So here it is. Been in talks with Swift for their springs for a while. Been kind of busy on my end and I know that they also have a lot going on.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Swift-...56067024448693

Finally being made. I have had a few prototypes made but we decided on this setup and the finalized version is being sent to me here shortly.

It drops the car an inch all around.
Front-5kg/mm
Rear- 5.5kg/mm

I will post picture of it installed once I receive them and get them installed.


ps. They also instructed me to ask you facebook users to add them or friend them or something.
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This is how the car currently sits with the Swift Springs, The tire size is 215/45/17.
The wheels are Buddyclub Kuroki wheels, they are 17x7.5 45 offset. The cool thing about these wheels is that they are one of the few that can clear my big brake kits. I used to sport the FN01RC but even though they were similar sizes it would hit. Anyways if you are looking for a relatively light weight wheel at about 17lbs. and low cost. This is definitely the route you should go.






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I recently returned from the track this weekend.

I drove the car on Willow Springs International Speedway. My favorite tidbit about this track is that it is a very high speed course. I have done several track days with these springs on it but those events were held at Streets of Willow, Horse Thief Mile, and Chuckwallah, which are all much more technical in comparison.

I feel that I need to post that the suspension feel is completely different even with the same setup from a tight, technical course transferring to a high speed course. In a high speed setting the car has to be steady and cornering speeds are capped off by the work of suspension and tires. So for those of you who are looking to decrease laptimes instead of super late braking for the tight corners, setting yourself up for the high speed corners will make the biggest impact.

The Mini clocked a 1.39 which is extremely impressive. This Mini was without a doubt, one of the fastest cars out there. The road was slightly wet in the morning, but it dried up as the day went on. If you have ever driven Big Willow before, you would know where a 1:39 would rank and how impressive it is for a car with the settings I used. The kicker is that I was running on 300 treadwear all season tires. The car was tuned by Revolution Mini the day prior before I headed over to the track. As for engine performance, I have the RMW Cylinder head, Shorty Header, and an Magnaflow exhaust. (15% pulley for those curious)

The suspension is very confidence inspiring. The cornering speeds were much quicker than most of the cars out there. The rear end of the car is extremely controllable and the understeer is very minimal, the Mini is really neutral and very controllable through the corners.

The one thing that held the Mini back is the open differential. The revs jumped on certain corners where I took a little too much load off of the inside front wheel. Ultimately, I had to change my lines from what I would typically run, in attempt to keep both wheels planted. A limited slip differential would have drastically improve my laptimes (which I have, but have not installed yet).
More obvious would be running an aggressive tire, which would pretty much turn this Mini into something else.

I was driving in the advanced group so I was the only 4 cyclinder car at the event. All the rest were Corvettes, Vipers, Porsches, and BMW's. I was also the only one on all-seasons while everyone else was on r-compounds. At the start of the day the Mini was by far the fastest car out on the track, but as their r-compounds warmed up they were pushing out quicker and quicker laptimes eventually over taking the Mini. I was about the 4th quickest car out on the track, as there were 2 Vipers, and an E36 (E46M3 motor swap) that ended up clocking faster times. However, the long list of cars that were behind the Mini was a sight to see.

I stated earlier that the springs were good enough for track use, but I'd like to modify that statement a bit. The springs even with stock shocks will outperform many cars out there with coilovers, but the adjustability of a coilover is always nice to have. All in all, these springs performed beyond my expectations out of the box.

 

If the link would work...

I'm definitely interested in the springs!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Swift-...448693?sk=wall

 

I think it works now.... weird.

 

interesting.....any word on what the price would be?

 

Just emailed them. They will let me know shortly.

 

K just got word back. MSRP is about 399.
Street price is about 300 dollars.

 

Anyone know how these stack up against the TSW springs as far as rates and drop?

 

From the rates published at the top of this thread, I would think that these are slightly stiffer than the TSW, though I could be wrong.

The drop on these is certainly slightly more than the TSW. My TSW springs maxed out my drop at 3/4 of an inch, whereas these should lower a car 1 inch all around. I am tempted to try these out once they hit the shelves.

Does anyone run the Tein springs here? I would be interested to see how the Tein and Swift do against one another in head to head comparison. SUpposedly, the Tein gives even more drop, but at a much higher spring rate.

 

I have the dyno numbers for TSW springs somewhere around here. So I can post them up when I find the numbers. Also Tein springs do drop more but do not have rates that are stiffer than Swifts. TSW would be more of a competition than Tein. But from what I remember the TSW spring rates were a little weird. I will post up the numbers when I have time.

 

Why did they go with a progressive spring in the rear? By the way the R53 TSW spring were advertised as 200 lb./in front and rear.

 

ninjlao
I don't know if you would have this information but I would be curious to know how these rates would compare to the JCW springs on a GP. I know that the JCW springs came in three different specs depending on your MINI configuration. I'm sure all the U.S. GP's came with the same specs but I do not know anyone that has ever tested them for spring rates and also how consistant they were. Any help in this area would be appreciated.
Thanks, Steve

 

I dont have the rates for the GP springs, but feel free to send them to me and I can get them measured out for you.

No the TSW springs are sure enough linear springs (not very consistent but a linear rate at least), but for some reason I believe the rear rates ended being slightly softer than the stock mini rates. I will have to upload the chart onto my photobucket and then post it up.

 

What did you ever measure the stock rates at?

 

TSW measured the R53 stock rates at 165 f/r. All the spring rate info is in the old TSW lowering spring thread from about 3 years ago.

 

Are these springs made for factory shocks or aftermarket shocks?

 

You can use them for both

$399 is pretty steep by the way, $300 is stretching it even.. I was hoping to see something between $225-250

I guess I'll go with the Cobra springs for now, I was recently offered a pair at a very low price.. And I wouldn't have to have them sent to me across the ocean, saves a heap of money in transport.

 

300 isn't bad for springs. I'm always surprised how cheap some go for in the Mini world. 279 to 350 is really about average for quality springs for many other vehicles.

I personally wouldn't waste my time with factory shocks with these springs. Get Koni Yellow or Bilstein Sports. I would get these springs if i literally didn't just put tein h-techs on my car, though i'm still tempted.

- Andrew

 

Yes the springs from Swift generally are not cheap. If you're looking to purchase springs strictly to drop your vehicle then these springs are probably not what you're looking for. These springs can be considered a cheaper alternative to coilover suspension units with the setup carefully tested.

In my opinion they are not expensive at all. If you have saved up 225-250 for a set of lowering spring I dont see what the problem is to save another 50-75 dollars for quality springs that are pretty much going to be on your vehicle for the life of it.

 

These are the numbers from my roehrig. Anyways you can see that the rear spring on the TSW is linear but the problem is that it is sure enough softer than the stock. Also the front is progressive on the TSW spring.
The worst part about the TSW spring is that after one full compression on the dyno and both front and rear spring sagged. But from most the springs I've tested for the Mini, these would come out as one of the better ones.

 

Interesting, thanks. The TSW springs don't look bad but these Swifts definitely seem a lot more aggressive. Those are some serious rates. Have you ridden on them?

It is interesting that I've seen so many different rates for the stock springs posted.

- andrew

 

Please tell more about how each inch of travel in the test relates to spring use in operation on the vehicle. I know for the front stock springs, the first .75 inch is preload, the next 1.5 - 2 inch is vehicle weight, and the next 2 inch or less is available compression before the bump stops enter the picture, and it can't be much more before coil bind. In reality there never is more than 3.5 inches total travel available on the stock struts.

The effect of sag on available travel is often overlooked. If Swift's conventional springs are anything like their coilover versions, there will be no sag or spring set of significance, and the higher rates won't feel the same as other makes of the same rate.

 

I dont really understand. I believe it's the lingo that you are using. I dont understand the sag on available travel.

I have the data for the shocks and available stroke and everything, but I still dont understand clearly what you are trying to say.

Its a shot in the dark but I believe you might be talking about the amount of preload in relation to the amount the spring sags changing the ride characteristics of the vehicle? Generally speaking the sagging of the spring of course will decrease the travel but feel wise it will not change as long as there is enough available stroke. Generally speaking, preloading the spring only changes the feel of the vehicle under a few conditions that I can think of. One is preloading the spring to the point beyond the weight of the vehicle makes any difference to the spring at static height. and number 2 would be to preload the spring to the point in which the vehicles usable rebound stoke is affected. I may be missing something but let me know what your trying to say. Obviously english is not my strong suit.

 

Once a spring has sagged (maybe I should call it sacked) to a point where it no longer returns to the original free height, the effective range for that spring's involvement, is no longer the same. It can't use the same rebound stroke it once had.

The preload I referred to is in regard to the stock spring which is compressed .75 inch by the upper spring perch when the hat is bolted down.

It would appear from my measurements spring compression beyond 4 inches isn't relevant to the stock strut, even if the bump stop is cut in half. From your graph it looks like the stock spring rate rises when it's needed most to avoid bottoming the shock. It probably raises hell with the shock's damping curve though. However, I'm asking for help in interpreting the data.

 

Isn't it the case that vehicle weight puts the car essentially on the bumpstops? Around 2.5 inches bump travel including the bumpstop at stock ride height?

- Andrew

 

Anyone get these yet?