I see a lot of varying opinions on lowering the R56, but there is one number I haven't seen.

How far does the stock suspension travel? From sitting on the ground (not fully unloaded) till it hits the stops? So if you lower 1", what percentage of useable travel are you giving up?

 

I remembered reading this in another thread. Can't take any of the credit for the info, and maybe you already found this info, but here it is again. Posted by Ryephile in another thread.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ghlight=travel

R56: more suspension travel?
While I was installing my H&R springs this weekend I took some suspension travel measurements. The results are shocking, and totally contradict the MINI-corporate rumor of the R56 having more suspension travel versus the R53. As an inital note, the front struts and rear shocks of the R56 look, install, and feel all but idential to the R53's shocks. There are just some very minor mounting point tweaks [front strut mounts, front springs a smaller diameter, rear shock mounting point is like the GP].

I measured from the axle of both ends of the car to the bottom of the wheel arch apex. This suspension-to-body reference allows me to easily see shock position during ride height, full droop, free compression travel [until touching the bumpstop], and full compression with bumpstop fully compressed.

Front Axle to arch apex:
Droop: 17.4"
Stock ride height: 14.3"
To bumpstop contact: 14.1"
Full Compression: 12.4"

Total front travel: 5.0"
Free uptravel: 0.2"
Total uptravel: 1.9"
Downtravel: 3.1"


Rear Axle to arch apex:
Droop: 17.0"
Stock ride height: 14.4"
To bumpstop contact: 13.4"
Full Compression: 12.4"

Total rear travel: 4.6"
Free uptravel: 1.0"
Total uptravel: 2.0"
Downtravel: 2.6"


These results are SCARY! This means that lowering the R56 AT ALL will mean no free uptravel, riding on bumpstops "Miata-style". For me, this means that the R56 has not a smidge more travel than the R53, and I'll be lobbying for proper short-body coilovers to become available on the market ASAP. The suspension links will probably handle more travel, but right now the shocks are too long for a lowered MINI.

Cheers,
Ryan
__________________

 

Ok, call me a retard...but this doesn't make any sense. According to this, my front suspension will hit it's bump stop in 0.2"? Only 1.9" of compression will finally bottom out the a-arm? Something's amiss with these measurements. I just don't think BMW would ever design a suspension to hit it's bumps in a quarter of an inch!

 

Sorry to barge in...the stock mini bumpstops are an integrated part of the spring and damping system. These do not work like the old fashioned garden variety bumpstops...and probably should be called something else. H&R have a long word...multicellular yada yada yada.

The point made above about shortened dampers is a good one, but also, that many manufacturers, including Koni, have not properly worked out short travel woes. A few still incorporate the old fashioned bumpstop technology while lowering ride height. This is especially disasterous on a track.

A proper solution is beyond most of us since we do not have the equipment to test and marry the characterisitcs of spring, shock and bumpstop.

Purchase with a careful eye...you ususally get what you pay for...but not always.

 

I'm bad at math but I guess the answer is there is about 4-5" of travel but only 2" to work with (assuming we're just considering bumps and not dips), so with a 1" drop you've used up all spring travel, and about 1/2 your bump stop 'travel'. So you're really depending on your tire sidewall give to supply any ride quality.

So it seems like if you're going to lower at all, only someone on a smooth track would consider low profile tires. And even at that, it's a major sacrifice.

A 2x4 in the road could easily bend a rim.

I wonder what the life span of a bump stop is on a lowered car?

 

but you've got the general ideas right. The same guy who made the measurements quoted above made some drop spindles for the front (he's a forman at a Machine Shop, I think) that lower the car 1" without affecting travel. These aren't for sale, but the existance proof means someone probably will offer them.

There's tons and tons and tons of info on lowering Minis. But it really comes down to your goal. For what I do, I have a very slight drop (3/4"), run Ledas (that still bottom) stiffer springs and damper settings.

If you define your use case, you can get help with what you're doing. If you want to change the look over all else, there are those that slam some street cars pretty far down with some semblance of drivability left. There are racers who have beat thier head against this for quite a while before getting sorted, and they can help you if handling at speed on tracks is your desire..

And MEB is right, lots of cars are using the bump stops as progressive springs!

Matt

 

My setup is now stock. The struts have 85K really hard miles on them. I can feel the bumpstops working because the valving is now very sloppy.