http://www.h-sport.com/cgi-bin/EDCst...atalogno=22810

I kinda gather that this is more for track day...

I have the madness rear bar now (only two holes/settings) and overseer is pretty hard to get - even on the stiff setting. I have the HSport springs, RDR Camberplates and RDR rear control arms.

I autocross the car a LOT more than I track it. I run a -1.7 with a 1/16 toe out up front and a -1/5 no toe in the rear. For rubber I have 15" Konig Heliums with Falken 205 50 15".

Some Koni's will be on order soon too and as long as I'm ripping the car apart maybe I should do the sway bar(s).

I've been pretty successful but the car still understeers more than I believe it should.

Think that would be a wise investment or is the front bar a waste?

 

I'd suggest getting just the H-Sport Comp. rear bar. Mine is on middle setting and I can get overstear quite easily.

 

ditto

 

Would you say the lowest setting is a LOT stiffer than the stock bar and the highest setting is just crazy? :smile:

 

Correct me if im wrong, but i think autocrossers want a softer sway up front. So with a stiff one in the back, the stock one will be great for autocrossing. Is that right?

 

From the H-sport site:
"Utilizing the 25.5mm Competition Rear and the 27mm Sport front, the Competition Sway Bar Set is most suitable for track day events on road courses. Both front and rear are multi-adjustable for fine tuning grip levels entering and exiting corners. With this set installed, the Mini will turn-in very quickly and roll very little ... With two positions at the front and three at the rear, there is plenty of adjustability to dial-in the most demanding road courses.... This set is designed for the serious competitor that wants a very fast reacting Mini.

Rate increse over stock.
Front: +16% & +27%
Rear: +226%, +294% & +383%
------------
Comparing the stock rear bar with the H-sport rear bar-
The softest rear setting is still +226% stiffer than stock while the firmest setting is +383% stiffer. Essentially the holes translate to 2x, 3x, 4x stiffer than stock.

RallyMINI,
Anyone that wants to reduce understeer should leave the front sway bar alone- leave it stock. Front bar upgrades are usually stiffer not softer. If you did get the H-sport front sway bar then the first setting to try would be the softest (+16%) setting- (note that the degree [10-15% changes] of increased stiffness is rather small compared to the rear bar!)

 

One change I have heard about in stock classes (where you can't install aftermarket bars), is for MINIs with the Sport Suspension Plus to change the front bar to the one from the Sport Suspension (softer).

 

Yah, thats the mod i was thinking about. It allows them to stay in stock, but apparently helps a decent amount

 

I cannot comment about the spring/damper/sway bar, I don't know what spring rates you have.

However, it has been said that you can exert much more change in the handling character of the car by playing with rear toe as the final portion of your fine tune. Most folks concentrate on front toe. Remember, too much front toe will increase braking distances. some toe out in the front aids intitial grip upon turn-in. But, if you want to maximize turn-in, and, braking, try playing with rear toe to get the car to rotate.

A larger front bar is not the answer for a quicker autoXing, or a bit more oversteer. As stated above, the mini will react quicker with a 27mm front bar and a 25mm rear bar. Reaction to steering inputs is very different from cornering balance. If you kept the proportion of front to rear bars the same, but upped both sizes, the handling balance would be identical to the stock mini, but react quicker. A larger front bar might be an aid in some road courses with very high speed turns, but not autoXing.

 

You should do three things and none of them cost any money:

1. Set front camber to 2.0-2.5* negative with 1/16" toe-out
2. Set rear camber to 1* negative with 0" toe.
3. (if you haven't already done so) Set the rear sway to full stiff.

Now if you this there is too much understeer still, you may want to reconcider your driving style b/c you are most likely entering the turns too fast.

PS: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=36653

 

Oh and if you can, next time get some 215 or 225 tires. You may also want to concider some R comps if you are getting competitive, those alone will knock off 2 sec on a 60 sec course.