Is it possible to stiffen the R53 suspension without dropping the car? I have some slight rubbing with my new wheels & I'd like to reduce the travel in the rear suspension, but I don't want to change the ride height. From what I can tell, all stiffer springs will lower the car to some degree. A rear sway bar would help in the turns, but not on bounce-inducing bridges or compression dips. Coilovers would help, but they're pricey and most would still drop the car.

Should I try sport shocks instead? If paired with stock springs, would I be able to maintain the stock ride height? Is that a wise combination?

Should I simply try new stock shocks & springs? I have 82,000+ miles on the originals...they seem to be functioning fine, but maybe they've gradually worn out?

 

Bump....

 

You could run the CO's at full height, but they are going to cost you.

With 82K your OEM struts are near the end if not already there and your springs are doing most of the work. For a tight budget I'd replace the struts with a OEM replacement, many NAM vendors sell them, or just google them. Take note if the OEM replacement struts don't come with top nuts go get some before taking the MINI apart because the OEM nuts don't always fit the OEM replacement. This would be a great time to do your rear sway bar too since you will have most of the rear parts out to the way.

I bet your front top hats are toast too and so are the front lower rear control bushings.

FYI, we had a MINI in the shop this week with only 54K and the OEM Struts were toast. This is in large part for two reasons, the roads in his area of Chicago have been really bad for years and his driving style, I think he thinks it's an SUV, based on body and under car damage. We had to replace his front hubs at 35K and also did the bushings last week too.

 

Are you rubbing on the inside or the outside? I run 225/45/17 and get no rubbing. I think the trick in my case have been my stock s-lite have a +50 offset keeping them away from the outside. If that is where the are rubbing then simply adding a bit of camber would probably be all you need. If you rub on the inside then some spacers could do the job.

 

I have 38mm offset BBS wheels with a 5mm spacer up front and have never had a rubbing problem in 160,000 miles.

...JCW springs and either Koni yellow single adjustable or bilstein is a nice stock-ish combo. The JCW spring will drop ride height by about 10-13mm - a half inch.

 

Vorshlag built me some Coilovers (ast's) with an extra long shaft so I can raise the car to higher then stock height if I so wish (for the targa newfoundland) and also lower it about an inch if I so wish. They'll build and valve for whatever spring rate you want. See the post litterally right above this.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...with-pics.html

 

Bracing is the only way that I know of to stiffen the car without lowering. Also, a roll cage or stitch welding the chassis would do the trick, yet not as cost effective.

 

A spacer on the rear top mount may be all you need .

I have made some custom 3/8 inch ones for a cust.

Think MM sells them now

That doesnt fix any issues or needs other that raising the back end up