Almost done. I placed the H& R sport coil overs on the car and the rear on side raddles big time. I can't figure out what it is. I though it was touching the swaybar, so i grinded the swaybar and there is room, but it still makes the noise. Has anyone come across anything like this?? It's driving me crazy

 

i put today hr springs on my cooper s-r56,the drive is excellent,must have.the car now is working,not that go cart stupid feeling.i am very satisfied,no more bad road for me:-))))

 

ok...ive read thru this whole thread but still am kinda confused as to what to do. im sorta a novice on the technical points.

i have an 09 jcw and would like to lower the car mainly for aesthetic reasons. from what ive read, i might go for the eibach springs because im not sure i want to go as low as the h&r's.

however should i really worry about the suspension and the shocks wearing out faster or will the stock jcw suspension help the lowered springs last a bit longer? will i eventually need to replace the shocks alot sooner? also i read somewhere that i should cut my bump stops in half.

 

.

 

one thing to tell you:when you will have first money in your pocket go and bay it the springs.dont worry about the shocks,they will last same time maybe longer,because the standart spring was very hard and the shocks didnt move.now with hr car is working no more bumpy roads,do not cut the bump stops.

 

go for either the NM Engineering springs or the TSW lowering springs, depending on how low you want to go.

Your shocks will be fine.

 

What I found. Most prices should be about MSRP. Sorry if not; not trying to compare sources or anything. My rule of thumb is I buy from the best advice and service I get.

I have cash in hand, but just can't get feedback on what I am trying to fix. Almost every mod written up is between great and sliced bread. Only one admitted the setup was too stiff for street use. ( JCW option). I want it as stiff as possible and keep the tires in contact with the road. My R56 stock does not do this. Info on rates is hard to come by ( progressive are hard to spec so we have to cut them some slack). Info on actual camber change, camber plate compatibility, or even consistent part numbers is iffy. I am leaning to coilovers. Bilstein, KW, H&R or something. I could be wrong. Heck Yellows on base rear springs may be the correct ticket. Or just FDS's. Without being able to drive or ride on any of these choices, it is hard to lay down a couple big ones.

Springs
MINI Base Softer by 20%
Mini JCW $420 .4”, lin (stiffer)
MiniMadness Sport $240 .75 to 1” progressive
Koni $230 1.2”
Mach V Technic $240 1.25” progressive, 30% stiffer, progressive
H&R $260 1.4” 24% over S, 30% over base , progressive
NM 1.2 $250 1.2” prog.
B&G S2 $210 1” higher rates but still comfortable”
Mini Mania $280 1.2” pix looks prog “ adds camber, needs rear bar”
MiniMania perfor $298 .75 to 1.25
Eibach $350 1.2,” settles from 1 to 1.5 inch”, progressive
Apex/Moss $120
Dropzone 1.5” $130
M7 $260 1.5 progressive



Shocks
Koni Gold, FSD $600
Koni Yellow, adjustable $500
Bilstein Sport $500


Coilovers
Bilstein PSS10 $2250 twin adj 10 way [FONT=Verdana] GM5-D902-H0[/FONT]
Cross Coilover $2500 8K ft, 7K rear, linear, 60mm. “track”
Ebiach Multi Pro R1 $2400 60mm, adj 1.2 to 2.2 adj
Ebiach R2 $3000 Remote res. Adj
H&R Street $1300 .6 min. drop, progressive
H&R RSS Race stiff
Koni Coilover $1300 sku 1150-5079 look progressive
KW V1 $1500 230 Lb ( 4.2k ft and r.)
KW V2 $1800 sing adj look like 60mm, lin. Tenders ft.
KW V3 $2300 twin adj
Megan Racing 8Kft, 6K rear, adj, lin
M7 $1500 240 ft, 280 rear, (4.3K, 5K ) or custom gas, 2-adj,
Out Motoring $1600 Modified Koni yellow and 2.5 springs,
Vmax $650 Fronts may be progressive
Moton $13,000 real race parts

 

Ive also been reading this thread and doing some research and I still cant decide on which springs to get. I currently have a MCS with sport suspension and want to lower it at least 1.2". Any suggestions on springs that provide lowering while still having the comfort of a daily driver? Thinking about going with NMs but not sure anymore.

 

Go with NM springs, I have them on my car with stock non-sport suspension and they feel great. I love them.

 

Loco, Please be more specific. How does it react to sharp bumps in the corner? Does it still hop? How is the front to rear balance? What did it do the turn in? What tires/wheels and air pressure?

Of course, Gen 1 or 2, base or S, as we are talking 4 different original spring/shock combinations. Gen 2 S is far stiffer than the others.

 

I left off KYB has shocks, and of course the JCW option shocks.

 

Just drove an '10 base Clubman around some of the roads that upset my 09 S. The suspension is probably closer to proper street poise. Slightly soft, but closer. I would say closer than the S is harder. Makes me think the hot setup my be something like Bilsteins with base springs.
( I am thinking about a second one)

 

MINIWilly if your not concern about cost I will take some megan racing coilovers for my R56 thanks in advance.

 

Jumping to the end of the thread, but:
When changing my shocks, I noticed the OEM springs are not taper ground.
Old school lowering: Cut the spring! Thickness of the wire should drop the car about 3/4 of an inch. It also slightly raises the spring rate.

 

Uh, please.. NO!!

"Cutting My Springs"
sung to "My Favorite Things" (from "The Sound of Music")

Bright bluish fog lights and big yellow stickers
Turn up the volume my headlights will flicker
I think I look cool from the attention I bring...
Scraping the speed bumps from cutting my springs.

Large yellow shift lights on auto transmissions,
Speakers so loud that you'll scream in submission
My car really flies 'cause it has this big wing...
But nothing compares to me cutting my springs.

When the bull stops, when the money talks,
when I might lose face...
I suddenly remember what my car can't do
And then I refuse to race!

Day-glow orange shift ***** and whiteface temp gauges
Low profile tires make me think I'm courageous
Japanese characters, who knows what they mean?
They're part of the package from cutting my springs.

Coffee can mufflers and Calvin is peeing
People around me don't like what they're seeing
They're all just so jealous, for I am the king...
I rule the street after cutting my springs!

When the night falls, when the girls leave,
while I wait and wait...
If I'm such a stud after cutting my springs,
why can't I get a date?

 

@KevinC - that is one of the best things I have seen on here in a long time. Thanks for the laugh

 

OK, so trimming a spring is not sexy and not expensive. No products to add to my signature block. Without much trial and error (usually more than the cost of springs of course), what technical problem do you see?
We are talking here only a couple inches of wire so as not to affect taper.

I did not mention flat-sideing the wire to reduce spring rate. Another technique used back in the day. We are talking about "just cars". I would assume slotting my front shock towers would not be approved instead of spending $400 for plates that are too harsh or fall apart? I'm an engineer-type ( not a PE, don't want that confusion), so results is all that I am interested in.

I only mention these things as buying parts is not always the solution to every problem. Thinking can help. BTW, if I do lower MY car, I would probably buy NM's.

 

etlaj
After putting on Bilstein HD's on my S, no, the shocks are not OK. I am glad I changed them first. They are the root of the hop problem.

 

Um, so does anyone actually have the spring rates of the stock and JCW springs as well as the other aftermarket units?

 

As near as I have collected:


SPRINGS $list Drop Rate F, R features

Apex/Moss $120 Sorry, $30 a spring just can’t be good.
B&G S2 $210 1” “higher rates” progressive
Dropzone $130 1.5
Eibach $350 1.2,” 3.2 to 4.3 progressive
H&R $260 1.25” 4.9

Koni $230 1.2”
M7 $260 1.5 progressive
Mach V Technic $240 1.25” 5.1, 5.1 progressive

Mini R53 0 2.9, 2.9
Mini Base 0 3.2-ish?
Mini R56 0 4.9K–ish?
Mini JCW $420 .4”, lin (stiffer)
MiniMadness Sport $240 1 progressive
Mini Mania $280 1.2” looks prog
MiniMania perfor $298 1.25 stiffer
NM 1.2 $250 1.2” 3.7, 4.3 prog.
TSW $230 1, .75 4, 4.8 Linear

Tein-STECH $269 1.2, 1.1 3.8, 4.5 progressive “style”

Tien HTECH $225 .6, .5 3.7, 4.1 “luxury”
Swift Standard 60mm or 2 ½ springs for coilovers
4K 223 Lbs
5K 279 Lbs
6K 335 Lbs
7K 390 Lbs.
8K 446 Lbs.

1 lbs/in = 0.179 kg/cm
1 kg/cm = 5.588 lbs/in

1 lbs/in = 0.0179 kg/mm
1kg/mm = 55.88 lbs/in

 

hey dtsoccer6, I'm also looking to install the NM springs on my 09 MCS with 17" wheels but I have the Mini-Do-More hitch installation and I carry two bikes on the back of the car very often, I'm concern the 1.2" drop will be too much and the tires will rub. Have you driven your car with 3-4 people or maybe some luggage? What are your experiences with some weight on the car? thanks...

 

Hi I have a R56 MC with a jcw aero kit and with stock 15" rims. I got my new set of H&R Sport Springs and worried if it will scrape under or jcw aero kit. Do I have to remove the front under black difusser under the front bumper? Will that scrape? How do you remove that?

 

Just checking in... I've had my NM springs on stock struts for about 14k miles and I just now killed my left rear strut. My right strut is on it's way out too. Koni replacements will be here on Friday!

 

Thinking of getting a set of springs - have a choice between H&R and NM RSa. NMs seem to be more than double the price if the Marketplace is any guideline.

Any reason why? H&Rs seem to be just as good?

[edit] read through the thread and the positive comments on NM, but they are more than DOUBLE the price of the H&Rs in the buy/sell forums. What gives?

 

??

NM springs @ nm-eng.com: $249.99
H&R Sport springs @ outmotoring.com: $289.95

Prices elsewhere should be similar. Where are you seeing a huge discrepancy?

As for which to go with - nm engineering is actually part of APS, which is the parent company of Neuspeed. In other words, these guys have been doing this for a LONG time, being the original aftermarket provider for watercooled VWs, starting back in the early '80s. They do great work and produce quality products. Their springs are made for them by Gruber of Germany. H&R's reputation is beyond reproach. They make OEM products for many of Europe's finest cars, and have been well respected for a long time. Bottom line? Either is a good choice.