From todays meet..

A different kind of lowering.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F...0/DSC_0087.JPG

Funny I was just wondering about a chop topped mini the other day and show this on M|U.

I thought that the H-sport springs were supposed to be really popular?.....but I've been looking through all of these post on the lowered minis and I haven't really seen many with them.

Why is that? Because they don't lower them much?

That, and the super short travel on the OEM struts means that coilovers are often favored over the limited travel (riding on bumpstops) of lowering springs.

Some more coverage.



Rally is correct.

Almost got some springs. Couldn't do it. Need to hold out for them sexy coils so I can slam it! Boost still looks good!

I was on H&R Springs and they were great. Did the job on getting rid of a lot of the wheel gap. They are a good way to get low while you save for coils. I got mine for like $100 shipped.. and sold them for $100 shipped so I made my money back out of them and ended up with KW V1s for $300.

Ya I know I know. I think I'd rather just skip the hassle and go straight for the coils. Hoping I can snag a pair for 300 bucks haha

^ Great looking MINI. Ugh i need to get my new wheels on so I can sit like that.

What coilovers are you running? you are lucky to be an R53 you start lower.

Maybe this is a dumb question....but why do some of you guys (not.cute) run wide wheels,but pair them up with narrow tires? It looks like those wheels need tires that are about 2" wider. What am I missing? I have seen lots of minis setup like that. Just trying to learn all that I can.

It's just part of the "stance" for a "better look." I'm personally not a fan of the poked tires, seems like it would destroy the performance of the car, but to each their own.

Here is my personal experience.

On my H&R Springs I could run a 225/45/17 on a 7.5 wheel (thats a good amount of tire for a 7.5) without any rubbing or issues.

On my KW V1s my 225/45/17 was hitting my coilover strut. I could have solved this with some spacers I am sure, but even then I couldnt go lower on them really.

On a 205/40 - smaller sidewall ratio than stock 45, I am able to be at the height i want to be. A lot of kids stretch tires when they are going for a "stanced" or super low look.

I could go back on a 225/45 and spacers but I would have to come up about .5-.7" in the front to not rub a ton.

So these setups arent really designed for track or going fast. Well.. actually on a 7.5 with a 205 I am on a good size tire for the wheel and am still able to really mob my car still. I like having both function and form. I could go lower and be completely unable to get on it or do serious track or hard driving.

Its really just preference and how you want the car to come out in the end.

It allows for clearance to avoid rubbing on the fenders while running wide wheels, low offsets, and low ride heights. People do these things to achieve "stance" which is the styling of how a car "sits". The goal is to properly fill out the wheel well and achieve the aggressive bulldog stance often attributed to the MINI. Wide wheels and low offsets push the wheels out to the arches and fill out the wheel wells. When matched with the desirable lowered ride heights, rubbing can become a problem so it's customary to run slightly narrower tires to match the angle of the arch and avoid the inevitable rubbing.

It's one of those "to each their own" style decisions.

"destroy performance" is pretty strong. It's not ideal for race cars, but it hardly effects (let alone destroys) the performance of the car. If anything most of these cars still have contact patches comparable to 90% of NAM users on the forums (205's or 215's). Stretch stiffens the sidewall a bit, but not enough to have adverse effects on handling.

The lower offsets associated with poke will change things like roll center and scrub radius...but again, not enough for your regular MINI driver to notice in their street driven car.

It's definitely not for everyone, but it's not as bad as some make it out to be. My car is still a blast to drive on curvy mountain roads.

Yeah I would say even at my current ride height, tire setup, wheels I would destroy a stock mini or even a mini on springs on the track or in the twisties..

But then again im not on a x9 wheel running a 205 yet

Those "salad shooters" look great on a Cooper. Never even thought of those wheels on a Cooper. Well played. I'm a stance fan coming from the VAG world it's a much more accepted and understood concept. Except most of those guys are airheads like Rally... lol. Static 4 life

I have tiny contact patches, but I can get away with it because my HP is barely half that of yours

^This is my biggest dilemma.. I have a new turbo coming friday and once I install that i am looking at making some pretty good power so I am in a bind on going with smaller tires.. haha.

I think I may end up on a 17x8 and a 205 or 215 if I can so I can try to get traction in some of my gears haha.

Just ordered Rotiform Nue 17x8 ET20/30 and 205/40/17 tires! Pumped for those to come in- with stretched tires I can go about 1.5-2" lower. :D

Wow, I am about to sell my corvette wheels... but after seeing this- I'm considering keeping them! Those look soooo good!
How did you get those to work? Adapters? How many MM? Where did you get them?

They were such wide wheels that I wasn't sure how I would get them on my car PLUS adapters. If I could find a way to make it work... I might rock em!

What tires? Most 205/40's won't do much stretching on a 8" wheel

205/40 falken 452 et30 - really barely worth calling a stretch:



Really don't have a picture that shows it very well. You have to kind of take my word on it.

Sounds like you are trying to be about an inch lower then me. If that is the case you are going to definitely want some camber front and rear and a 205 that stretches well like the falken 512.

Nice butt. Don't think I've ever seen a clubman without the wipers. So clean!

What's the offset on the 8s? With the right offsets you can fit up to 235's on 17x8s. I'm sure you could manage some 215s or 225s and stay low with some work.