I would get an alignment after installing the ohlins. You will want to get a nice setup for your car and anticipated use. If you decided to get new front strut mounts (vorshlag or otherwise), adding significant front camber will add significant front toe, which can tear up tires quickly.

When I put on my TSW springs (supposedly 3/4" lower than stock), my toe was out quite a bit in front. Rear toe did not really change, but camber did. What this means is that you can put the suspension in, drive it a little bit (around the block, hit a few bumps to settle everything in), and then see if that is the ride height that you like. I would avoid driving too much before getting an alignment.

There are plenty of threads asking about alignments. My opinion, 1-1/2 deg neg camber and minimal toe in (1 mm total) front and rear for a daily driver.

You spent good money for some fantastic suspension parts, the alignment is the last step that you need, don't skip it.

Have fun,
Mike

 

I plan on getting an alignment right after I install my Ohlins, problem is I don't know of any suspension specialty shops in South Orange County other than Firestone and my local Mini dealer that charges $179 for an alignment which is crazy! I need to find a shot that specializes in suspension because most of the shop around here aren't trained on non-stock setups (example H-Sport lower control arms).

Any recommendations nearby?

 

EAS in Anaheim. They know their stuff.

 

EAS it is then, the Yelp reviews are excellent. I pass by Anaheim on my way home from my brother's house who has tons of tools for the job.

Thanks ra2fanatic!

 

Yea EAS has done really good job on some of the things I've had them do on the MINI. They installed my StopTechs and those guys like to track also so they're pretty awesome.

 

My Ohlins Road & Track coilovers arrives tomorrow and I got myself in a pickle. Today I purchased a Craftsman 20-PC Go-Thru Ratchet set and it seems the 13/16th fits tightly around the strut nut, that's great for dis-assembly of the OEM struts. I'm going to need a strut nut sockets for the Ohlins 12mm (Rear) & 14mm (Front) according the Ohlins PDF. Does anyone know where I can buy strut nut sockets locally?

Sears didn't have strut nut sockets.

Appreciate any assistance!

 

I have these ones

http://www.ecstuning.com/News/Schwab...22mm_24mm_Kit/

However, these only go down to 18mm. Most of the nuts are large, usually 21 or 22mm. The sizes you quote seem really small.

 

I have confirmed that the Ohlins are indeed M12 top nut for rear shock and M14 for front strut, so I need to find M12 & M14 strut top nut sockets. I have no clue where to find them? Those M21-M22 at ESC Tuning are useless to me if for some reason I was to re-install the stock struts and shocks which I don't see happening.

Also in the instructions I'm supposed to tighten the top nylon nut to 40Nm or 29.5ft/lbs.

Look at how small, almost the same diameter as the shaft it goes onto.

 

Not to be harsh or anything, but if you don't have a set of metric sockets, and a torque wrench, why are you doing any work on the car?


When a bolt or nut is classified as a M12 or M14 or Mxxx That is the diameter of the threads, not the size of the wrench. So a M14 nut will likely need a 17 or 19mm or maybe bigger socket.


At a minimum, you need a set of wrenches and sockets from 8mm-19mm with a 21, 22, and a 27 for good measure. (27 is for the oil filter cap) Plus extensions, swivels, adapters..


I've got tools in 1/4" drive, 3/8", and 1/2" drive in most of those sizes, along with impact sockets. And torque wrenches in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2...


That's the one thing my wife of almost 30 years doesn't argue with me about, buying tools...lol

 

How easy would it be to grind an opening into a regular deep wall socket?

My brother has all the tools I'll ever need, torque wrenches, 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" ratchets with a hundred sockets mm and standard. Drill press, grinding tools and homemade tools. I guess I'll find out today what size sockets I'll need for Friday when I'm borrowing my brother's garage.

 

On my car, I was able to use an impact wrench and normal socket to take the stock struts apart, and a box wrench to reinstall. Which strut bearings/top hats are you using? You may get away with a box wrench and allen key to tighten by hand. 30 ft lb is not much at all, you can use your torque wrench on a similar fastener in a vice to get a feel for it, then just use the box wrench on your struts. Or you may get lucky and the shaft doesn't want to turn at that torque level?

According to a quick lookup, the standard nut for M12 is 18mm hex, M14 is 21mm.

Have fun,
Mike

 

I'm using the stock strut bearings and top hats.

I received my Ohlins coilovers and will post pictures later, the smaller of the two measures 17mm and the other 22mm. I can't locate any 17mm strut nut socket anywhere, so ECS Tuning only has half the parts I need.

 

22mm/7/8" is a common size for oxygen sensors, any auto parts store should have a cutout socket for that. I think that you can buy a 17mm deep impact socket and cut a slot in the side of it. Again, 30 ft lb is not much, you can model the slot off of the larger one that you buy. You may want to buy a 12 point socket, if you have a choice.

Enjoy your new parts.

Mike

 

Basically with a box wrench and allen key and tighten as much as you can will get you to about 30 ft-lbs. The allen key will limit how much you can torque it, no matter what. If you really want to put a torque wrench on it, get the right size crows foot wrench for your 1/2" socket drive and use that, if your pass-thru sockets don't work. You will need put the crows foot on the wrench it so that the opening is 90 deg to the wrench so you don't over torque the nut. That will work on the rears. For the front there isn't much you can do except see if the pass-thru sockets will work. For the stock fronts I hold the allen wrench with a 8mm box wrench and tighten as much as I can. OK it is not perfect, but it is also has not come loose on me. No matter what, don't use an impact wrench to try to tighten the nut. There are plenty of posts about people doing that and shearing off the stem on the shock.

 

reverse your thinking - Sears has hex bits with a socket drive. I put an 8mm hex bit on my torque wrench (Brownline digiital) to hold the shaft and tightened the nut with a 17mm box end wrench until I got to the proper torque.

 

I talked with Jake at Ohlins in NC and he said to use my go-thru ratchet/sockets to tighten the strut nuts and to check the torque as I turn the nut every quarter turn. It doesn't seem as big a deal as I was thinking it would be, I purchased the 22mm strut nut socket from ECS Tuning and their shipping it Next Day Air and should have it tomorrow.

 

Hey Ohlins owner's, I was checking each strut/shock damper setting to be 100 percent sure that they were actually set to factory. My question is in regards to the rear shock damper adjuster, I followed the instructions that says to turn adjuster clockwise to fully close position (The position zero 0).

Then, turn counter clockwise to open, and count the clicks. Here is my dilemma, the first 2 clicks are not audible (no click) but you can feel 2 very weak click like resistance when gripping the adjuster with your hand. Is the position zero the first audiable click or the first felt click? Both rear shocks do it.

I noticed that the front struts only have 0-20 adjustments, while the rear shocks have over 30 settings, can anyone confirm this. I installed these drop dead gorgeous Ohlins coilovers in the front for the limited time i had today, there set at setting 10.

 

As long as both sides are the same, it doesn't matter how you are counting the clicks. You are going to change them until you find the sweet spot. It took about three changes until I found what works great for me on the street. It's a balance between performance and comfort, the good think is when you find comfort from being too harsh they still perform well. So what I'm saying is go stiffer until it's to stiff then go softer until you find where you like them.

 

I find that there is about 1/2 the rotation between clicks at the end. I just turn until I hit the point where it won't go farther, then back off to the solid click point and call that 0. As jkapinos said, the precise number of clicks doesn't matter, just keep both sided the same and find what works.

After changing from runflats to non-runflats I turned everything 3 clicks stiffer, currently at -12.

 

I finely finished installing my Ohlins Road & Track coilovers today and I must say I'm extremely impressed with the steering response and the performance of the Ohlins dampening, I can see why other members rave about them. I have both front struts and rear shocks set to what Ohlins recommends, setting #10 for both front and rear and I haven't made any other adjustments since my first ride with the Ohlins. I'm going to let the Ohlins have a chance to settle in before I go making changes to the damper adjusters. The most challenging part was the removal of the bottom part of the front struts (dis-assembly) that are pinched into the hub by a large long pinch bolt+nut, you must spray some WD-40 or Liquid Wrench to get it out with ease, other than that it was a simple install for those that have the time, garage and proper tools.

I have an appointment with European Auto Source tomorrow for an alignment.

 

I finely got my alignment done today at EAS and the lowest they were able to get the camber was 2.9, this seems like a little to much camber than I'm used to (stock 1.75). I was inquiring about purchasing the lower control arms (Hotchkis from Way) so I can dial the camber down under 2.0, my stock lower control arm is to long now that I have dropped my Mini.

I have another problem, it looks like when I try to install a lower control arm the gas tank is in the way of that long bolt that the lower control arm mounts to making it impossible to get out without dropping the gas tank.

I'm sure other members have run into the same dilemma.

How did others get the lower control arm upper mount bolt out near the gas tank?

 

i didnt have that issue. the bolts came out easily for me. i replace both upper and lower rear links on my car.

 

We are talking about the bolts that back out in the direction of the gas tank right?

 

IIRC Pelican Parts and Hotchkis both have install guides with pictures. It is definitely tight in there but do-able without dropping the gas tank.

 

yeah i did it in november. i know for sure i did not have to drop the gas tank. i think i did have to do a little bit of jimmying, but dont remember it being that difficult.