I would get the camber plates. But then it seems as though you really want to keep the car comfortable. I never really thought about the stock plates being easier of the shaft and seals, but I guess it would. LOL.

If your reasons are to keep the ride less jarring, I think it might be a good option to get the shocks without plates, although keep in mind that the shock does not directly dampen the squish in the rubber on the tophats. Some might feel it being bouncy.

If your only reason for not going with plates is to be easier on the shaft seals, then I would suggest you just get the plates. Ohlins are pretty well known for their shock head design and are durable to begin with, and they usually use a viton shaft seal over the cheap rubber seals that other lower end shocks would use. Druability is the least of your worries. Just get them setup properly for what you want and forget it. Camber adjustment is also essential on any car.

Just my .02

 

I readjusted my Tarret sway bar I think it was way too stiff locking up the rear suspension somewhat. It seems better now not so abrupt.I think I'll hold off on the Ohlins for now.

 

yeah I still daily drive on the Spec R and I dont really think they are jarring at all. I think its fairly comfortable. I figured it was just me being used to harsher rides. I dont think you should have a problem with them though.

 

I was under the impression that the Ohlins came with a top mount (metal with pillowball), just one that is not camber adjustable.

 

I've heard both stories so I don't know . I've seen photos of Ohlins with Ohlins top hats but still don't know if the BMSMI20's come with them

 

If the shocks are anything like the Ohlins on my bike, you will be rebuilding them in about 15K miles. Just saying, it's a race car part, it requires race car care and feeding.

 

yikes

 

I wouldn't worry about that for their street car stuff...it lasts.

 

Just thought I would post an update on the Ohlins:

I have been at the track monthly putting these Ohlins through the paces since the beginning of the year, and I am AMAZED at how good these coilovers are!!

I highly recommend them. This is, hands down, the best handling MINI I have had the pleasure to drive (and I have driven a lot of them). You pay a bit more, but they are worth it! Coupled with the Vorshlag camber plates, big rear sway and some sticky rubber you can't go wrong!

 

Guys the shock bodies on the Ohlins system is aluminium or steel? Also these are inverted monotubes front and rear?

 

Aluminum. And yes they are inverted for easy adjustability!

 

What tyres are you using in the track? I am a bit sceptic about the spring rates, they look a bit soft?
When you are breaking hard getting to a corner, does it lift a lot at the back? And dive at the front?

 

Hey guys, can you please tell me if these will fit the R55 - the Ohlins site only specifies r56 2007 and on

 

Nick we have information on these on the RMW forum. we talked about them and determined that they were too soft for the application
and not worth the money.

 

For now i am just reading Colin, i am trying to gather as much information as i can for each system. My application this time is not the track, but everyday performance, but i don't want to be dissapointed even those 2 times a year i will be in the track. Btw, i have already read about the Ohlins in the RMW forum.

 

can this used on the R56 LCI model?

 

To answer a couple of the questions:

I got introduced to the Ohlins by reading the RMW forums also, just depends on what you need.

If the MINI is "track dedicated" then of course there is much more room for a higher spring rate, especially in the rear.... but if you want a great compromise between street and track, the Ohlins are the best quality for the price and overall best simplistic approach (single adjustable, inverted, etc.) I have found.

I amazed at how much I can make the rear rotate with just simple adjustments at the damper and a bigger rear sway bar. Is this the ideal way to tune a race car suspenison? Absolutely not, but I drive this thing on the street too! It is always about compromise, but this is the best compromise around, hands down.

I experience no adverse diving or lifting of front or rear with the dampers in their aggressive track setting. The 1 inch lower ride height helps too. I run the Hankook RS3's, so again a great tire, but still a compromise to full race rubber.

And to answer the other question, yes they fit the R56 LCI because my car is a 2012.

 

Why would anyone spend $4000 dollars on shocks that aren't right from the start?

 

They are "right" for my application...street and track. In fact, the best crossover application in my opinion to date.

I only paid $2400 for my Ohlins.

 

You are correct, it was another that quoted $4000 out the door. You paid $2400+ $460 for camber plates and springs that were wrong and you are happy. That is all that matters. I had the opportunity of riding in a Mini with Ohlins. It was springy and was slow to rotate with the spring rates that come standard in the kit. The customer had to change them out to get the proper rotation. I guess if thats what you are looking for its probably the best out there. Forgive me for thinking that if I'm spending that kind of money I would expect the kit to be complete.

 

With all respect, your criticism of the Öhlins really isn't a fair one, starting with your use of the word "complete". The setup is called "Road and Track" for a reason, from the factory its a compromise between a road and track capable setup, with the compromises inherent in such. Its frankly naive to think, regardless of how much you spend, that a setup will ever be "complete" out of the box. There are simply too many variables for each end user for any manufacturer to make a "perfect" or "complete" setup. But that is the advantage of an adjustable coilover system, you have the ability and, with a good setup, the flexibility to fine tune it to make it complete for you. Spring rate changes, valving changes, etc. all possible.

In regards to your experience with that mini's rotation and springiness, you need to realize that there are so many ways to get this car to rotate and just because that particular car that you drove didn't rotate, does not make it the fault of the Öhlins. One can set up a bone stock car to rotate very aggressively with an alignment and tyre pressures. And one can, naturally, set up any coilover system to do the same. And conversely, you can set up a $20,000 coilover setup to understeer like a pig and rotate like a bus. Do you know what the alignment specs were on the mini you drove? In regards to springiness, do you know what the dampers were set at? What sort or tyres and pressures were being run? Tyres with soft sidewalls can feel much more springy on the same damper setting as a tyre with stiffer sidewalls (due to the soft carcass functioning as an undamped spring element). Using stock rubber top mounts over solid/rose joint/pillow ball will also contribute to a bouncy ride (undamped rubber spring again). And, of course, setting the dampers improperly. Oftentimes people just crank up the damping (leading to a bouncy ride) thinking that the go kart, darty feel is faster. Most of the time, its not.

I hope you can see my point. There are so many possible factors that contribute to why that car drove the way it did. I understand that one would think that, for that kind of money, it would be a set and forget, blessed by god, perfect solution. That isn't, however, what you are paying for when you step up to a damper system like this. You're paying for the valving technology, material quality and, naturally, the brand name. Many vendors, when dropping this kind of coin on coilovers will oftentimes install the spring rates of your choice free of charge. You just need to know what you want. Respectively, be knowledgeable enough to know why you want a different spring rate (or valving).

 

Well said. Having had these Ohlins for about 2 weeks now, I do not regret picking these up. I think the compromise is so ideal for my driving. I daily this MINI and I take it to the track whenever I can, which at times is once a month, to once every 3-4 months.

To be able to enjoy the daily ride on the comfort setting and then switch it to a more aggressive beyond the spring rate has been a huge plus in my book. I enjoyed 2 Megan coilovers prior to the Ohlins, and I will say I will never look back. Megans on the softest setting was still bone jarringly rough and with these Ohlins, it's a dream cloud in some of the roughest roads in LA/Hollywood.

I love this suspension and those that say they'd rather do V3, AST, or JRZ or something, I do hope you're tracking them often to justify the stiffer ride.

 

Great to hear! Yes, LA roads are crap, especially say, around the Echo Park/Los Feliz area! Throw in the short wheelbase of the Mini. Ouch.

Most suspension setups are a compromise, whether it be the OEM or an aftermarket. There is always a target group for which it will be designed. I'm really glad that you can make a direct comparison between the Megans and the Öhlins. Its often wondered, why spend the extra $$$ when you can buy the Megan/BC's for under a grand? Your experience in ride quality is one of those reasons. However, its beyond just the comfy ride. The Mini has fairly limited travel, and getting the damper to work within that short range is not an easy thing to do. To be supple and controlled with such a short stroke is a testament to the quality and engineering behind that valving. IMO, its worth paying the extra for that level of engineering.

 

Yes definitely. I was out in Rancho Palos Verdes for a wedding and the roads got really bumpy and unsettling. Had I gone through the same bit of road on the Megans, the fiancee and I would have been cringing and hating the ride out to the resort, but the Ohlins absorbed all the bumps and we both looked at each other and knew it was a sound investment with this 3rd iteration on my suspension change.

 

The Ohlins R&T are one of the best "do it all" suspensions I've had experience with....and that includes AST, JRZ, KW, Moton, Bilstein, etc. All of which are very good as well.

At 2400 bucks these are a smokin' deal. It is odd that they come with fixed camber plates and I would prefer slightly different spring rates, but I wouldn't cry about it since these are 3500 bucks for EVOs and STis.

- Andrew