Suspension Suspension mods - the ultimate street F56 / F57?
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3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 207
Likes: 30
Suspension mods - the ultimate street F56 / F57?
I'm in the process of upgrading my 2024 F57 JCW. This post is to discuss suspension mods ONLY.
I'm trying to have the best handling car possible, for street use only. Spirited driving, but not looking to collect speeding tickets either. You know what I mean.
Of course, some mods may not be worth it, or might even make the street driving experience worse, For instance, poly bushings vs the oem rubber bushings. I'm after tighter, more controlled steering, plus better handling in turns, esp over bumps. etc.... But I don't want to jar my teeth fillings loose, either.
This is not quite "cost no object" (no titanium control arms!) but I want to do it right.
Below is my current shopping list, and some thoughts on a few of the parts. I'd love to get other opinions on each part, as well as any other suggestions on how you'd build your dream mini.
################################################## #################################################
ALREADY INSTALLED:
Advan TC4 Wheels (+43) , with 3mm spacers for brake clearance. This changes the scrub radius to 14mm "less negative."
Cravenspeed “Big Pair” chassis brace. $215
================================================== =====
WILL DEFINITELY ADD:
KW Street Comfort Coilovers $2650
KW Trunk Rebound Extensions $140 (Allows quick adjustment)
- I will only be lowering the car about 25mm or less.
Also, I intend to lower the rear slightly more than the front, to make the car level. (I prefer this, aesthetically.) Most experts I asked think this will not cause any significant handling change. What do you think?
———————————
Rear anti-sway bar (adjustable). I’m not yet sure which thickness:
NM 22mm solid $300
- With the 22mm, also get the optional greaseable zerk bushings and brackets, sold separately. Maybe $100
NM 25mm hollow $400
- High maintenance. Recommended to lube the bushings at LEAST 2x per year.
Also, the 25mm requires getting the NM adjustable anti-Sway Bar End (drop) Links | Rear $160. - Not required with the 22mm, though this would slightly lower the unsprung weight.
note: Jerry Tam @ NM Engineering recommends the 22mm for street-only driving. Jerry is THE guy, but some users disagree. One wrote: “The 25.5mm has a much crisper and more predictable turn in regardless of numbers purported by vendors.” There are countless threads on this subject, with no clear answer. What do you guys think?
================================================== =====
OPTIONAL:
Anti-Sway Bar End (drop) Links | Rear $160
- Only required with the 25mm anti-sway bar. Not required with the 22mm, though this WOULD slightly lower the unsprung weight. They won’t add any extra labor cost, so that’s not too expensive for a possible small gain. (VERY small, yes.)
Adjustable rear lower control arm About $430 for the NM
- These are of course used to adjust camber after lowering a car. However,
Jerry Tam @ NM Engineering says they are not needed with the F56 / f57.
The only reason I might still get them is because they are lighter than stock, (I don't know how much, maybe 4 lbs?) which would lessen unsprung weight by more than 1 lb per corner. Not a lot, but this could make a slight difference when hitting bumps, esp in turns.
-----------------------
NM Engineering Adjustable Front Sway Bar Links: $285
Alta PSRS Steering upgrade (bushing) $200
- “Replaces the front control arm’s rear bushing, giving better steering control.” (though stiffer.) I do wish the steering had a little less looseness. but is that what this does?
—————————————————
NM Billet Aluminum (strut) Tie-Bar - $378 !
- The F57 is already very rigid. I’m not sure this will make any difference on the street, and this is fairly expensive.
————————————————
Powerflex (poly) Front Control Arm Camber-Adjust bushings: $174
Powerflex (poly) sway bar bushings (red street model) $71
- Powerflex recommend swapping these at the same time.
With both, is the added tightness worth the added vibration, vs the oem rubber bushings?
-------------------------------
## SOMETHING TO LOWER THE ROLL CENTER?
I read an article recently about how important this is, when lowering a car, though I find nothing written specifically about Mini Coopers. I think the basic idea is to maintain the original scrub radius. With some cars, there is hardware available (special knuckles? balljoints? ) that basically drop the suspension slightly. Not sure if this can be done with the KW coilovers or not. Because I'm both lowering the car and changing the wheel offset, this could get to the point where the scrub radius change matters. Does anyone know?
Any thoughts on this?
================================================== =====
PROBABLY NOT NEEDED, OR POSSIBLY EVEN A BAD IDEA:
Powerflex engine & tranny mount bushings. Full set $155
- the WAYMOTORWORKS red poly version.
Powerflex Adjustable Caster offset bushings? $217 !
- Very unlikely that a street car would need this.
Possibly 7mm rear wheel spacer instead of 3mm, to make the rear track width the same as the front. This is purely aesthetic. Also, the care was designed with a slightly wider front track for a reason.
I'm trying to have the best handling car possible, for street use only. Spirited driving, but not looking to collect speeding tickets either. You know what I mean.
Of course, some mods may not be worth it, or might even make the street driving experience worse, For instance, poly bushings vs the oem rubber bushings. I'm after tighter, more controlled steering, plus better handling in turns, esp over bumps. etc.... But I don't want to jar my teeth fillings loose, either.
This is not quite "cost no object" (no titanium control arms!) but I want to do it right.
Below is my current shopping list, and some thoughts on a few of the parts. I'd love to get other opinions on each part, as well as any other suggestions on how you'd build your dream mini.
################################################## #################################################
ALREADY INSTALLED:
Advan TC4 Wheels (+43) , with 3mm spacers for brake clearance. This changes the scrub radius to 14mm "less negative."
Cravenspeed “Big Pair” chassis brace. $215
================================================== =====
WILL DEFINITELY ADD:
KW Street Comfort Coilovers $2650
KW Trunk Rebound Extensions $140 (Allows quick adjustment)
- I will only be lowering the car about 25mm or less.
Also, I intend to lower the rear slightly more than the front, to make the car level. (I prefer this, aesthetically.) Most experts I asked think this will not cause any significant handling change. What do you think?
———————————
Rear anti-sway bar (adjustable). I’m not yet sure which thickness:
NM 22mm solid $300
- With the 22mm, also get the optional greaseable zerk bushings and brackets, sold separately. Maybe $100
NM 25mm hollow $400
- High maintenance. Recommended to lube the bushings at LEAST 2x per year.
Also, the 25mm requires getting the NM adjustable anti-Sway Bar End (drop) Links | Rear $160. - Not required with the 22mm, though this would slightly lower the unsprung weight.
note: Jerry Tam @ NM Engineering recommends the 22mm for street-only driving. Jerry is THE guy, but some users disagree. One wrote: “The 25.5mm has a much crisper and more predictable turn in regardless of numbers purported by vendors.” There are countless threads on this subject, with no clear answer. What do you guys think?
================================================== =====
OPTIONAL:
Anti-Sway Bar End (drop) Links | Rear $160
- Only required with the 25mm anti-sway bar. Not required with the 22mm, though this WOULD slightly lower the unsprung weight. They won’t add any extra labor cost, so that’s not too expensive for a possible small gain. (VERY small, yes.)
Adjustable rear lower control arm About $430 for the NM
- These are of course used to adjust camber after lowering a car. However,
Jerry Tam @ NM Engineering says they are not needed with the F56 / f57.
The only reason I might still get them is because they are lighter than stock, (I don't know how much, maybe 4 lbs?) which would lessen unsprung weight by more than 1 lb per corner. Not a lot, but this could make a slight difference when hitting bumps, esp in turns.
-----------------------
NM Engineering Adjustable Front Sway Bar Links: $285
Alta PSRS Steering upgrade (bushing) $200
- “Replaces the front control arm’s rear bushing, giving better steering control.” (though stiffer.) I do wish the steering had a little less looseness. but is that what this does?
—————————————————
NM Billet Aluminum (strut) Tie-Bar - $378 !
- The F57 is already very rigid. I’m not sure this will make any difference on the street, and this is fairly expensive.
————————————————
Powerflex (poly) Front Control Arm Camber-Adjust bushings: $174
Powerflex (poly) sway bar bushings (red street model) $71
- Powerflex recommend swapping these at the same time.
With both, is the added tightness worth the added vibration, vs the oem rubber bushings?
-------------------------------
## SOMETHING TO LOWER THE ROLL CENTER?
I read an article recently about how important this is, when lowering a car, though I find nothing written specifically about Mini Coopers. I think the basic idea is to maintain the original scrub radius. With some cars, there is hardware available (special knuckles? balljoints? ) that basically drop the suspension slightly. Not sure if this can be done with the KW coilovers or not. Because I'm both lowering the car and changing the wheel offset, this could get to the point where the scrub radius change matters. Does anyone know?
Any thoughts on this?
================================================== =====
PROBABLY NOT NEEDED, OR POSSIBLY EVEN A BAD IDEA:
Powerflex engine & tranny mount bushings. Full set $155
- the WAYMOTORWORKS red poly version.
Powerflex Adjustable Caster offset bushings? $217 !
- Very unlikely that a street car would need this.
Possibly 7mm rear wheel spacer instead of 3mm, to make the rear track width the same as the front. This is purely aesthetic. Also, the care was designed with a slightly wider front track for a reason.
Last edited by Cableaddict; Oct 26, 2025 at 01:20 PM.
Alliance Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 7,543
Likes: 2,507
From: WNY
OK, I've given it some thought, and here is my input... I am pretty sure some of the items on your list do not exist, or are not offered for the F56 chassis.
Good on you for getting low weight wheels. Reducing wheel weight is the biggest improvement you can make to the way the car feels. Less wheel weight will improve acceleration, braking, and handling.
Coilovers:
I like the idea of the KW set. They are built well, but they do have a few design oddities. I do not like their collar locking method. Other than that, they are a solid choice.
If you want damping adjustment on the KW Street, you'll need to step up to the "Street Performance" series. The Street Comfort series are the basic units, and do not have damping adjustability. Also, the rear adjustable KW dampers have the adjusters on the bottom, so no need for trunk extenders.
Rear Sway-Bar:
A 22mm solid and a 25mm hollow will have similar stiffness, but the 25mm should be lighter. I would think with the adjustability of the 25mm, you could always dial it back and run it on the "looser" setting. You might regret going with the smaller bar.
That being said, if you are deciding coilovers, I would get those installed BEFORE swapping out the rear sway bar. The coilover spring rates might make the car handle differently, and your sway bar choice might change after.
Sway-Bar Links:
Skip these. Regardless what you might hear on the internets, adjustable links are not needed, especially on a street car. OEM or OEM replacements will suit just fine. Besides the adjustable part, the links that use metal heim joint connections are very noisy on a street car. The rattles will drive you nuts. The same goes for adjustable camber arms...
Rear Camber Control Arms:
These can be helpful in dialing in your alignment after lowering, but may not always be needed. Wait until after you install the coilovers and get the ride height you want, then go for an alignment and see where the tech can get the rear adjusted. If he can hit your numbers, then the arms are not required. If you need a bit more adjustment, then the arms will help.
Do NOT get rear arms that feature metal ball joints. They will get noisy and clunky, and you'll hate driving the car.
Poly Bushings:
Be aware, the Alta PSRS bushing upgrade is not available for the 3rd gen car. 1st and 2nd only. And, I think they went out of production...
Do get the front control arm rear poly bushings. They will help keep the front control arm from moving around, will create better steering feel, and add almost no noise when installed correctly.
Do get the rear trailing arm front bushing kit. These will keep the rear toe from changing during cornering, making the rear of the car much more predictable.
Do get the lower motor torque mount insert. This bushing keeps the engine from torqueing under throttle inputs, making the engine feel much more responsive.
No other bushings on the car will help ads much as these three.
If going with PowerFlex, get all the above in the Yellow Street version.
The only other item worth mentioning is front camber plates. Vorschlag are the top dog here for the F56 chassis. They make a solid product, and will supply spring plates to work with the KW coilovers. Due to the use of front struts, the Mini will benefit greatly with additional front camber dialed in. In my experience, if you can get about -2° camber at all four corners, the car will rival almost anything else out the street. Unfortunately, the only correct way to get that in the front is with camber plates.
Here is a bonus thought: Another option to consider is a bigger front sway bar. I believe White Line is the only manufacturer making bigger front bars for the F56. Again, since the front suspension is MacPhearson strut design, when the car leans over in corners, the front wheels will lose camber relative to the road. This causes the front end to lose grip when the car leans over. Dialing in more front camber is one way to prevent the loss of camber in corners. The other way to prevent camber loss is to limit front roll with a bigger front sway bar. The bigger front sway bar also improves steering response. The down side is a stiffer front end when going over uneven bumps.
That's a lot of information there. Let me know what you think.
Good on you for getting low weight wheels. Reducing wheel weight is the biggest improvement you can make to the way the car feels. Less wheel weight will improve acceleration, braking, and handling.
Coilovers:
I like the idea of the KW set. They are built well, but they do have a few design oddities. I do not like their collar locking method. Other than that, they are a solid choice.
If you want damping adjustment on the KW Street, you'll need to step up to the "Street Performance" series. The Street Comfort series are the basic units, and do not have damping adjustability. Also, the rear adjustable KW dampers have the adjusters on the bottom, so no need for trunk extenders.
Rear Sway-Bar:
A 22mm solid and a 25mm hollow will have similar stiffness, but the 25mm should be lighter. I would think with the adjustability of the 25mm, you could always dial it back and run it on the "looser" setting. You might regret going with the smaller bar.
That being said, if you are deciding coilovers, I would get those installed BEFORE swapping out the rear sway bar. The coilover spring rates might make the car handle differently, and your sway bar choice might change after.
Sway-Bar Links:
Skip these. Regardless what you might hear on the internets, adjustable links are not needed, especially on a street car. OEM or OEM replacements will suit just fine. Besides the adjustable part, the links that use metal heim joint connections are very noisy on a street car. The rattles will drive you nuts. The same goes for adjustable camber arms...
Rear Camber Control Arms:
These can be helpful in dialing in your alignment after lowering, but may not always be needed. Wait until after you install the coilovers and get the ride height you want, then go for an alignment and see where the tech can get the rear adjusted. If he can hit your numbers, then the arms are not required. If you need a bit more adjustment, then the arms will help.
Do NOT get rear arms that feature metal ball joints. They will get noisy and clunky, and you'll hate driving the car.
Poly Bushings:
Be aware, the Alta PSRS bushing upgrade is not available for the 3rd gen car. 1st and 2nd only. And, I think they went out of production...
Do get the front control arm rear poly bushings. They will help keep the front control arm from moving around, will create better steering feel, and add almost no noise when installed correctly.
Do get the rear trailing arm front bushing kit. These will keep the rear toe from changing during cornering, making the rear of the car much more predictable.
Do get the lower motor torque mount insert. This bushing keeps the engine from torqueing under throttle inputs, making the engine feel much more responsive.
No other bushings on the car will help ads much as these three.
If going with PowerFlex, get all the above in the Yellow Street version.
The only other item worth mentioning is front camber plates. Vorschlag are the top dog here for the F56 chassis. They make a solid product, and will supply spring plates to work with the KW coilovers. Due to the use of front struts, the Mini will benefit greatly with additional front camber dialed in. In my experience, if you can get about -2° camber at all four corners, the car will rival almost anything else out the street. Unfortunately, the only correct way to get that in the front is with camber plates.
Here is a bonus thought: Another option to consider is a bigger front sway bar. I believe White Line is the only manufacturer making bigger front bars for the F56. Again, since the front suspension is MacPhearson strut design, when the car leans over in corners, the front wheels will lose camber relative to the road. This causes the front end to lose grip when the car leans over. Dialing in more front camber is one way to prevent the loss of camber in corners. The other way to prevent camber loss is to limit front roll with a bigger front sway bar. The bigger front sway bar also improves steering response. The down side is a stiffer front end when going over uneven bumps.
That's a lot of information there. Let me know what you think.
Honestly I'm not a fan of the combo you have put together. It wouldn't be close to what I would consider the ultimate street setup, and a lot of money in that list that I wouldn't consider close to a great setup.
You want a ultimate street setup here:
Ohlins with Vorshlag camber plates
https://waymotorworks.com/ohlins-coi...s-f55-f56-f57/
Then a big sway bar while doing it to get it to rotate
https://waymotorworks.com/wmw-25mm-r...r-f55-f56-f57/
That setup alone with a proper alignment will be dialed in.
For bushings I have nothing but issues with those PSRS so I would never recommend. I would just just standard Powerflex
https://waymotorworks.com/powerflex-...hings-f55-f56/
If you feel you need the extra caster Powerflex has a caster bushing setup:
https://waymotorworks.com/powerflex-...s-f55-f56-f57/
A set of rear control arms will give you some extra alignment adjustment making it just that much better, but not always needed.
https://waymotorworks.com/megan-raci...links-f55-f56/
If you want to corner weight it then you will need adjustable end links:
https://waymotorworks.com/wmw-adjust...ybar-endlinks/
https://waymotorworks.com/nm-enginee...4-f55-f56-f57/
You won't notice any handling improvement with a front strut bar.
You want a ultimate street setup here:
Ohlins with Vorshlag camber plates
https://waymotorworks.com/ohlins-coi...s-f55-f56-f57/
Then a big sway bar while doing it to get it to rotate
https://waymotorworks.com/wmw-25mm-r...r-f55-f56-f57/
That setup alone with a proper alignment will be dialed in.
For bushings I have nothing but issues with those PSRS so I would never recommend. I would just just standard Powerflex
https://waymotorworks.com/powerflex-...hings-f55-f56/
If you feel you need the extra caster Powerflex has a caster bushing setup:
https://waymotorworks.com/powerflex-...s-f55-f56-f57/
A set of rear control arms will give you some extra alignment adjustment making it just that much better, but not always needed.
https://waymotorworks.com/megan-raci...links-f55-f56/
If you want to corner weight it then you will need adjustable end links:
https://waymotorworks.com/wmw-adjust...ybar-endlinks/
https://waymotorworks.com/nm-enginee...4-f55-f56-f57/
You won't notice any handling improvement with a front strut bar.
Thread Starter
|
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 207
Likes: 30
I cooked up a big batch of popcorn just before I posted!
Glad to see a couple of in depth responses so far, esp as they disagree on some key things.
-------------------------------------------
I probably should have started by giving my personal definition of what an ultimate street Mini is, since that's obviously very subjective. So here goes:
This is not to be a race car for the street. No boy racer silliness. No collecting speeding tickets. No jarring my fillings loose. I see it as what the English call a "GT." Grand Touring, but in a very small, fun package. Sporty, but still comfortable. IMO the gen 3 Mini is too heavy to make a great sports car, anyway. I love the look, and I love having a safe, stiff convertible.
I've done a bunch of mods to get more HP and (more importantly) low-end torque, plus better engine sound. Also mods to lower weight, within reason.
Now I want to lower the car, mainly for looks. I also hope to improve handling and steering a little bit, if possible. (The stock car is fine already.)
And so......
Glad to see a couple of in depth responses so far, esp as they disagree on some key things.
-------------------------------------------
I probably should have started by giving my personal definition of what an ultimate street Mini is, since that's obviously very subjective. So here goes:
This is not to be a race car for the street. No boy racer silliness. No collecting speeding tickets. No jarring my fillings loose. I see it as what the English call a "GT." Grand Touring, but in a very small, fun package. Sporty, but still comfortable. IMO the gen 3 Mini is too heavy to make a great sports car, anyway. I love the look, and I love having a safe, stiff convertible.
I've done a bunch of mods to get more HP and (more importantly) low-end torque, plus better engine sound. Also mods to lower weight, within reason.
Now I want to lower the car, mainly for looks. I also hope to improve handling and steering a little bit, if possible. (The stock car is fine already.)
And so......
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