Correct if I'm wrong, but I believe the shot of the rear of SS Cooper is pre-drop.

 

Looks like it to me.

 

That's the "Get out of your Mini" escape-hatch release in case it all goes to Hell real fast and you need to get out via the rear hatch.

It's just an emergency interior release for the rear hatch. I think that's but one of the many American market requirements.

 

Astro S, right that's a before shot taken from face on the ground perspective. I've updated my collection with the mods apearing at the end.


TheBigNewt, hasn't been an issue yet. I kind of like the way down low look from the front. Will try to remember to do some whole car shots from front, side and rear.

For now, here's a couple of telling images. Dropped car on the left and a stock car parked behind. And another parked by a somewhat larger car with some nast wheel arch space.

 

Sorry, second image not wanting to upload. It's at the end (pg 40 I think) of my updated mini site:
http://www.johncameron.ca/mini/

-jc

 

Really noticable in the pic ! Looks much better dropped

 

Good shot! I was planning to take one of those myself.

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

Dude, you stole my car and lowered it! Can I have it back now? (I'm gonna do this soon, I am)

 

The MINI looks fantastic after the drop.

Has anyone tried painting the control arms a flat black?

 

In an earlier life I used to paint the underneath of an off-road F150. Worked, but once you start, you'll want to keep it beautiful. I'm too busy for that. Besides it all depends on the height you are viewing the MINI at.
-jc

 

Dan's springs went in this past Saturday. Gosh I love the ride they give....rates are exactly what I hoped they'd be and my torque-steer is GONE! No kidding....completely gone. What a pleasant surprise.

Also gotta credit Mini for one of the simplest installations I've ever done. Less than 2 hours on the jacks. My kinda car.

Here's a shot of the nice reduction in wheel gap:



Nice work Dan, I'm a Mach V convert.

 

Aw, shucks!

Thanks for the kind words.

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

are these springs stiffer than the H & R's?

 

i just installed my Mach V springs and i love them. the car looks so much better lowered. i havent driven much since i just completed it about an hour ago, but so far it rides just as nice if not better than stock. i cant wait to hit the twisties and really see how its changed. install was pretty straight foward and easy. it took me just over 2 hours, i expected it to be a lot longer. great springs, thanks Mach V

 

We don't know the exact H&R spring rates, but I'd say ours are not stiffer than those.

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

Cool! Thanks!

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

I just thought I would chime in and compliment the Mach V efficiency.

I ordered the R56 springs late on a weekday night and received shipping confirmation at noon the next day. That is FAST!!!! You guys are on it! They're sitting right next to me and will be on the car Monday. I'll definitely give some feedback on how it affects appearence and performance.

 

They're on and now for the feedback



As you were.

No really... the handling is amazing. The ride quality is not at all diminished, though bumps at speed cause a noticeably firmer reaction. The car is much better at maintaining maximum tread contact over rough surfaces and cornering grip continues past my personal threshold of comfort for public roads. Ride height (I measured from the lowest point on the wheel lip to highest point on the wheel arch) went from 23.5" to 22.375". The lowest point on the car, which is the bottom of the air diffuser on the front sits about about 2.25" off the ground now. Driveway lips and bumpers now require caution, but the benefits far outweigh this minor inconvenience.

I also had an ALTA 22mm rear sway bar installed which greatly benefited handling and quickness of turn-in. I highly highly recommend upgrading the rear sway when lowering the car. The factory sport suspension adequately stiffened the ride but ride height and sway bar rigidity in my opinion were weak points and poorly matched to the other components. If I could do it over I would not have spec'd it and gone a different route.

One more note... it is imperative installation be performed 100% correct or you will end up with a noisy suspension.

Now for the alignment tomorrow morning. Hopefully factory spec is still doable.

Thanks Dan, you put out a GREAT spring!

... and BUMP!

 

where did you get yours installed and aligned? also how much did it cost?

 

I work on NASCAR race team, and our shop is a combo of a race shop and a NAPA Auto Care Center, so I just installed the stuff myself on one of our lifts, so I didn't have to pay....but the shop will do suspension installs...it's located in Antelope...you can PM me if you have any specific questions.

 

^^ohh... darn. i wish i had access to that kind of equipment but i guess this can still be done via jackstands and a lot of elbow grease...

where can i find the torque specs for the various bolts and what not? Ive never done anything suspension wise but the r56 just sits soooo high that something must be changed.

 

Was on the Mach V website and found these:
Koni FSD Shock Kit 2007+ MINI
Includes adapter bushings for the rear shocks.

http://www.fastmini.net/konifsddampers.html

Any comments on how these will pair up with your springs? Thanks.

 

So has anyone installed these on a MINI with the stock suspension yet???

On the site it says, "Fits all R56 models. Original-equipment Sport Suspension shocks are ideal, but these springs will work with all available Mini shocks/struts." I know they're a bit softer than the H&R's, so I don't wanna risk bottoming out too much. I prefer the drop of the Technic's (even if they are within a quarter inch of the H&R's) but if the sport suspension is truly needed for them then I guess I'll have no choice but to go with H&R...

 

I admit we haven't tried that combo yet. Koni doesn't recommend the FSD's at all with lowering springs, but quite a few of the R53 MINI folks have paired them with springs and liked the result. But we haven't yet put them on an R56 with our springs.

Yes, several of our customers have, and all have been happy with the result. I'll see if I can dig around on here and link to some testimonials.

--Dan
Mach V

 

Awesome, thanks!

I looked through this thread to see if anyone had and although a few asked about it, no one with the stock suspension actually wrote anything confirming the install.