I have used both progressive rate and linear rate on my car for autox. The car was terrible on the progressive springs, it would turn in nice, but as the the car settled on the springs, it would go into snap oversteer. Ask anyone who watched me at the MOTD autox this year....Honestly, I wasn't trying to put on a drift show! Same exact setup, with linear springs made the car 10X nicer to drive, and much faster.

FWIW, in addition to linear springs, I am also running r-compound tires, a 22mm rear bar and roughly 2.25 deg negative camber up front. I use all three adjustment positions on the rear bar, depending on the conditions of the autox course. Playing with the rear bar and tire pressures, I can make the car an oversteering beast or a tame driver with some lift throttle oversteer.
Jason

 

That's kinda what I was thinking would happen... The final rate on H-sport springs is over 50% more than front. Definitely don't want that if it's anything like you describe.

I wonder why more people don't make linear springs? Cheaper to make, safer to drive on, better handling characteristics...

 

Coil overs is the answer if you are looking for ultimate adjust ability. A waste of money for a street car. Alignment, sway bar and shock settings can cure your under steer. A little toe out in the rear and stiffer compression helps your rotation. Softening your front bar gives you better corner exit bite and cures the push. The end result is a well balanced car.

 

CO's certainly would be the ultimate answer, but I just don't have the funds. And it'd be mostly wasted too, since the car will probably see no more than a handful of autoX events each season.

 

If I disliked driving the MINI, I think I would get something else as soon as I could. Save yourself some headaches. Sell the MINI to someone who wants it, and get yourself a Miata or ___(?).

You just sound like you have been or want be a roadster (read "engine-behind-the-FWs-and-RWD") guy. Nothing wrong with that. Every configuration has strengths and weaknesses. And every driver has preferences. Why should you drive around (on the street or AutoX or anywhere) in a car you don't like driving?

 

Come to the CARTCT AX on the 19th and learn, it doesn't plow super bad, especially if you jack up the pressure on the rear tires.

 

It's certainly not that I don't enjoy driving the MINI - In fact I'd even venture to say that I enjoy driving it as much as my pride-and-joy 240Z that was built largely with my own 2 hands. It's just that I've never associated FWD with high performance is all. Based on what I've experienced thus far, this car is going to be a real eye-opener.

Case-and-point: I was getting on one of my favorite on-ramps the other evening, and I predictably found myself going way too fast (seems to happen a lot in this car...). I didn't have a chance to glance over at the spedo, but I was probably 10mph faster than my established "safe" speed for this particular corner. As I started into the corner, I could really feel the front end of the car loading up, and I was just waiting for it to start to slide. I didn't want to brake as that would have upset the chassis for sure, so I just gently rolled off the throttle to let a little speed bleed off. To my great surprise, the rear of the car actually started to rotate just a weeee bit. Needless to say, I was impressed. Even my RWD cars probably would have understeered momentarily in that situation. 22mm RSB FTW!

I'll have to do some experimentation in a safer environment, like autoX, but thus far things look promising! This chassis definetly seems to produce a lot of overall grip...

 

Oh man, you can generate a LOT of grip - we routinely see 1.2's sustained on street tires and 1.45 G's on r-comps. And, one of our customers has seen 1.7 G's on r-comps at Road Atlanta...

 

1.2G sustained on street tires? With what suspension setup? That's almost Elise-level grip! Damn!

 

so, in an autoX, you get faster time with linear springs compared to progressive because of the predictability of linear springs/

 

The predictability should theoretically make the car easier to drive... Which basically means you have the potential to make it go faster without an increased risk of loosing control.

At least that's what I've gotten from this thread thus far.

 

Z06C5R: yeah, keyword being theoretically. i guess it would be too far fetched to ask someone who has tried his/her Mini in an autoX using progressive AND linear springs in the same day (swapping springs at the event itself) for a real comparison when it comes to lap times

is it that obvious that i have progressive springs in my Mini? Eibach pro-kit springs (in my Mini), H&R and Tein are the options available to Mini owners here in the Philippines

 

Every suspension part we have... our coilovers, camber plates, adjustable endlinks, rear swaybar, etc.

Cornerweighted - 50/50 cross
-2.7 degrees camber front
-1.5 degrees camber rear
0 toe front
slight toe in rear

225/45R16 Hankook RS-2's on 16x7 OZ Ultraleggeras (+37 ET and our BBK spaces the fronts out another 4mm)

 

After optimizing geometry (camber) for grip, and RC (for geometric roll control), sport springs and dampers offer the driver more control, not more grip...grip, afterwhich, is a function of tire compound...all else equal.

And in some cases, control may overshadow the need for higher grip.

 

At an autox this past Sunday me and a friend did a little checking on lat G's and this is what we found.

My set up: H-sport lower springs (progresswive rate) control arms adj RASB adj camber plates and 205/50 15" 615's

My friends set up: Cross coilovers control arms adj RASB and 225/40 16" Dizera's

The best lateral G he could pull on course was 1.07.
My best was 1.08.

The tires have alot to do with the outcome of this info, but the results would suggest that I have gotten used to the springs. BTW I will be switching to the Cross coilovers for the spring series, not that I have any issues with the springs I just want the adjustability of the Cross CO under my baby. Besides I need new cartriges for the struts (I have a bad one on the drivers rear) which keeps me from putting down what little power I have to the ground on right hand sweepers.