Jcw and megan coilovers
 

when your read the description for the megan euro coilovers it says it will need an additional bracket for the jcw. What is the deal with that? Why? I dont have stock control arms, i have hsport, does that matter?

Its the trailing arm, not the control arm. The 1st gen JCW had aluminum trailing arms, and they require the special conical bushing for the damper mount. If you have the steel trailing arms, then you don't need to worry about it.

This is the bushing:
https://www.waymotorworks.com/r56-re...ngs-or-gp.html

Are you sure about that? I have an 06 JCW hardtop and the trailing arms on my car are steel. First Gen JCWs are R53 models, not R56.

Nope, you are correct. 1st gen GP1 had the aluminum trailing arms.

It means the JCW GP, not just the JCWs. MRCDKMC02 As those are the ones with the gen 2 style aluminum trailing arms. We updated the info on our site. Thanks for pointing that out.


https://www.ecstuning.com/b-megan-racing-parts/euro-street-series-coilover-damper-kit/mrcdkmc02~mgr/

ok so for a normal r52 JCW, I dont need anything else than the megans?

Nope, you should have the steel unless someone did the poor mans R56 to R53/R52/R50 aluminum rear trailing arm conversion mod.

I would get adjustable rear control arms to dial it in when you lower it.

Ok thanks. Yes mine are the black steel tubular type.

I already have the hsport arms, but I am staying at stock height.. I just want a more sophisticated ride with a little less body lean.

Can anyone tell me if they are able to keep the same ride height as stock with the Megan Euro coilovers? I just talked to a vendor and was about to purchase, but he said it will drop it at least .5-1"?!?! I'm holding off for now because I want to keep the same ride height as stock (r52 JCW).

The only confirmation I've found is at WMW's website: https://www.waymotorworks.com/megan-...coilovers.html - but I dont trust it really since its the only place listing this and it appears that all coilovers do at least a .75" drop!?

"You can raise your car up to factory height for OEM appearance with performance handling or you can drop your car all the way down for a formal racetrack and an aggressive stance"

On a side note, how low can we functionally go before rubbing ensues?!

It can be raised to close to stock, last time I remember seeing them a little bit lower than stock. Remember the JCW R52 with the upgraded JCW suspension (red springs) sat about 10mm lower than the Cooper S suspension.

Ok, I'm driving the car in winter and have 225's (with sparcos with a bit more offset than stock) at the moment and I get a tiny bit of rubbing (front and rear) with 3 people in the car over large bumps, so I know I am near the limit for drop. I'll go with 215 next time I buy tires to help avoid this.

I suppose the worse case scenario is that I can increase preload a bit until I change tires..

Did you ever find out, I believe its around .5" hence little bit below stock.

Yes, the official statement I heard directly from a Megan support guy is 15mm, or .59". that is the lowest drop from stock coilover I could find within my $1k budget.

Remember you are going to need both adjustable end links and an adjustable rear control arm.

And from what I have been able to find MINI did not offer the JCW suspension on the R52 due to the rear end weight issues.

ECS, can you verify this?

I shouldnt need the aftermarket end links for a .6" drop. I already have hsport rear arms top and bottom.

I think you might be right on the jcw suspension. I have the black springs, not red like r52 jcw's.

I have the Megan coil overs. they do drop the car a bit. You can raise the car up from the height that they are set at when they are shipped. I asked about this very question as well when I got mine. They said that there is about a half inch drop but you can raise it up a little bit - maybe .25 inch up. If you get them, mark the threads where they are (to know where you started) and then adjust the height up and down. With them off the car it is very easy to adjust everything. Mine came with the adjust cables for the rear damper adjustment but I have yet to drill the holes in the body to install that part.


r53coop - you don't NEED the new end links or control arms but like a double bass drum, it doesn't make you a better drummer just a cooler drummer. They work just fine with stock end links and arms - just not as cool and no extra rear camber adjustments.

Thanks for the info. I'm ok with a .5" drop if thats all it is. Megan says it will be .6 as shipped.

Did you increase the preload to get the extra height, or wind out the height adjustment? I havent seen them in person yet, how can you tell if its wound out too far (on the height adjustment)? I suppose at some point there must be a stop or indicator because you dont want to be running on 3 threads deep!

I think you are correct, they never had the JCW sport suspension kit in etk or dealer for the r52, but people would get the R53 kit then get the heaver JCW springs in the rear as a workaround. I think maybe the rear squatted a bit more.

I did not move mine up at all, and I am not sure that there is an actual stop when winding out the height adjustment. I believe that they will just come apart. I do not know if there is a mark either for the highest point either. I would think that you could get some lift from stock with these. Again, I don't actually know, lifting wasn't the reason I got them and the slight drop they came with was just fine with me. Just mark the threads with tape or something and unwind. The spring preload and the height adjustment are completely separate adjustments. In theory, I suppose you could load up the spring until it is mostly compressed and lift the car until you are on just 3 threads.


Also do set them on a flat surface and/or measure the black threads between the bottom of the springs to the top of the grey base where height is adjusted to make sure that they are all at the same height.


Increasing the preload on the springs didn't seem to do much of anything to the ride height from my observations. I do get some spring binding though which is odd because the spring hat and perches don't have any lock point for the end of the springs. It doesn't bother me though because... racecar sounds. This can be fixed with a little grease though. Like my rear adjust cables, I just haven't bothered with this either. The rear adjust cables really should be done. Makes the damper adjustment really easy; you don't have to take them off for adjustment.