Looking good...

 

Thanks Suan!

 

Since I picked up my new JCW today, I was going to buy another set of JCW coil springs but after reading everything and seeing dt's mini, I know what brand I'm going to use.

Thanks dt,

Mark

 

No problem man. Glad I could be of help! You won't be dissapointed. With the extra money your going to save, you can get adjustable control arms, endlinks, etc to improve it even further! Remember, JCW is an awesome kit, but it is so $$$!!

The springs are just so smooth. I took my MA for a ride yesterday, he was stunned. He literally was speechless on how much better it is over stock. He even said his next MINI is going to get those springs and he is a JCW guy through and through. I mean his plate even says "It Wrks" to NM and Neuspeed!

 

Just noticed that there were no pics of TSW's here. So here's mine.

 

I just installed H&Rs last weekend and here are my observations and a question

I started with Non-Sport suspension and Non-Run Flat tires. The ride is a little stiffer but from what I remember of test driving an R56 with sport suspension my car is a much better ride than that. I'm not sure what the difference is between the sports suspension and the regular. Does anyone know?

The gap in the front is perfect but as others said the gap in the rear is a little higher. Obviously with people in the car, full fuel load, etc. the height will change. It might also change as the springs get broke in.

I did the installation by myself with no spring compressor in less than a half day. I do have an air impact wrench which is useful when taking the struts apart. Since the new springs are shorter you can put the springs back on the struts without too much effort. If you had to put the stock springs back on then you would probably need a spring compressor.

I took the car to get an alignment done and they informed me that the camber is not adjustable on my '08, front or rear. I'm not sure this is true as I read somewhere that the back is adjustable with a concentric bolt. I need to check with the dealer. Fortunatley everything was within stock specs except for the right front camber which was off 1 degree.

The only thing I have concerns about is a slight rattle that developed in the left front. Sounds kind of like a hollow metal rattle when I hit bumps. The guy at the alignment shop said something about the washer that sits on top of the bearing but he wouldn't elaborate anymore. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

Yes my friend's girl car had the same problem. She eventually went back to the stock springs. There is a some type of washer that is on top of the springs that if that doesn't go on right or something,it rattles. I think it's a pretty easy fix though.

 

this may sound dumb... but when u install springs do you need new control arms/sway bars?

 

No, need to get new parts unless you want to upgrade or to replace non functioning ones.

 

so if i get just the springs the camber wont be all effed up and their wont be uneven treadwear?

 

All Coopers build in or after Jan of 2005 have rear OEM camber adjustment and it can be used to bring "most" Coopers back to or near spec.

The front camber as little to no camber adjustment. Most lowering springs will change the camber, but not too much to cause bad tire wear. HOWEVER I encourage all my customers to get the TOE set FRONT AND Rear after installing springs back to OEM Spec. It's the bad toe that will put you in the monthly tire program.

 

Just installed NM springs, NM sway bar, Alta control arms, and Koni FSD strut/shocks and I am very impressed with the ride, cannot really tell the difference from the stock ride. Have not had a chance to push the handling but what I have done makes think they will work great.

 

So if I were to install H+Rs I would wear my shocks out in 12,000-20,000 miles? I would do that in a year.
How long is an install to get a shop to do it, in hours so that I can see what I would pay around here.
Any scraping issues? I scrape the bottom front like every day at school, which leads me to believe if lowered ill be scraping that any everything else under there.

 

my clubman has been dropped on h&r's (with stock struts) for ~7k with no worries. from the research i've done they will increase the wear, but it's undecided if it's 20k, 60k or 100k down the road. luck of the draw i guess. i figured whenever the struts wear out it'll be time to upgrade to coilovers anyways.

as far as driving after lowering, i still don't scrape on much. i think as long as you know where the dips are and drive inteligently you'll be fine.

oh, and when i did the install myself it took about 3-4 hours. but a shop with tools and experience (and a lift) could knock them out in 1-1.5...

 

Anyone ever had theirs wear out that can shed some light? I will easily do 15k-20k before next summer and I cant afford $5-600 a year for new shocks.

 

I'm not a shock expert but I don't see why the shocks would wear out any faster unless they are bottoming out. I've only had mine lowered for a few months but it is fine. As far as scraping goes, I ended up taking off the little air dam on the front as I have a very steep driveway and it hit every time. Once I took it off I've never rubbed on anything, but I am careful.

 

soon to be installed the H&R touring cup kit.... we will see.

 

Hello, my name is Seth. I am a serial modder.
I just installed my intercooler last nigh...what a job... I am interested in putting some springs on my 07 R56, but dont want to sacrifice much comfort. I just want a bit better cornering an lower look. How difficult is the install? I have done all my other installs, and have access to a shop, but not a lift. What all is involved with swapping springs?
Thanks,
Seth

 

Seth,

Changing springs isn't that hard. Obviously a lift helps. Depending on the drop, you probably won't even need a spring compressor.

It's a matter of undoing the lower control arms. I'm sure if you search, you'll find plenty of DIY posts about it.

I personally wouldn't go with any other spring than an NM engr'ing spring. The car (IMO) is lowered just perfect. It's lowered without any sacrifice in ride, the handling is increased tenfold and it's not so low you have to worry about trashing the bottom of your car over every speed bump.

I'm not dissin' any other brands but I promise you won't be dissatisfied.

Not a perfect pic but it's the only one that I have that shows fendergap. Though I think lower "looks" better, sometimes too low on the street is just too low.



HTH's,

Mark

 

 

That looks familiar...Here is mine
(I have added a carbon JCW scoop and intercooler since this pic)

 

Reviving this semi-comatose topic.

I'll do my suspension soon, and have decided to go with NM springs and Koni FSDs. This will give me a 1.2" drop, with excellent comfort and handling. The FSDs are getting rave reviews all over the place.

I'm really disappointed in the stock sport suspension. It doesn't seem to be very well sorted at all. I suppose the "runflat tuning" is at least partially to blame - they ruin EVERYTHING, and the poor engineers are left to try to compensate for their concrete-like sidewalls. My runflats are long gone, and that was a huge improvement in all respects, but the suspension is still crummy. It seems that the stock shocks are the main culprit. They just don't control movement very well at all, they just seem inadequately damped for the job at hand.

For those of you discussing using stock shocks with a lowering spring: as many have pointed out, this isn't a great solution. The stock shocks will wear out much more quickly than with a proper-length (for them) spring, and given that they're dirtball-cheap Delphi units in the first place, this isn't a good thing at all. I can't imagine that they're good for more than 40k with the stock springs - cut that in half or worse if you lower the car. Plus they're just plain lousy in the first place. I highly suggest you spend the extra coin and do the complete job at once if you're bent on lowering your car. And by all means, lose the runflats!

Someone was asking who makes the NM springs. According to NM/Neuspeed, it's Grueber Federn of Germany. They've been Neuspeed's OEM for their VW springs for about a decade (they used H&R prior to that).

 

How about scraping? I scrape all the time with my stock sport suspension, even if I slow to a crawl. How do you guys survive with the car 1.4" lower? Every car I have ever owned has been lowered. But this one has me wondering if it is already there. My 09 JCW is much higher in the back than front stock so I would expect the same if lowered.

Anyone know about the stock shock construction? Are they monotube like Bilstiens? Though the damping rates may be a little off the mark, they may be able to take the lowered springs without leaking if they are monotube. I read the whole thread and no one it seems has actually worn their shocks out yet.

 

When my car was first dropped, I was scraping the diffuser under the front end ALL the time. Apparently there's an "extra" diffuser under the car as part of the factory aero kit. I removed it (very simple) and now haven't scraped anywhere - at least not yet.

As for the stock shocks, not sure of their construction, but they are definitely made by Delphi, and without a doubt are typical OEM shocks that are made to a price point (read: very cheap) and do a generally horrible job. When you lower a car, and add Koni Yellows (via the H&R touring cup kit) and ride quality actually IMPROVES over stock - you know the stock setup was absolute garbage.

 

I have the NM springs on my 09 JCW, and at first I was nervous because they were already on the car when I bought it. I assumed someone bought cheap springs and threw them on there with no regard for ride quality.

Boy was I wrong. I test drove a MCS with sport suspension and a JCW with regular suspension, and this really is in a different category. The ride is still forgiving (save for that kidney beating due to the runflats), and it really turns on a dime... well a sharper dime than before. Had I been in the position to buy springs, I think the NMs are the ones I'd go with.