Hey everyone. I am in the process of trying to lower my car and I am afraid of lowering my car and scraping the inside wheel well and I want to get my fitment right the first time without having to adjust after installation. I will attach a photo of my car with the current wheel setup for you guys to get a better understanding of how it looks. Currently I have a set of Drag DR-33 18x8.5 and they do not scrub at all. I have a 5mm spacer in the back and what I am planning on doing is bring that spacer to the front and installing 15mm spacers in the back. I also would like to install MANZO lowering springs that lower the car 1.25" both front and rear. Now the big question is, will I scrape???
Hope you guys can help!
Thanks

 

I'm pretty slammed.. I even had to remove under air dams but once those were taken off I no longer here scrape noise.
my car site maybe 1.5-2in off the ground only. 0 rub issues or bottoming out issues but i do have full suspension and other stiffening mods. This is the only flap(s one on each side) I left underneath and I haven't heard it scrape yet.

 

Will standard shocks cope with that spring? If any scraping it's usually around the plastic trim area rather the wheel well area. If you go full coilover you may need bigger spacers to clear them which means more likely to hit arch.

I have full coilover which needed at least 10mm spacer on the front, on standard mini 17s and it does rub if I go too low. However I'm sure british roads are probably a lot rougher lol

 

Have not found anyone that has installed the manzo springs yet but theres only one way to find out LOL! I also cant beat the price, $100 for 1.25" its a really good deal. I was deciding to do Raceland coils have you uys heard those? its 459 with the full camber caster adjustment and lowering adjustments ofcourse. But since I am just 16 I cant afford lol so springs it is.

Also does that mean I should just keep my wheel well installed so worst case scenario if my wheel scrubs it scrubs on the plastic gaurd?

 

I bought and installed the Manzo springs a while back. I installed them with my factory struts/shocks with 205 45 r17 tires & 17" MiniLite wheels (OEM). No spacers.
Loved the look. It rode as rough as it did before. Didn't really notice much difference. I admit - I took it slow over bumps and dodged alot of potholes.
Drove it around for about 6months lowered on Manzos'
Nothing rubbed.

I am back to stock height/factory springs now, on / Koni Yellows. The ride is a bit smoother. Not much.....
But It's a MINI - It's not a Cadillac.

 

It's so refreshing to read that.

I've got suspension upgrade coming soon and I've been reading threads trying to help me decide what I want to do. I've been reading lots of "xxx will make the ride too rough. The best set up is...."

I mean, geez, I turned 50 this year (still not sure if I'm old yet ) and I still prefer a firm suspension and the look of a lowered car.

 

Learn by doing. I have a really cheap set of coiovers on my mine, something I have read repeatedly is a big NO. Rides smoother then standard while sitting a bit lower. At the end of the day what you do can be undone :D

 

While I 100% agree with learn by doing, I do not have the funds to do that as I am in highschool lol so I am trying to get my fitment correct the first time.

 

Let me know how your suspension upgrade turns out and what exactly you will be installing. The more background knowledge I have, the better!

 

buy a set of rev9 hypersteet2 coilovers , theyre a direct fit and allow for stock ride height ( one of only brand i found that did ) so it makes setting them up much less of a headache. They also fit stock rims AND aftermarket rims without the use of spacers or any other modifications. They're a direct drop in install AND they're not expensive. I was hesitant due to their low price but 2x years later , not 1x issue and I absolutely love the way they ride.

 

Hey, so I installed the Manzo springs but ironically it did not lower the car at all. It actually lifted the rear abt 3/4”. And the front is the same. Not sure if I have to break into the springs and let it settle in. Do you what the issue is?

 

^^^ Did you index the springs fully into the rubber and steel spring seats? If not, ride height will be raised or inconsistent corner-to-corner. I found it easiest to use a workstand and even then, had to loosen and adjust. After installed, should settle a bit but must be indexed to ensure fully seated.

 

Do you mean make sure it’s sitting at the edge of the spring covers? If so I did make sure that it’s seated correctly. I don’t know what you mean by indexing.

 

I think we're describing same thing but differently. By "indexing" or "clocking", I meant ensuring the rubber spring cushion is aligned with the matching contour of the steel spring seat plate plus with the "pigtail" end of the coil spring resting against the stops formed by those.

 

I understand. Than yes I did make sure of that. And it’s still high above the ground. I don’t know what to do. I also cant drive jt since the exhaust manifold has a leak and it’s so so loud. I’ll get pulled over in a second.

 

With the springs correctly oriented, I'd say correct the exhaust leak asap then drive it before touching the suspension further. I have no history with Manzo, so unsure how much they'll settle after driving normal roads, bumps etc. Measure baseline ground clearance readings now at all 4 corners and again after a few hundred miles. Hopefully, the exhaust leak is just a cat flange gasket failure vs broken cylinder head exhaust port gasket or cracked manifold. Keep us informed!

 

I agree that MCS4FUN has provided some very good insight/advice.

When I 1st installed the Manzo lowering springs - the ride height still looked as if it were stock.
Within a weeks time after driving (125mi +/-), is when the decrease in height became most evident.
Notwithstanding the anomaly of the height increasing with lowering springs; (Should it eventually settle) - I'm wondering if those "18 wheels may impose some unfortunate damage should you hit a pot hole or big bump in the road .(?).

Personally, I am not from from a generation conversant with the "lowered crowd". Before reverting back to factory height, I started with R&R the rear Manzos back to OEM and left the front (lowered) for a while.
I actually loved the look.
Some form of logic came into play, (i.e. : aesthetics vs. handling), and had to realize/accept the fact that it's a FWD MINI....and not a '67 Buick Riviera.

Way off topic: Those old '67 Rivieras' look so cool jacked up in the rear with N50 15's.

 

^^^ Clearly, I'm in agreement with dislike for too low suspension ride height on these cars. There have been many NAM topics discussing stock or near stock height actually handling better with the suspension allowed full design excursion - especially for streets and highways. It was for that reason that I chose JCW Sport "reds" (10mm drop) to replace the Eibachs installed as part of tracking plans by the original owner when my car was new. Those springs in combo with stiffer F/R bars, poly bushings throughout and -1 205/40R17 DOT compound race tires made driving my car in town a challenge considering dips, potholes, etc.

OTOH, I do get the OP's zeal for the "slammed look" with consideration of wanting his R53 to be uniquely different. Only time will tell whether this particular setup works for him long-term. Personally, I'm enjoying his enthusiasm as a very distant reminder of my own youth now as a very old guy!

 

Just thought I'd chime in again - Adding to my own faux-pas when I did my first strut replacement...
Not to question your ability, However did you make sure the tab on the lower shock/strut slid in completely into the pinch bolt slot on the knuckle?
I made this very mistake on the front. I thought all was good until I noticed one side was 1-1/4" higher than the other.
I eventually took the wheel off and stuck my head back there for a closer look. The tab was sitting on top of the knuckle and not in the slot.

 

I have factory JCW suspension and 17 in. wheels. I only have about 2 to 3 inch's of clearance under the car. I think that's low enough.