Let me know the setups you're running and how it handles. Also let me know if it's a track only MINI or a daily driver. And let me know how long you've had the setup for. (Some companies have improved upon older models and might be better now). I'm looking to replace my stock suspension with a coilover system that will be a daily driver along with auto-xing next year. I just want to get an idea on what setups everyone is using and how they like it. I have an '05 MCS (R53).

Here's what I want to know:

1. Model Year
2. MC/MCS/JCW
3. Tracked/Daily Driver/Both
4. Suspension Setup
5. Linear/Progressive Spring (and spring rates for front and rear)
6. Monotube/Twintube
7. Ease of Rebuild (if you can rebuild it)
8. Is the ride height adjustable from the lower strut mount?
9. Price
10. How long have you been using this setup for?
11. Feedback (the good, the bad, and the ugly!)
12. Pics of your setup on your MINI!

 

1. 03
2. MCS
3. Driven like I stole it daily
4. BC coilovers, Hotchkis 27mm front sway, Alta 22mm rear sway, Hotchkis upper and lower camber arms. Powergrid endlinks front and rear. BSH Street lower. Megan roll center adjusters. Forge STB
5. linear(I think), 8k,6k
6. Monotube
7. you cannot rebuild them, but for $100, BC sells new tubes I have heard
8. ride height adjustable
9. $999 for the BC's
10. 2 weeks in use
11. BC's are adjustable dampening. I have them on 5 clicks from softest, out of 32 clicks, otherwise bumps will start to throw you out of your seat. I run them with about .75" lowering, but can go 22mm lower. I like them, came with adjustable camber plates, so that was a big selling point for me. Others have said that they are a little too harsh, but at the setting I have them at, I find it acceptable for the driving I do. Body roll is a thing of the past.
12. No pics of what it looks like from the side, but check here for pics of the install

 

1. 2004
2. MCS
3. Tracked/Daily Driver
4. BC Racing coilover (the rear use the OEM rubber mount which makes it the 1st version i think), H&R 19mm rear sway bar, Hotchkis rear lower control arms, powerflex lower engine mounts, powerflex front control arms (to be installed by the weekend)
5. Linear Spring 8kg front 6kg rear (BC Racing springs)
6. Monotube
7. you can buy the dampers separately. a big plus
8. ride height adjustable
9. $1100 shipped to the Philippines
10. have had it for 1 and a half years
11. so far so good

 

Both are nice setups! Love the suspension adventure Raven! That's kinda like what I'm going through right now with my MINI. I'm trying to decide on a suspension setup right now. I checked the forums and although there is a nice thread on all the different kinds of suspension kits you can get, it doesn't really have any feedback. It's more or less just a list. Feedback is the most important thing because you could buy one kit and realize it wasn't worth the money you spent on it or it could have been the best thing since sliced bread! I take a lot of consideration in what everyone says here, and if someone doesn't like something, they should let us know!

 

1. 2004
2. MCS Works
3. SCCA Autocross/Daily Driver
4. H&R Coil Over, H&R 19mm rear sway bar, Hotchkis rear lower control arms, Webb camber plates
5. Progressive - H&R does not quote the rates
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html...UCT_ID=50417-2
6. Monotube
7. rebuildable in theory
8. ride height adjustable via threaded spring perch
9. $2,500 for the parts and labor (including corner weighting of course_
10. five years
11. fabulous. 1.15 G on street tires, National Tour trophy in STX, Regional titles, but yet a streetable daily driver.

 

cmt52663, nice setup! Congrats on the victories with your MINI!

Lets keep the posts coming!!!

 

1. 2005
2. MCS
3. Daily Driver/Autocross
4. HR RSS Clubsport, Alta 19mm rear swaybar on stiff, Omp upper sturt bar
5. Progressive * H&R does not quote the rates
6. Monotube
7. Hopefully
8. Ride height adjustable via threaded spring perch
9. 1400$ w/out shipping
10. Almost 1week / 250miles
11. Awesome , I used to drive the Mini with maxtrac springs and oem shocks, seemed ok.. I thought oem shocks work quite enough but after 10k miles it felt me that it does not enough on the cornering and the high speed braking. After coilovers installed, differences ve made me feel safe and happy. My mini is just so damn quick on sideways
12. I will post them later

 

1. 06
2. MCS
3. Daily Driver/auto x
4. Koni yellows, TSW linear rate springs, IE Street adj. camber plates, H-Sport 22mm rear swaybar, H-Sport lower rear control arms, M7 upper strut bar, and TSW X-Brace
5. Linear (I think 200lb, but don't quote me)
6. Monotube
7. Koni's can be rebuilt but they have to be sent away
8. there is no ride height adjustment
9. $2011
10. 3 years
11. I'm pretty happy with the set up, my only complaint is not being able to adjust the koni's w/o removing them from the car. If I were to do it all over again, I'd look very hard at some of the higher end coilover options (Cross, KW etc.)

 

not to dilute the thread, but any strong opinions out there on the progressive versus linear question?

i've been told that progressive can be harder to drive at the limit as the variations in the rate of weight transfer offer the driver a more complex task

or to put it another way, progressives can feel tricky?

damned if i know as i've not driven both.

and now back to the op's most interesting poll - more respondents?

 

Linear springs are more predictable than progressive springs and generally are the more performance minded set-up. Generally less roll as well as there is no softer initial progression. In a correctly done set-up with good travel and proper valving, ride quality can be good too. Progressive springs generally do ride a little smoother.

However on the OEM struts, since there isn't much travel and the bumpstops play a very large part in the suspension, they add another progressive spring rate to the equation and the car will ALWAYS have an overall progressive wheel rate even if you are on linear OEM or aftermarket springs. Coilovers generally have smaller bumpstops and more travel so the overall rate will be more linear (when you're using linear coilover springs).

- Andrew

 

thanks andyroo, that was a nice lesson in the trade offs.

 

a pic of mine



a pic from my buddy with Koni Coilover on the lowest setup

 

1) 2006
2) MCS
3) Daily Driver
4) 19mm rear bar on stiffest setting, IE fixed camber plates, TSW lowering springs, OEM Struts, H-Sport adjustable lower control arms, M7 USS, M7 Strut Brace, MM PSA, & H&R 15mm wheel spacers front and rear.
5) Linear Springs
6) monotube (OEM)
7) Guess so
8) No
9) Lost count
10) last parts on about 6 monts ago
11) Good ride, no dip in turns (like a tank). Still have a little understear with 1.6 camber in front and 0 camber in back.

 

2003
MSC JCW
Used to be daily, just use it time to time now
KW V2, used to have BC's but changed them out as they were to hard for me