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After reading many posts about lowering the car (is not my plan but it is not a problem) I'm understanding that by changing my stock springs could be a great mode to get a softer car (what I want).
My car: Mini R56 2010 Base (non-S)
My problem is bumpy road/streets, so since I'm running JCW wheels on 215/45-17 I'm going to the rim repair shop every 3/6 months. Today, one repair value is $ 150 for the 4 rims. Yes, I know.
First I was searching for the best "look" 15x8 / 15x9 rims.
I can't get the perfect look like the R53 can, without lowering my R56.
But after some research in the forum I could read that my springs are "hard" and changing it could help to get two great mods:
1) Lowering the car about 1.5' (OK, it is not a problem BUT is not what I'm looking for)
2) Get a softer drive without changing my shocks because the OEM springs are "hard" and the shocks surely should be almost as new.
So, the question is:
My problem with bumpy roads and 17' wheels could be not solved but minimized by moving to a softer spring? (I'm trying to change my 17's to 15's today to get this).
Why not go for 16" wheels? More than a few have gone from 17's to 16's and described the ride to be much nicer. Check out this thread HERE. Some more HERE and HERE. Are you still running on run flat tires? Switching out the run flats for normal tires will also improve your ride feel.
I agree. go for 16" wheels, get taller sidewalls and ditch the run-flats, and don't be so obsessed by "look". There are plenty of attractive options in 16" wheels. You can sell the 17's to help offset the cost.
Why not go for 16" wheels? More than a few have gone from 17's to 16's and described the ride to be much nicer. Check out this thread HERE. Some more HERE and HERE. Are you still running on run flat tires? Switching out the run flats for normal tires will also improve your ride feel.
Yes, sure! 16' rims is an option for me too, but thinking in the new "soft" springs and the car being lowered by these new springs I was believing that 15' would be safest (gap).
Thanks for the links.
I'm running normal tyres since first day (non run flat)
I agree. go for 16" wheels, get taller sidewalls and ditch the run-flats, and don't be so obsessed by "look". There are plenty of attractive options in 16" wheels. You can sell the 17's to help offset the cost.
Thank you for your advice and opinion.
Yes, actually I'm offering my 17 non run flat wheels to buy the new ones (16'? rim + tyres).
And I must admit I'm a little obsessed with the aesthetics and it is really difficult to find something that matches or exceeds the aesthetics of the JCW 17 wheels on the R56 with no other mods related to suspension.
For aesthetics, there are some decently good looking 16" wheels out there. It just depends on how much you want to pay for them. Something like 3SDM wheels HERE, which many MINI owners run the 0.05 wheels. I think they go for about $200 a wheel. As far as springs go, lowering the car with a spring may not essentially give you the softer ride that you want. It does, of course, depend on the spring rate of the spring, but typically with coil overs you have a much larger range of adjustability to help with ride comfort. A lot of people go with KW V3's for this reason.
For aesthetics, there are some decently good looking 16" wheels out there. It just depends on how much you want to pay for them. Something like 3SDM wheels HERE, which many MINI owners run the 0.05 wheels. I think they go for about $200 a wheel. As far as springs go, lowering the car with a spring may not essentially give you the softer ride that you want. It does, of course, depend on the spring rate of the spring, but typically with coil overs you have a much larger range of adjustability to help with ride comfort. A lot of people go with KW V3's for this reason.
But I understand that I could upgrade my springs to a "softer" one (contract and expand more easily) or almost less "hard" than my OEM 2010 Base springs.
It's that correct or I'm wrong?
But I understand that I could upgrade my springs to a "softer" one (contract and expand more easily) or almost less "hard" than my OEM 2010 Base springs.
It's that correct or I'm wrong?
A certain bump at a certain speed will exert a specific amount of force to your wheel. Doesn't matter what suspension, what wheel, or anything else. (OK, that's an oversimplification, but it's close enough for this discussion.)
If you put softer springs in, the wheel will move upward more than with stiffer springs. You have less spring rate (lbs/inch) which means the same force on the wheel (lbs) gives you more inches of movement upward. But at the same time, you have cut down on the total range of motion of the suspension, by lowering the car. Which means you can run out of travel much more easily, either getting into the bump stops (which are hard rubber/plastic) or by having the metal parts crash into each other.
Neither of those is very good for your ride comfort.
There is a reason that it is almost impossible to get lowering springs that have lower (softer) spring rates than the stock springs do.
I think your best option is to find tires with taller side-walls. If that means going to 15" or 16" wheels, then that's what it means.
A certain bump at a certain speed will exert a specific amount of force to your wheel. Doesn't matter what suspension, what wheel, or anything else. (OK, that's an oversimplification, but it's close enough for this discussion.)
If you put softer springs in, the wheel will move upward more than with stiffer springs. You have less spring rate (lbs/inch) which means the same force on the wheel (lbs) gives you more inches of movement upward. But at the same time, you have cut down on the total range of motion of the suspension, by lowering the car. Which means you can run out of travel much more easily, either getting into the bump stops (which are hard rubber/plastic) or by having the metal parts crash into each other.
Neither of those is very good for your ride comfort.
There is a reason that it is almost impossible to get lowering springs that have lower (softer) spring rates than the stock springs do.
I think your best option is to find tires with taller side-walls. If that means going to 15" or 16" wheels, then that's what it means.
There is no way to explain it better. I understand clearly.
Originally Posted by thebombardier
Agreed with all of the above. 99% of lowered aftermarket springs are stiffer than stock. Get bigger, non run flat tires.
Just moved to Rays Volk 16x8 with new Roadstone "test tyres" on 205/50.
Very happy with the rims look!
Now testing changes on comfort & ability handling.
Ready for black & metalized Plastidip (there was no rim color options at the shop)
Ready for a "Mini" center cap (Rays center cap it is too tall and the Volk logo is not nice)
ET 30. That was the buying factor
I was thinking in using wheel spacers for my old JCW wheels.
These have exceeded my expectations.
The view from the front and the rear is just very perfect.
Tested and not rubbing under hard driving conditions.
Since we are under rain since 10 days, after plastidip I will be posting new pictures from all the angles.
Coming late to this thread, changing from the OEM run flats made a huge improvement in comfort for my car. Of course, I then proceeded to upgrade other stuff to offset that ride comfort some.
Coming late to this thread, changing from the OEM run flats made a huge improvement in comfort for my car. Of course, I then proceeded to upgrade other stuff to offset that ride comfort some.
