im thinking about lowering my car 1" - 1 1/4" but has concerns doing so... i know that it would look nicer and all but also know that the ride will be bumpier and the life of the car will shorten. do you guys think it is worth it or will this mod cause more internal pain than gains?

thanks in advance for your thoughts

 

yes, absolutely!

bumpier? not if you use progressive rate springs. check out the suspension forum.

 

Many of us have lowered our MINIs. There are definitely tradeoffs, ride quality and longevity of components being principal among them. I love my H&R coilovers, but have either a really numb backside or am a real masochist for poor ride quality (probably a bit of both). Slamming your ride isn't for everyone. I'd suggest finding someone in your area with a lowered car and going for a long drive with them before you mod.

 

^^ akkk you did it wrong. you're using spring rates that are too high.
my car rides better than stock and my stock dampers are still okay
after 20k miles under H-Sports. (keep it under 250lbs/in and use
simultaneous adjustable dampers if you can find them)

 

Allot depends on how you go about lowering the car. Are you just planning to go the cheap way and cut the stock spring to lower it, and let it bounce off the rubber bumpers? Or are you going to invest in a fully designed suspension upgrade that includes shock adsorbers that are designed to be used with shorter springs, properly designed shorter springs of the appropriate inch-pound rating, and possibly even smaller rubber bumpers?

The latter path will result in a car that is comfortable to be a daily driver without any strange handling characteristics. It will also not punish the chassie and lead to a shortened life.

Another consideration would be what wheels and tires you will be using. Lowered cars restrict what tires will fit inside the wheel wells.

Good luck.

 

Consider the number and size of the speed bumps you will encounter on a daily basis, as well as driveway curbs.

 

A 1" drop will yeild no problems with such items. I have the HSport springs and Koni FSDs for about a 1" drop and go over TONS of speed bumps everyday and have no problems. The ride with the progressive setup with the HSports and FSDs is fantastic and as soon as you load them up at all they get STIFF. Sooooo highly recomended.

 

^^ very jealous of those FSD's. will get them next year, probably.

 

You'll be so happy you did.

 

slam it

 

Depends on whether you enjoy a car that rides like an ox-cart to the tune of the underside scraping on driveway entrances.

My `05 S is lowered about 1/4" due to tire size choice, and it scrapes regularly on driveways.

Seriously, the car already has the same ground clearance as a Porsche - why on earth would you lower it? It certainly won't corner any faster or handle "better".

Manufacturers almost never go less than 5" of ground clearance on street-driven cars for a reason - that's how much they need...

 

drop it likes its hot!!!!

 

Things get pretty good up to somewhere around 3/4" of drop. The only price you'll pay is suspension travel. While some have had good success combining springs and dampener settings to give a ride they like, there's no hiding from the fact that there is less travel to absorb the hit, so by the time you get to the limit of travel, you have to have an overall stiffer system, or you will bottom more.

After you get lower than this, things get more interesting. The price that is paid for a lower Cg is much higher than just limited travel. Now the Mac strut in the front is in a bad geometry, and as the suspension compresses the contact pad moves laterally. This feels funky in turns, and if it gets bad enough, can really limit adhesion.

No matter what, as you lower a lot, the rear camber will go to hell, and you'll need adjustable rear connecting rods.... At least two.

While progressive rate springs make a softer ride at first, some (like me) find that the transition to the stiffer part of the spring is unsettling in performance situations, others have no problem with it and love them.

I'm one here that reccomends a more conservative approach:

Tires will make a difference, especially going to performance non-runflats. Do this first and see if you're happy.

If not, then it depends on what you want to do. For handling, I'd go with fixed front camber plates, a smaller adjustable rear bar, and stay with that a bit.

Then if you still want more handling performance, and only then, would I start looking at springs and struts. They're more expensive, and it's easy to go through several combinations to find that which makes you most happy.

But if it's all about a look, and that's the priority, then do what you need for that, and live with the consiquences....

Matt

 

FIrst ask yourself WHY you are trying this, then ask or research what the tradeoffs are, and determine if the cost ($ + tradeoffs) is worth the benefit (what: looks, handling, exclusivity, admiration from your friends... what?)

To me the cost is not worth the tradeoffs, since the mini is already pretty low - but I live in PA and the roads (and my driveway lip) aren't great.

 

If I dropped mine an inch, there are a number of speedbumps and driveways I would never be able to get over where we live.

 

"I did XY&Z and it worked great for me!" You have to ask..

1) Are your goals the same?
2) Are your driving environments the same?
3) Are your driving styles the same?

Matt

 

I'd get some air springs that would allow me to drop it down till it actually touches the ground...if you don't there will always be a MINI somewhere that's lower than yours.

 

why?
So what?

Matt

 

If I could find your sense of humor I'd probably think you were a real funny guy.

 

I have found that the combination of H-sport springs and Koni FSDs gives a great ride with moderate lowering of less than one inch.

 

the original post asked about a 1"+ drop, and about the trade offs in doing so. Also commented about a slight improvement in fender gaps. While I'm all happy that you like slammed cars, I didn't see how any of your preferences really addressed his concerns.....

Whatever...

Matt

 

I'm lowered around 2.5 inches and its still a very comfortable ride (as long as you get rid of runflats)

I assume by "air springs" he meant air bags? That would take TONS of work as no company makes a setup, and we dont have much room to work down there. Wish i could get some though.

 

You're right again, they didn't.

 

My next project will be the suspension as well. I do not plan to go very low, just enough for a little more aggressive look and better handling. May be JCW set up or H&R coilover system.

 

Hey Adam, I think that lowering it would look really aggressive, good luck witht that