If you have yet to read articles by DrObnxs in the current (Jan-Feb 2007) and previous issue of MC2, do so. They provide an excellent first step in understanding the complexities of MINI handling and suspension tuning.
I am truly a novice with the workings of a car (not to mention a MINI) suspension system but these two articles at least helped me understand all the postings and discussions with regards to sway bars (oops anti-sway bars), springs and shocks.
A very complex subject indeed but very interesting and now somewhat clearer thanks to Matt.
Good work!

 

I agree !

The Dr. has been an unmeasurable asset to this community and to MINI-dom everywhere.

Thank you again Dr.

 

Where's my MC2? Give us the cliff's notes!

mb

 

Cliff's Notes:
1. Anti-Sway bar not sway bar.
2. Camber Plates good.
3. Lowering Bad.
4. Track Set-up ≠ Street Set-Up.
5. If you don't know better, then know better to start messing with it!

 

but if I wrote it that short, I wouldn't get paid anything!

But really, thanks for the kind words. Every time I submit an article, I'm a mixture of pride, fear (what did I screw up) and relief (thank God that it's done and not too late!)..... But I never really know how I've done till I hear comments like this one. IT makes my day.....

Matt

 

So, Dr. O - based on the theories seen above, is the JCW suspension with proper camber setup a nice mix of street and track, eventhough street setup does not equal track setup?

mb

 

I'm just waiting for the next issue's follow up..

EDIT: or "this issue" which I haven't recieved yet.

 

is that it's better than stock, comes sorted, and costs a lot. You can get better for the $, but it's up to you to make all the parts work well together.

So far, my favorite "off the shelf" combo of parts is the Dinan suspension. It sure was sweet! But to be fair, I haven't flogged the JCW the same way I've flogged the Dinan.

Matt

 

Here's to Dr. O.

He does it research ... and is good at it

Now I got to go read this months article

 

I can't speak for the Dinan, but I did a ride along in Sad Arthur ('05 MCS, all JCW) at Thunderhill raceway when the car was about two or three weeks old and all stock - down to the all-season runflats. It's obviously not as tight as a race set-up, but but Sidhartha was smoking almost everything else on the track, including an NSX and several prepped Miatas. On runflats. With a passenger! About the only cars that kept pace were race prepped MINIs.