I don't think this is what Sid meant...

 

funny guy You bean getting my PMs???

 

nobody likes to respond to pms these days. jeesh

 

Ok...one more time...:impatient

 

Wow, this thread took off... I'm glad that progress is being made. I just apologize for being out this entire weekend. I think I've had two hours of sleep total so bear with me if I start to talk crazy.

I'd like to say thanks to all those in support of our product and company... it's nice to know I'm not pinned in a corner all by myself here.

We're going to be sending out new shocks and springs for the front to each person who emails me. The thing is, we don't have anything to send yet so you'll have to hold your emails until AFTER we get the parts in so I can keep this orginized.

So hold your emails until then please.

Looks like we're going 25mm taller on the piston and 30mm taller on the spring. The springs will need to be slightly pre-loaded. Probably 10mm+ Pre-Load. with the calculations thusfar.

We'll be leaving the springs at 5Kg.

We're attaining the prototype hopefully by the end of the week and then as long as the testing is done in a timely fashion, we'll be able to get the replacment parts soon after to distribute.

 

 

cool just let us know when ur ready so we know when to email you.

and who exactly to email

 

Super PM sent...

 

might as well send out new bump stops to everyone too. i think mine are going chop chop here to get some extra susp movement.

 

That can be arranged.

 

Yes, Thanks Michael. All very much appreciated.
You never let me know though about Monday at LRP.

 

I might be staining shingles... But if Monday is a super nice day, the track feels like a better place to be.

 

Just posting to subscribe...nothing to see here...

 

launched my front spring rate into infinity yesterday. put the upper perches as high as they would go. about an inch higher than they were sitting normal.

ride quality seems to have improved in the front, as far as smoothness over smaller bumps. big bumps still feel like bump stop and hell.

i had to lower my car about a 1/4 to 1/2" to compensate for the increased front spring rate.

One problem i see is that the front is a LOT bouncier than it was before. i run around 18-16 from hard on the street and pretty low. not tucked but low. side to side roll when into a turn has increased = more suspension travel.

a temporary solution untill the new sets go out. i will chop the stops next time i have the front susp off, unfortunately pulling the front off is a pita, as most of you know, and it was too dark out to dive into something like that

 

If the front is bouncy, you have to compensate with a new adjustment in the rear. I found that the front is bouncy when both front and rear are adjusted the same. On highway cycling I felt was best with the rears one notch stronger than the front. Currently I'm exploring 3 notches stronger up front.

The Webb bar is set pretty much at full soft.

 

I have also been experimenting with different setting and I think I found the sweet spot for my car. Keep in mind that I have the Cabrio which adds about 175lbs extra. I also pushed the lower perches as high as possible and cut the stoppers about 1/2". My dampers are set at 12 from full hard. This combo seems to smooth out most bumbs except the large dips or bumps where I still bottom out.

In the rears after looking at the original setting from install, I felt the dampers were being compressed too much (taking measures from no pre-load compressed and uncompressed). I adjusted the lower perches about 3/4" up and the dampers are at 11 from full hard. I did have to adjust my ride height to compensate.

I took it for a test and was purposely trying to go over any bumb I could find and, let me tell you, what a difference!! I do have a bit more body lean but my tooth fillings are not being shaken off.

This is a compromise I can live with for now until the new ones are out.

 

I don't know if 2.25" of possible travel is correct or not but, 0.5" of actual travel, after sag seems like way too little. That's like 23% left over. Are these springs giving out prematurely? If so, perhaps more damping is necessary. If not, then a stiffer rate might be the ticket.
brownflyer, how much travel would you estimate you have left?

 

That's the thing I love about the Mini Cooper community... so thorough about the experiments and testing that is being done with every single modification. It really helps when developing new products or improving upon an already existing product. You guys are amazing.. seriously.

 

I gained about 1/2" from pushing the lower perches to the top and about 1/2" by cutting the stoppers a bit. So, I think I have about 1" - 1 1/4" travel up front.

 

Okay, now I'm confused... How do you gain travel by moving the lower perches up? Doesn't that add a lot of preload & reduce travel?

 

Adds preload...another way of saying, er writing, that the spring rate changes a little. The rate will become a little stiffer. If the upper perch is raised, the damper is moved farther from the bumpstop because the operation of raising the spring lowers the damper.

I may experiment with installing the stock bumpstops onto the Megans...perhaps a bad idea, but I've nothing to lose and everything to gain - if it works or not.

 

So then, the lower perch setting should be made with the damper's shaft extended as far as possible, leaving the lower perches near the top of the threads. This would yield the most possible travel. I didn't remember reading that tidbit in your preliminary instructions.

 

Yes, exactly. And no, this was not part of my instructions. I was concerned with maintaining the spring rates. But the difference is about a half inch. In reality, that's not much when we consider that there is not much to begin with - a hindsight remark for sure. 3" of travel would be nice...

 

I kinda think that the consumer shouldn't have to do the R&D.

 

Cynmini,

A valid comment for sure. However, on the positive side, we have an individual willing to work with us...a guy who answers calls and is accessible.

life isn't perfect as we all know. Some relationships are just better than others.