U r right. +.4 I left out the decimal.

 

Just saw this post, I am digging the Baja Mini thing going on here

 

holy old post dig up batman! How did you calibrate the speedo post tires exchange? im about to do the cooper crap lift ETC...

 

Speedo is not calibrated. I drive past one of those speed traps that tells you hi fast you are going and compared it to my actual speed.

If my speed reads 30 I'm going 28 so 2 mph slower.

 

Fiero, thanks for the info

 

Hi from the UK .
I love your raised suspension and want to convert my Cooper S R53.
No kits in UK and Coopercrap does not have this variant yet so if I make my own spacers how high can I go??
Maybe I could get a set of your drawings and get them made up over here...?
Would love to hear.

If there are any other Limys on here wanting to do this lets pool ideas...pse Pm me.
Keep having fun

 

Great work, Moby!

I had to sell my first Mini (2005 Mini Cooper) because I got it stuck on a private driveway (1/2 mile long, all uphill) during a nice, sunny, dry day. I hit some leaves, lost traction, and wound up sliding down into the drainage ditch on the side of the lane.

I tried to back out of it, but the dirt bank on my right was too high and I couldn't turn enough without scraping the side, and I only wound up sitting on the frame. My brother-in-law had to use his tractor to pull me out.

I traded the Mini for a Jeep Wrangler, but I didn't do it without some sorrow. Just recently, my wife purchased a 2003 Mini S with 17" rims. We still have the lane to contend with, but it is much smoother now thanks to the residents all pitching in, doing a lot of work, and flattening modified with a roller.

After reading this thread, I have a bunch of ideas floating around in my head. I don't think I need to go to 28" tires, but a small lift 1-2" would do wonders, along with a limited slip differential, I would have no problems picking up my children at their grandparent's house.

Nobody had any information or any knowledgeable people back in 2005. I tried to find out information about lifting a Mini, but all I could find were lowering kits. There was a guy that lifted his Mini to successfully drive across Africa back in 2005-2006.

I e-mailed him and he said his kit was a one-off by a certain company that didn't care to do it again. I see now that it wasn't really that hard for them to make it, they just didn't see the profitability in it.

Now, I am patiently waiting to see the drawings that you come up with. Thank you in advance! I've been waiting a decade for something like this.

 

I got an email last night from Coopercrap:

"We are extremely happy to announce that the R53 lift kit if [sic] FINALLY in production!

You’ll have to stay tuned for the additional products that will be available in the future, but right now, we are going to offer you the opportunity to PRE-ORDER your R53 lift kit prior to making them available on our website!

The cost of the lift kit is $350.00 + $35.00 (shipping) = $385.00"

Email or call them if you want to order!

 

Am I the only one considering pre-ordering?

 

This is tremendous! Been wanting to do this to my mini. I'm tired of the old slammed out rough rider time for a change. You said you made the strut spacers yourself? I was thinking 1/4" plate with thickwall steel tubing to create something similar to what coopercrap sells for late models. Great work, talk about out of the ordinary

 

Who hoo!

I've been looking for a way to lift my Mini for the last couple of years. I saw this thread a while back and have been trying to find a machine shop to make me one similar to Moby911's. I can cut and weld, but I'm quite out of practice. Then I saw bigfiero's post about coopercrap and found out that they do make one for an R53, I have ordered their 11th lift kit for a R53! I can't wait for it to get here.

I've had 215/60-16's on my stock wheels for a couple years now with rubber suspension blocks in the springs to keep it from scrubbing too bad. I'm excited to have a true lift and get the rest of my suspension travel back!

 

Please let us know when you start. I've done minor (3") spring lifts on a couple Jeeps I used to have. Lifting my R53 with the Cooper Crap kit seemed pretty straight forward at first, but I guess I'm really not sure.

Thanks,
tm

 

I sure will. I try to take pictures of the process. I have replaced the front struts added tower supports on this Mini already and I'm thinking it won't be that difficult. But it never goes as smoothly as you would think.

 

I see second gen cars posted here.
Otherwise a bunch of yak yak yak. Let's see some action!

Here is a 1st Generation MINI, this year got second place at the Prescott Rally, overall, after a Subaru.



"Only" four extra lights:



Logging air time:



Chrome stays home sort of thing, you know.

 

Mine is a first Gen, as is the originator of the thread.

Nice MINI! Is it your's? I've really wanted to get involved in some kind of rallying, just don't know where and I'm sure I don't have the money.

Love the stance, but I must say I am not digging the extra lights, haha.

 

CooperCRAP lift kit installed on my R53!

It took about 4 hours, the only non-standard tool I used was a coil spring compressor. I've got a couple pictures of the process and I'll type it all out later.

 

Looking great!
Can you fill us in on your wheels and rubber as well?
Did you replace anything else "while in there"?

 

I'm still running the Goodyear triple tread Assurance in 215/60-16 I had on my stock wheels before the lift. Just with zero scrubbing now! I really like those tires, but I might see about some All-Terrains next set just for fun.

I didn't replace anything while I was in there. If I were you, I would check the strut tower mounts for cracking in the rubber. If you hit a lot of pot holes or live on a dirt road like I do, they don't last too long and you're already in there to put in the lift.

Also if you want to put in some strut tower mushrooming prevention that would also be a good time. Something like these plates I already had in there. I think they might be CravenSpeed's "Underators", but I can't remember.

 

Way to go!

Any wheel alignment problems?

 

This thread is just so awesome. Lovin' the look.

 

Sorry it has taken so long to reply,

I'm sure the camber is different, and the way the rear arms swing it probably needs an alignment, I just haven't had it checked yet.

 

NO! Same excuse.

Slow left-lane-lemmings don't like the lights either.

 

Thanks for starting this awesome thread. Recently moved from the neatly paved cities of Southern California to the Pacific North West. Must say, it is definitely a climate change. Was originally going to run the "ol' classic street racer mods" but now I need something more versatile and reliable.

After moving here and realizing just how much rain (and its abundance of that causes mudslides and flooding) that myself nor my mini are used to, I started looking into this idea of "lifting" her up.

In comes Moby911 and Bigfiero strutting their stuff like gods! You guys have paved some serious inspiration here. I am well on my way to getting these parts to jack up my ride and give myself the much needed clearance i need to trek across some of the flooded highways i need to drive down to get to work and back. I will definitely post some photos of said job once I am able to complete it.

Also Moby, glad to read that your ride held up to a nearly cross country journey as I will be making a roughly 1,000 mile vacation road trip to SoCal in the summer.

 

Just thought I'd share an email exchange I had with Cooper Crap regarding the lift. Very nice company to deal with. Got email responses within 5 minutes:

--

>>>>>How much positive camber results after installing the lift?
>>>>>
>>>>>How are your techs using to adjust camber after the lift is installed?
>>>>>
>>>>>Is camber off enough that I would even have to worry about? I don't race, my
>>>>>Mini is a commuter car and all freeway driving.
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks for your help. I ordered the R50/53 lift from you quite some time ago
>>>>>and only now am finding time to install it.
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks,
>>>>>Tim

>>>>Tim,
>>>>
>>>>The way our kit was designed only requires a standard alignment after installation
>>>>
>>>>Kerri
>>>>
>>>>Team CRAP
>>>>CRAP industries


>>>Woo Hoo!
>>>
>>>Thank you Kerri.
>>>


>>Kits are being made today, please advise if you'll be placing an order
>>
>>If not , next run is in three weeks
>>
>>Kerri
>>
>>Team CRAP
>>CRAP industries


>Already bought one (see below). Good to hear more people are buying them.
>
>Thanks,
>Tim


Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I was multitasking like crazy yesterday!

Team CRAP
CRAP industries

 

To all that have lifted, what did you do in the way of springs? Are you still using OEM for your model or something beefier? I have a 2004 R53 that is lowered but after the winter we had in Kentucky this year, and with an interest in kayaking, I am getting ready to take the plunge for more clearance. I won't be rock climbing but might take on some tall gravel...