Wanted: Aftermarket Spring info. More details needed:

Brand/Name:
MC Drop Front/Rear: (inches of drop as compared to stock)
MCS Drop Front/Rear: (inches of drop as compared to stock)
Spring rate Fr/Rr: (please specify rate in lbs-in and if progressive, then specify the different rates)



Stock Springs Sport Suspension (linear)
MC Drop: 0.0" fr / 0.0" rr
MCS Drop: 0.0" fr / 0.0" rr
Rate: ???? fr / ??? rr ( Did some quick searching and there doesn't seem to be a consensus on what rates are used for a stock MINI. These could be changing from year to year. They also appear to be dependent on the options installed on the car as to what rate is used. I've seen as low as 179 and as high as 225. So your guess is as good as mine)


Alta
MC Drop: 1.5" fr / 1.0" rr
MCS Drop: 0.95" fr / 0.75" rr
Rate: Alta claims the 5th on spring rates :LOL:

APEX Sport
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.2" fr / 1.2" rr
Rate: NEEDED!!

Eibach
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.0" fr / 1.2" rr
Rate: NEEDED!!

H&R
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.2" fr / 1.3" rr (others have mentioned 1.4" fr/1.4"rr)
Rate: 260 fr / 260 rr

H-Sport (progressive)
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.0" fr / 1.0" rr
Rate: 173-195 fr / 160-300 rr

King Springs (progressive) (found info on MINI2...Austrailian springs)
MC? Drop: 1"-1.2" fr / 1"-1.2" rr
Rate: 220 fr / 209 rr

KW (v1, v2, v3)
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.38" fr (variable) / 1.38" rr (variable)
Rate: 278 fr / 222 rr

Leda combo
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: NEEDED!!
Rate: 250 fr / 350 rr

Leda Race
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: NEEDED!!
Rate: 350 fr / 500 rr

M7
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.3" fr / 1.3" rr
Rate: NEEDED!!

PSS9
MC Drop: adjustable
MCS Drop: adjustable
Rate: 325 fr progressive / 340 rr w/115lb tender

325lb/in front springs - progressive
345lb/in rear spring with a 115lb/in tender or helper spring - linear

Tein H-tech
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 0.6" fr / 0.5" rr
Rate: 207 fr / 229 rr

Tein S-tech
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.2" fr / 1.1" rr
Rate: 224 fr / 246 rr

TSW
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: NEEDED!!
Rate: 200 fr / 200 rr linear

TSW Leda Sport
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: NEEDED!!
Rate: 250 fr / 275 rr linear

TSW Leda Softcore
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: NEEDED!!
Rate: 325 fr/rr linear

TSW Leda Hardcore
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: NEEDED!!
Rate: 450 fr/rr linear

Ultrik
MC Drop: NEEDED!!
MCS Drop: 1.0" fr / 1.0" rr
Rate: NEEDED!!

Vogtland
MC Drop: 1.2" fr / 1.2" rr
MCS Drop: 1.2" fr / 1.2" rr
Rate:NEEDED!!

Whiteline (progressive) (found info on MINI2...Austrailian springs)
MC? Drop: 0.6-1.0" fr / 0.6-1.0" rr
Rate: 180-264 fr / 192-234 rr




p.s. Still for the progressive rate springs, I'd like to know not the average, but the high and low rates. Thanks!

p.s.s. I've also found that some websites list "drop" based upon Cooper or Cooper S. It appears when Aftermarket springs are put on the Cooper it is not lowered as much as putting those same springs onto a Coooper S. The difference is close to a 1/2". So I think this is why sometimes you'll see apparently "conflicting" reports on amount of drop. So lets be sure to know which is which. :-)

 

I think someone already posted this info...

edit: wow! you're off to a good start.

 

Just perform a search. There is a rather extensive list.

 

I've done searches and couldn't find squat! I must not be keying in on the right keywords. Any suggestions on the correct key words to search for?

 

Here's a start, in a thread that you've posted in already.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...hlight=springs

Hopefully someone can put together a FAQ, or start entering this information into the reviews section of the site... as often as it gets asked.

 

Jeff, that's a great thread!!! I didn't get to check it out after I posted that last response of mine. I'll mention it at the top of my thread

 

The extensive, albeit incomplete list, is from Randy Webb.

 

This is so overwhelming Guess I have a lot of reading to do:smile:

 

See my first post. It's now been updated!

 

You know, I can't find the spring info now...found it very easily three or four times in the past couple of weeks. The info is a reply from Randy, but not his thread. You will unfortunately have to pick thru some of the earlier spring threads. ...the end of the first page or someplace within the entire second page of threads. It's worth finding.

 

meb, I found the thread. I've copied over the info and added some of what I've found. :smile:

 

 

I added the M7 springs to my 04 MCS and very carefully measured the wheel arch height before and after installation and again several thousand miles later.

The drop on my car was exactly 1 inch & has maintained that dimension.

Bill

 

Bill, check http://www.m7tuning.com/products/sportsprings.htm

I think your car falls into the drop varies from application to application.

 

Yes, I am perfectly happy with the 1 inch drop.

I recently went to 215/40/17 tires instead of the stock 205/45/17 and that dropped the car another 1/4 inch.

The springs ride great on the street and handle great on the track. These springs coupled with a 22mm rear sway bar result in very flat cornering and very little unloading of the inside front wheel in tight corners on the track.

Bill

 

Well, better for acceleration.

 

I have 18" x 8" with 215-35-18 tires and wanted to know which spring are the best set for my Mini Cooper S.:smile:

 

KW V1, V2 and V3 coilovers come with 278 lb. front and 222 lb. rear rates.
I think their web site says 35 mm lowereing but lowering more than 3/4" requires some thinking. You can actually lower the car apx. 2" if you know what to do with the parts they give you.
Their Competition 2 way coiloverrs are built to order and have rates available to over 1200 lb.

 

Dominic - This is a great thread and the information contained here will be *extremely* useful for anyone considering an aftermarket suspension. Ride stiffness and handling performance is all very subjective; one person's stiff ride could be quite comfy for another.

Even though the new Mini has been out for 3 model years now, it appears that there is still a lot of missing information regarding suspension. At a minimum, ride height drop and spring rate needs to be known before an educated buying decision can be made. Ideally (but difficult to find, even in a "mature" aftermarket), dyno charts for the dampers should also be available.

I would like to suggest a couple of things to add to the list:
1) Add a note to indicate a coilover suspension (for example, H&R has both regular springs plus coilover springs)
2) Add a note to indicate a shortened (and/or adjustable) strut (do these even exist for Mini Cooper?)
3) If dampers are included (as with coilovers), indicate dampers that have damper adjustment

Lastly - How do we make this thread a sticky? Thanks for this thread!

matt

 

Yes thank you. However, for this thread I'm relying upon vendor and customer knowledge, as I do not have it myself. You'd think I would have at least a few responses in this thread from the vendors themselves, but I don't. I've even PM'd ___ (a prominent NAM vendor) to post info here, and they didn't.


These sound like they'd be useful. I wish I knew. Again, this is where customer or vendor knowledge comes into play.

You'd need to PM a mod to get that done.

 

Vendors? Where are you?

I figured you'd want to participate in this thread and shed some data with us on your aftermarket spring info.

 

Bump for a thread that needs to be a sticky.

 

Done.

 

Nice, I think may be more helpful if adding another point in each of them for sample pic (thumbnail size lead to the actual size pic) for before and after.

e.g.

Alta
MC Drop: 1.5" fr / 1.0" rr
MCS Drop: 0.95" fr / 0.75" rr
Rate: NEEDED!!
Pics: [ before ] [ after ]

 

Yes, that would be nice. :smile: Do you have links to pix I can put up?