Hey Team,

I gots the urge to mod and the spouse let a few bucks free. Already have ordered my cold air intake and I'm comin at you guys/gals on your thoughts/experiences on lowering the mini. I'm lookin at the Alto Sport Springs?

tanks

LL

Cooper/PS/B

 

Lowering?

I lost most of my clearance switching from run flats to low profile hi-performance. I guess you could lower it and put little rollers on the ground effects or just wait for the ground effects to wear off.

 

You might want to consider the M7 springs. They are awesome and the ride is MUCH better than stock!

 

And I have a spare set we decided not to use. ( NEW )

pm me if you are interested.

 

Detl,


Yes, I am interested. Are these the M7s? Price?

thanks

LL:smile:

 

Yep m7 springs, we bought them for our cooper and decided to leave the entire car stock ( other than wheels )

I will let them go for $180 + shipping. They are new and still wrapped in the plastic.

 

I had H-Sport springs on my '03, and I loved the look, but the ride did get a little more bouncy, with the stock struts. That said, I would probably do the same on my 05, but this one is staying in stock class for autocrossing.

 

My H-Sport springs and rear swaybar combination has kept bringing me smiles each time I take a fast corner (very fast).

 

Put in the H-sports springs and sway myself. I think it really improves the ride and handling

Plus, as it was explaned to me, the stock springs are linear and the H-sports are progressive. I know, I know, a linear SPRING?! But I can tell the difference!

I have scraped the front end a couple of times. I need those skid pads that the sportbike racers use

 

More physics! A spring is linear if it always takes a given force to compress or stretch it a given distance, regardless of how much it's already compressed or stretched. Hooke's Law says that the force to compress a spring is equal to its spring constant times the amount of compression or stretch: f = -kx. The negative sign is there because the force is in the direction opposite the compression or extension. For example, if the spring constant is 100 lbs/in, it'll push back with a force of 100 lbs if you compress it an inch.

A progressive spring, like the H-Sport, has a spring "constant" that changes with compression and stretching. For example, it might take 100 lbs to compress it the first inch, but 120 lbs to compress it the second inch. (Not actual values for the H-Sport). The result is the spring is more cushy for small vertical motions but is stiffer for big ones, the idea being that it rides reasonably well but doesn't bottom-out on big bumps.

Since I'm getting the H-Sports soon, we'll see how it works in practice. Glad you like yours!

Mark

 

Wont using the M7 springs cause your shocks to wear out faster?

I want to lower the car aswell but I don't want to get a coilover setup.

 

I cant answer for sure that they will wear out faster or not but I would say if they do it wont be by that much. Worst case is you could replace the stock shocks/struts later with an aftermarket shock/strut. You would never HAVE to switch to coil overs.

 

All my buddies are telling me I definately have to drop it once I get my rims (OZ SuperturismoGT's). I am going 17, but I had nightmares with my last car due to lower springs. The ride was AWFULL. This ride is ruff already. I enjoy a stiff suspension but not a sloppy ride. Oh the choices we have to make....

 

I have the ALta springs on my car . Ride is good and looks good too. Next step is the sway bar which will be soon. But in answer to you question......lower it .

 

Drkslver,


Thanks for that validation. I still think I'm going for the Altas.... I can get em for $150. Will I need the sway bar? I have a reg cooper with suspension +. Also, how are you managing the 1.5 inch drop in front? I hate to scrape!

LL