minor rubbing on the inside wheel well cover; this is being trimmed today and there should be no rubbing. I'd expect no rubbing with the stock 205 tires.

Here are some before and after pics (the first one is from the day I got the car):

Before:


After:


The only problem we had with the installation is that H&R sent the wrong springs at first; the part number on the box was correct but someone put the wrong springs in the box :???:

So, double check the springs before you start on the installation

 

looks good!

 

WOW! Is that Chili Red? It looks so nice! I'm usually not a big fan of red - but this just looks so much better to me than most than most Chili Red MINIs I've seen. Maybe it's because of the CR/CR? Odd thing is I usually prefer the contrasting roof color too! I'm confused - but I like it!

 

Looks great Sleepless! Bummer about the wrong part. I'm glad you got it resolved. I like the SSRs with the lowered look. What is the offset?

Randy

 

So they sent out a pre-March build spring set (or whenever the changeover occurred)? I had that problem with my KW springs. The pre ones have a much different looking top, one coild wound tighter. Thank goodness for overnight shipping! Thankfully the rear springs are the same regardless, so I was able to do those while I waited.

Looks good!! Going for the Madness rear sway? You HAVE to.

R

 

RandyBMC -

The SSR Comps are 17x7.5 et42.

Davbret -

I haven't decided on the rear sway bar.

First I'm going to take it to the track and see how it does with my current setup (SSR Comps, Yoko ES100s, H&Rs).

I'm generally VERY skeptical of using sway bars for much more than fine tuning. If they stiffen up the the rear a lot then I'd think the rear simply becomes looser than the front; what I'd want is more traction in the front.

I'd like to know if anyone did lap times before and after the rear sway (with lower/stiffer springs in both cases).

I'll probably go with front camber plates before changing the rear sway bar.

 

>>WOW! Is that Chili Red? It looks so nice! I'm usually not a big fan of red - but this just looks so much better to me than most than most Chili Red MINIs I've seen. Maybe it's because of the CR/CR? Odd thing is I usually prefer the contrasting roof color too! I'm confused - but I like it!

 

>>I'd like to know if anyone did lap times before and after the rear sway (with lower/stiffer springs in both cases).

I know RandyBMC did a ton of track testing just recently and he had a huge write up on how different cars (each with it's own set-up) did at the track. The other MINI owners were kind enough to let Randy have the wheel of their MINIs. Just do a search thru the topics and I'm sure you'll find it.

Dominic

 

your car looks so good! good job.


craig

 

>>
>>I know RandyBMC did a ton of track testing just recently and he had a huge write up on how different cars (each with it's own set-up) did at the track. The other MINI owners were kind enough to let Randy have the wheel of their MINIs.
>>
>>Dominic

Unfortunately, in that test they didn't have a car with just the springs and not the swaybar; that is the test that I'd like to see.

Sleepless

 

Sleepless,

Please let us know how much you're going to shave from the inside wheel well cover. If at all possible post some pics. I'm seriously thinking about going to 215s

thanks

 

the car looks really sweet!
i want to get springs too, i'm just nervous
about who to have install them!

 

Sleepless,
Good to hear of your experience. I have 18 x 7.5 ASAs (42mm offset as well) with 215/35s on them and am considering the H&R springs too. I would be interested in hearing of your experience with the wheel well trimming. If you could post pictures I would GREATLY appreciate it.

Also, how bad is the rubbing? All for corners or just one or two? Often or just occasionally?

Thanks,
Eric

 

Eric,

Just for info, and I know it's a little different - but I'd guess sleepless is getting the same rub; with the 40mm offset 16x7s, the rub was only at the very back of the inside fender lip on the rear - and only under compression.

Hope that helps.

 

>>Eric,
>>
>>Just for info, and I know it's a little different - but I'd guess sleepless is getting the same rub; with the 40mm offset 16x7s, the rub was only at the very back of the inside fender lip on the rear - and only under compression.
>>
>>Hope that helps.

Yep, the rubbing is in the rear and under compression; but often. It basically rubs on the inner lining at the rear of the rear fenders. I'd say it rubs on a section that is about 4mm wide in two spots. If you look under the fender you'll see that the inner lining has a lip that sticks into the wheel well. This is what the tires rub on.

I'll post details on the triming, but it is quite obvious once you look under the wheel well what needs to be trimmed. I found the easiest way to figure what needs to be trimmed is to drive the car on some nice bumpy back road at 60MPH so the suspension loads up farily well and does a good job of rubbing which nicely marks up the lining with some wear marks. Then, it is time to slice and dice

Pics coming soon...

Sleepless

 

get rid of the 215/45/17 tires and you won't get any rub.....i hv the same problem but i'll cut my inner fenders instead.....and raise my car 5mm higher.

 

i take it that 205/45/17's would be pretty safe?
i was really concidering 18's without lowering my car,
but now i'd rather get these springs and go with some 17's!
i may even save some money in the process!
mini's look soooooo good lowered!!
i'm too jealous of you guys!

_________________

 

Thanks for the feedback guys!
If trimming the inner wheel well liner will solve the rub, then I am a go for the H&R Springs.

Sleepless & Randy, thanks for the description I think I can do without photos now. However, I would sure like to know if this solution works for you before I place my spring order.

Cheers!
Eric

 

>>Sleepless & Randy, thanks for the description I think I can do without photos now. However, I would sure like to know if this solution works for you before I place my spring order.
>>
>>Cheers!
>>Eric

So far, after trimming the inner liner and small amount from the inside lip of the the fender flare, I've had one very minor instance of rubbing so I must still have a small bit to trim.

Sleepless

 

Excelent news!

Randy, do you have the springs in stock?

 

Here are a couple of pics of the trimming.

This pic shows the small amout removed from the inside lip of the outer fender flare:



This one shows more of the trimmed inner liner:

 

i'll post some pics of my "damaged" inside fender tonite.....

sleepless - are you sure thats the part rubbing???
mines are all over the place.....maybe roads in hk are way more bumpier than in the states ....

SMG ADVICE : for those who of you who havn't lowered their mc or mcs but are going to, try not to use ANY 45 series tires on any 17" wheels....

 

>>Excelent news!
>>
>>Randy, do you have the springs in stock?
>>
>>

The springs will be in the next stock shipment - Monday. Let me know if you want a set. Thanks for considering MINI-Motorsport!

Randy
720-841-1002

 

here are some of the pics:

the plastic part right on top of the front tire - there's a 6 inch crack

 

hey SMG..
why the advice not to use 45's?
what would you reccomend for 17's?
thanks man!