I installed the H&R coilovers this last weekend as well as the Alta Control Adjustable Control Arms.

I havent had enough time to play with them, as I need to go get the rear camber corrected before pushing it hard. They are pretty solid, not as solid as my Bilstein PSS's or B&G Coilovers on my other vehicles, but then again, as I said, I havent been able to drive it much. The coilovers were a piece of cake to install, no problems what-so-ever. I wasnt sure how low, or high to adjust them initially, but as you can see it was SLAMMED! After my first adjustment I know I need to come up some, which I will do this coming weekend.

TONS of rubbing when it was slammed, NO rubbing in current position.
Take a look:
All photos of install can be seen here:
http://www.sfbavw.net/gallery/MINIcoil
All the Slammed can be seen here:
http://www.sfbavw.net/gallery/Slammed
1st Adjustment photos can be seen here:
http://www.sfbavw.net/gallery/Coilovers

SLAMMED









After 1st adjustment









Some Install Shots

 

Very nice work. I'd highly suggest getting a good alignment and corner balance to take full advantage of them.

 

please do keep everyone informed about ride, handling improvements etc... esp after you get it corner balanced

also, if you autocross, let me know if you miss the ability to adjust dampers

im considering this set of coilovers (and the rss), against the much cheaper eibach spring/koni combo...

 

Cornering balancing is a must and will happen. I am sure being the smaller wheelbase, and overall rigidness of the MINI, these will suffice for Auto X. I will keep you updated, especialy when I make my final adjustments, and get aligned.

 

Tie a zip-tie to your damper piston and drive the car hard as hell. Keep raising the car untill the zip-tie no longer comes into contact with the bottom of either a supplied bump stop or one you have cut 1/3-1/2 off - off the bottom or pointed end.This will help to determine what the ride height should be for that spring and damper set.

 

Very true. when I first installed my coil-overs I had them too low. Looked cool, but you don't want to be riding on your bump stops. Let the suspension do it's job.

 

I am using all of the stock bumpstops/dampers, should I have cut any down?

 

I would assume so... even the H-sport bumpstops are less than 1/2
of the factory bumpstops.

but i guess if you're using higher spring rate and higher damp setting,
the stroke is shorter.

(I think you're still riding your bumpstops at that height though).

 

HMMMMmm.. Alex at Tire Rack didnt mention that I needed to modify any of the components. I sure miss my Bilsteins as they gave me everything I needed.. I will call Alex tomorrow...

 

I wouldn't run out to your car and remove everything so that you can cut the bump stops. Perform this operation next time you have them apart.

You may simply find that the top of the damper hits the bump stops during aggressive driving. If the damper comes into light contact with the damper, you may not feel anything. If, however, you've set your suspension too low and the damper makes hard contact two things may happen; you may hurt the damper - although this typically takes several really hard hits. Second, and more importantly, when the suspension ceases to suspend, when it has reached full compression and is riding the bump stop, that tire will lose grip IMMEDIATELY! Not at all fun. Another very important reason to get ride height correct.

 

What are the ill effects to not using the stock dampeners that ride the shock shaft at all, and just use the spring caps with the bumpstops at the top of the towers?

 

Don't understand???

Michael

 

ok if I did not put the dense foam "dampeners" from my stock springs and shocks, (i do not recall if those are called the bumpstops, as i always referred to the bumpstops as the harder top portion that mounts that are usually with the hats, not the foamy piece that mounts over the strut dampener arm.), what are the ill effects of that? will my shock arms travel too much and bottom out and blow the shock, or will it give me noise from the springs as they may compress too much? Do I make sense now or am I confusing you more...

 

the bulky foam thingie that's on the shaft is your bumpstop.

 

ok, so completely removing them is bad, but possibly leaving them the stock height is as well?

 

Yes, that's bad. Simply cut 1/3-1/2 off the tappered end - the end that points down.

And really, try setting your ride height with a zip-tie as I indicated. If you do this and cut the bump stop, you should have zero problems with the top of the damper coming into contact with the spring perch.

This might actually cause your car to sit higher than you like, but it's better than destroying your hard work and components. Typically, if I can fit two fingers between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fender, I feel I'm at a pretty good starting point. My pointer finger and middle finger equal 1 11/16" in width - for goofs and giggles.

Hope this helps

Michael

 

Helped a TON, and I will use the zip tie process this weekend, thanks!

 

H&R's SUCK Bigtime! They make a ton of noise, do not seat right, and 2 suspension shops said they are wrong for the car (the rears). I do not know if it just isnt right for the 05, but Tire Rack wants to give me a hard time for wanting to return them, even though it is their, or H&R's problem. I ordered the Bilstein PSS9's from Shox.com and will have them on by Wednesday.

There is a horrible bad clunking noise coming from both rear mounts, and both suspension shops say it is the exact sound they hear on Civics when someone puts on cheap & generic coilovers, or ground controls. The noise is so bad. Definately do NOT recommend these, not to mention the front drop is about .5" lower than what H&R claims...

 

I'm confused... you took it to two "shops" who claim there's a problem with the product, but you haven't actually said what the problem is.

I'm just wondering if they actually told you, or if it was just their way of saying "we don't know". Some spring noise is to be expected virtually anytime tender springs aren't used. I wouldn't consider it a flaw, just the way it is.

Anyway, hopefully you'll like the new setup better.

 

It sounds as though you are losing this set-up, for whatever reason. For those who want to see if they are bump-stopping, or bottoming out (bump stops hitting the spring hats), just place a couple or so small round ***** of putty or clay on top of the bump stops.

After going for a drive, jack-up the car bit to let the spring droop, and inspect to see the condition of the putty/clay. If smashed in the hats, you are bump stopping hard, and that's not good, unless you hit a speed bump at 50+, or caught some air or something .

I've been experimenting with this for the past several months...

 

The H&R's do not seem to be seating at all into the "hat" which is the top mount of the stock shock tower mount. The springs seem to be slopping around under any condidtion and not just big bumps. The techs say it almost sounds as though it is bottoming out under any mild bump, but the bump stops did proove that to be so. From doing some research and such, I have heard of instances that say the 05 rear is different in some respects, but I thought that was only to do with the rear perch.

When I was at the alignment shop the tech simply pushed the control arms up and down and you could here the thumping most prevailant on the drivers rear. under normal driving I wouldnt expect to hear anything as my past B&G's and PSS coilovers never made a sound. The shops seem to think it is the spring slopping around the hats as stated, but cannot confirm anything as when the coilovers are off they seem normall, and there isnt a way to be under the car while driving.

And this isnt "some" spring noise. This is actual metal to metal loud thumping like they are bottoming out, but as stated the bumpstops dont yield that to be true. Lastly someone hinted that the shocks just maybe defective on the rear, but do not show signs of leakage to be blown...

Does anyone have a schematic of the rear setup in an exploded view so I can verify that both suspension shops have installed each piece in the correct order?

 

Itsdchz: Can you upload pictures again

 

make sure your control arms aren't slopping back and forth in their mounting holes. leave the arms attach bolts slightly loose with the weight off the suspension, put the car back down, and then finally tighten them......