Thought I'd share some pics of before and afters of my JCW suspension install. Always wondered how much (if any) difference there was visually between the two suspensions. As expected, not much of a visual effect, but here's some pics to show the very slight difference in height. I honestly couldn't tell a difference after I initial installed, but you can see the slight difference here. Here's the before and afters (sorry for the washed out after pics, didn't notice till now).....performance however, is very noticeable, worth every penny, and then some!!!

Rear wheels


Front wheels


Full image

 

Looks good. I like your wheels.

 

Thanks, they're 17"x7.5" Rota RB's in gunmetal.

 

Scho06,


Thanks for sharing the before and after photos. I too am having the JCW suspension installed; though mine will have this option from day one. With any luck, I should have my 2013 MCS in about 10 days or so. The Torino just hit CA Saturday.

I would enjoy your impressions on the JCW suspension. You said it was well worth it; what has been the biggest benefit? Thanks!

 

I really like my JCW suspension. I ordered my 2012 with the standard suspension. It was soft and boring. I wanted OEM for autocross so I put the JCW suspension on the car. I really like it. The car is back to the fun handling of how my 2003 MCS was with sport suspension. I do have an H-sport competition rear swaybar instead of the 18.5mm JCW bar.

 

Here is a question for you. What is the difference between the 2011 Soprt Suspension and the JCW Suspension?

I know the Sport Suspension rides like a brick but handles fairly well. I just wish it was smoother on the small bumps.

 

The JCW suspension upgrade includes red JCW springs, different shocks, bigger front and rear sway bars, different rubber spring isolators and different front bump stops, IIRC.

The JCW springs are slightly stiffer and lower the car by 1 inch all around.

 

And the springs are weighted to your options on your MINI. So its a little more personalized.



#1 in diagram

JCW Sport Suspension Kit - Priced As Kit R56 Cooper, Cooper S & R58 Cooper, Cooper S


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/33500429708/

Then with your options, transmission , panaoramic roof.. etc . We can determine the springs.

The springs looks very good in JCW red




Hope that helps.

 

Most claim less than 1/2 inch lower, but as you can see in my pics at the beginning of this thread, that's generous.

 

Thanks for the info one and all!

 

Have you noticed any more drop after driving around with them for a while, or are they still the same height as the pictures?

 

I have a 2007 Cooper S that came with the Sport+ suspension. I ordered the JCW suspension components from a MINI dealer matched to my VIN. Before I installed it, I made it a point to measure the height of the front and rear [edit] jacking pads on both sides of my car on level ground. Then I did the same measurements afterwards. It lowered my car exactly 1 inch front and rear after it settled in...

 

Does anyone know what the rates are?

 

I thought ALL sport springs were tuned to the specific vehicle weight, and came in at least 4 different flavors, ordered by VIN?

 

Great question Prpl, The factory black springs are weighted to the vehicle also with the VIN, I was just noting that the JCW Springs are more specialized as there are 4 different springs for the front and 3 different for the rear and comparable combos. On most other chassis there is variation dependent on options on average 2-3 for the front and rear including sport suspension setting. Also informing owners that might not know about the multiple different springs compared to other springs. And the JCW do come in the great looking JCW red finish.

Ohbe1 - There is no spring rates given for the genuine MINI springs, that I could find.

Thanks

 

Knowing that the springs are ordered via VIN to account for weight and options, could one figure out which ones are heavier or lighter in the load rating? Even if we can't get the spring rate, but to know part number X is light, part y is medium, and part z is heavy, etc? Using assumptions and inferring I would think we could. Clubbies or convertibles get stiffer springs for the heavier load?

For instance, my car sits lower int he rear than the front. I might order lighter or medium springs in the front and the stiffest ones in the back because I already ride with the rear slightly lower, tools, air tank, compressor, etc all add the weight in the rear and weigh it down already. for the alignment the tech only added 1 or 2 bags of weight to the rear to get the car into height spec.

I guess i am looking for similar info for the opposite reason as everyone else.

 

Trying to get different rates to set the ride height is asking for trouble. The rates affect handling a great deal. Additionally, stiffer springs require stiffer dampers. If you could figure out the free length, that may help a bit. If you could get a spring with a taller length, then it would raise the ride height.

The MINI is one of those cars that looks like the front is higher, if you look at the wheel gap. If you look at the rocker panels, the front is actually lower.

My TSW springs had the car sitting higher in front. I trimmed 1/4 coil off of it, dropping the car about 3/8". This slightly stiffens the rate, but reduces the preload, which lowers the ride height. This minor change was enough to get my wheel gap equal front to rear, which looks better to me. Just my opinion.

Have fun,
Mike