So far I have 300 miles on my '08 MCS with sport pack. Noticed yesterday that the front end will hop/chatter under certain road conditions (e.g. freeway expansion seams). I attribute the chatter partly to the OE runflats, the relatively high air pressure (40 PSI) that I'm running and the relatively firm OE shock damping and spring rates. As a point of comparison, my previous stock R32 and current S4 do not hop/chatter over the same road that I drove the MCS on yesterday. Actually, I was quite surprized the Mini hopped off-line as much as it did.
What I want is a "road" set up that will minimize hopping/chatter. I will not track this car. Thinking that a good road set up would be minimal drop progressive rate springs or KW V1's and non-runflat tires (Toyo Proxes 4)? Open to comments and suggestions?

 

You should get a test ride in a JCW suspension car... I really like it on my first gen (2003) MINI. I haven't had the chance to try a 2007+ with it, though.

 

H&R + 15" wheels

pretty nice is more soft than stock but is really good.

 

Why are you running 40PSI? First drop to the recommended pressures and see how it is, then drop a pound at a time to come up with an acceptable compromise. Runflats are harsh at any pressure..

Best solution? Ditch the runflats and put some better shocks on there..

 

+1

Drop the pressure to 34 and see how you like it.

 

I've run 40 PSI in most of my rigs with low profile tires to protect the tires and rims. Having said that, I've never owned a car with runflats, so I will experiment with tire pressure. Eventually, I will get some lightweight 17's or 18's tires/rims. Thanks.

 

I bet it rides nicely. I'm kind of a "Big Wheel" guy. I always seem to gravitate to lowering my rides and running larger wheels to tuck and fill up the wheelwells. It comes down to cosmetics.

 

don't be surprised if ride suffers. To tuck the wheels with large diameter low profile combo, you have to run stiff suspensions and high dampening to limit travel. Then you feel the bumps, because you've chosen a look that prevents complience.

Matt

 

QFT

 

Front end hopping and chattering? Sounds like blown dampers to me. On a new car however, it's hugely unlikely the front dampers are both bad. Are you just hearing more noise versus your other admittedly squishier cars?

Also, +1 on the tire pressures being too high. Bring them back down to the mid to low 30's [or whatever the door jamb sticker says] and take another drive.

 

Not surprised. I'm not that radical about wheels and drops. No chromed Dubs on the Mini or laying frame

 

36-38 psi on the stock 17" rof's ---- wear them out and switch tires.
parada spec II
g-force
F-1 --- my pick

Lighter aftermarket wheels will definately keep you on the road better.
Coil-overs later if the wheels and tires don't make it a new car.

 

just the springs? or the coilovers?

 

I think he just has the springs.

 

Im having a noise problem that started at 6k and rattles driver side in the front suspension. What is a damper? Someone told me the sway bar bushing might have gone bad.

 

VJD-
I came from a GTI VR6 w\Shine Real Street Kit into my '08 MCS and yes my car jumps on road seams too. Its the nature of the OE runflats. I made the switch to O.Z. 17 x7 with Bridgestone Potenzas and the ride is much better now. Not quite as good as my GTI Shine setup, but it's getting there. The thing I noticed about the MCS is that it has a considerable amount of lean-roll with the stock suspension, the only difference is that it leans to a point- then it STICKS and GRABS quite nicely. Very predictable. I will be upgrading the springs and dampers, just waiting to see the finished product from TSWerks. Whatever I do, it will either be factory JCW springs or the TSWerks ones because coming from a Shine Kit I learned that linear springs are the way to go. I might change the rear sway, but I'm in no rush, the stock one works. Bushings from Mini-Madness might work too, but not sure I want the noise and vibration. It will be a work in progress, but I will get it to perform the way I want. Good luck, keep us posted on what you do.

 

the damper, or shock, along with the spring sits between the wheel and your cars frame holding the frame off the ground and is what absorbs and rebounds suspension movement over uneven surfaces.

hmm that rattle sounds very familiar... there is at least one thread on this in the problems area of the R56 forum. Try a test. Note this is assuming you have a manual transmission. Drive over a surface that causes this rattle, for me it is usually very bumpy stone surfaces or terribly damaged paved road, and depress the clutch as you go through it. If the noise disappears, which it does for me, then it's definitely not your suspension. According to the thread on this subject, its a problem with the flywheel being loose. Definitely plan to get your car back to the dealership to address that while it is still in warranty.