Hello all, i've purchased a set of Eibach lowering springs for my 2010 MC. These springs have been sitting in the house for almost a year now. I still can't make up my mind wether or not to install them.

Should i install them or not? What are your opinions? What are some pros and cons to install lowering springs? Is it worth it? Or should i just sell the springs and keep my MC stock?

Opinions please. Thanks.

 

what is your goal? in other words, what are you seeking to improve by means of the springs?

 

Lowering with springs is mostly for looks...
Ride may/may not worsen, but coilovers are really needed for better handling..
Speedbumps....potholes...inclines entering and leaving driveways..all can cause scraping...dodging raised manhole covers, dead animals, road debris....less clearance during the winter...more chance of getting stuck/high centered on a rut/snow, etc...but can look good...extra/excessive tire wear is possible...less suspension travel depening on the springs...so possible decrease in true handling...but some folks think firmer ride means better handling....
Rule of thumb, lowering springs are mostly for looks, coilovers are for performance and looks....also matains steering geomertry, to keep tire wear and handling ok...

 

yeh, i wanna do it just for the lowered looks.
Thanks Zippy for the info

 

Well, if you just want looks, sounds like a no-brainer. They will make it lower, so give it a shot. If you decide you don't like it, you can always take them off. Of course, if you're paying someone to do this for you, changing your mind can get expensive.

Personally I scrapped the lowering spring idea and decided to go all-out. Ordering ST Coilovers this week.

 

i bought the springs before i knew there were such things called "coilovers". haha but right now i am happy with stock struts and springs, i won't put the lowering springs on now, too many hassles, as Zippy mentioned above.

 

i really hate the gap between tires and body, maybe i can put larger diameter tires on my wheels?

 

If i were you, I'd sell the springs (they'll go fast in the marketplace.) and save up for some coilovers.

 

I think the idea of lowering a car that is already fairly low to the ground is crazy to me. I need a car that can be driven on roads in the real world but then again this is my daily driver, not my weekend car.

PERSONALLY I think it makes the car look like kind of a "ricer" and on a MINI it starts looking like a KIA SOL.

 

To each their own! Personally I am more interested in flat cornering and getting rid of body roll. The wheel gap does look a little goofy, but I'm not into the "slammed" look for my own car, either. Consensus seems to be lowering it an inch allows for optimal handling.

 

Just return/sell them. Without a doubt, the only way to lower the R56 is with coilovers. You get rid of all the wheel gap, ride quality is improved, and you'll have an amazing feeling/handling suspension because of it. I had lowering springs before my KW V2s and the difference is HUGE!

 

Really? The taller stock ride height makes the R56 look like a cross-over vehicle compared to the R53. A lowered MINI looks and handles incredibly well. It demands lowering

 

I've been considering lowering my new 2011 for a little while. The wheel gap is much more noticeable than on my previous '03. Would going from 16 wheels to 17s reduce the gap or is it all due to the suspension?

 

Bubble and Squeak, nah, i dont want my MC to be ground hugging, just lowered a little bit for looks, and maybe improve cornering. i don't like sitting too low, it is not comfortable and has potential for damage.

Countryboy Shane, i think i will do that, sell the springs and buy coilovers.

Chicago Cruzer, i put 17 inch s-lites on last year, and the gap was still very noticeable, then i thought about getting larger tires, only that would add more weight to the car making acceleration slower, so i decided to go back to 15 inch stock wheels and tires. Also having those s-lites on reduced fuel efficiency, very much, gone from 40ish to mid 30s.

Thanks for the info and advice everyone, i think i will go for coilovers now.

 

if you change wheels the gap is still the same but it dosen't look as bad. i am going for some TSW springs. I say SLAM it.

 

Its the suspension geometry that makes the R56 taller than the R53. Even if you go from 16" to 17" wheels the gaps is still big. Even 18"!

 

There is a thread on NAM about "Swift Springs". They will lower your car about 3/4". These springs have just been released about a week ago and at the moment I do not know of anyone who has purchased a set other than the original tester. If they work like other Swift reports they should be great. They are designed to use with your stock struts but an upgrade is always a good idea. Reports thus far from the testor and other cars that they are made for is that they ride as smooth as stock with enhanced cornering. Swift designs the spec R springs as a performance spring and not just a lowering spring as some other Mfg's do. They have spent a lot of time in developement.
Steve

 

Swifts are only for the first gen. :(

There is a lack of performance focused springs for this car unfortunately. The NM's seem good but a little too low for performance IMO. People report good results when paired with the Bilsteins though. The TSW's springs from Way may be an option too. I personally wouldn't bother putting springs on the stock shocks since they suck. Get some Bilsteins or Konis.

Just doing springs may not improve handling....the stiff ride and less body roll may make you think it's doing something right but in the real world there's a lot more to it than that. If you're focused on looks, have at it.

The main things needed for this car to handle better are better shocks (Koni Yellow or Bilstein), decent tires, and more camber in front and less in the rear. Springs may or may not help but will give you an "improved" look. Get rid of the s-lites as they are super heavy which is bad for everything.

Instead of shocks + springs you can go with GOOD coilovers (some are crap) but be prepared to spend some cash to get the good stuff.

- Andrew

 

The only thing changing wheel size will do is change the amount of wheel you see on the car. Since you mount tires that are roughly the same diameter regardless of wheel size the overall look of the wheels and tires inside the wheel arch should not be significantly different. If you started with a two inch gap with 16" wheels you should end up close to a two inch gap with 18" wheels.

 

Coilovers are not the only way to gain the handling improvements of higher-rate springs and better dampers. You can install any of the many shorter, stiffer (but still progressive-rate) springs, along with better dampers such as Koni or Bilstein. The cost will approach that of lower-end coil overs, and you'll also need adjustable rear lower control arms. Coilovers do allow you to set the ride height, corner-weight the car if you're really serious, and to choose different spring rates among fixed-rate springs. I had them on a previous car, and have gone the springs-and-dampers only route on the Mini. Both will make major improvements in the handling of the Mini.

 

get aftermarket struts...you'll blow the stock ones out i bought mine from a dealer who thought it was "sport suspension" clearly he was wrong...the struts were so shot

 

Thank all of you for the insights. Coilover it is!

 

Shameless plug here, I just ordered my ST coilovers through TheSuspensionSource yesterday and was really impressed with the service. Gave me a good price and had it on a FedEx truck within a few hours.

Here's a thread on the coilovers if you want to see some pics, etc

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...coilovers.html

 

andyroo
If you go to this link

http://www.facebook.com/swiftsprings

and pan down past the R53 you will see a picture of red swift springs that states Swift is releasing springs for the MINI R53 and R56. I am not sure if they released them at the same time as the R53's but they are saying that they will be making them.
Steve

[QUOTE=andyroo;3378664]Swifts are only for the first gen. :(

 

If you don't mind scraping on the occasional ridge or obstacle, then lower your car. It will certainly look nice between incidents.