Yeah.....good luck with that. Cutting the towers is no big deal and after you can just paint them with touch up paint and it looks great. Especially with a STB installed.

 

The garage I went to to get an alignment still wanted to cut the towers after I switched to hex head bolts, which we ended up doing. It's not a big deal.

I don't see how camber can be pre-set as you never know what the marks mean for your particular car.

And by rake, Vernon, I meant that the front end was a lot lower than the rear.

 

oh ok great...thanks for the clarification (always look forward to learning something new)

Steve

 

hey guys, i did it!! they're finally in and the ride is fantastic, i can't imagine what the ride is going to feel after alignment! the drive truely feels "on rails." thanks to cliff and cor...and jeff at texas speedwerks. here's some info that may help others:

1. the '08 mcsc (r52) has adjustable rear control arms. i had heard that only the r56 had these. doesn't look like a lot of adjustability...but it's there, and would likely be fine if you're not going lower than an inch.

2. the front tire rubs with the shock body...unless you get spacers...then things get interesting. most lug nut conversion kits are 12 x 1.5mm. However, the lugs on my car are 14mm!! tsw are the only people i could find with 14 x 1.5 mm. make sure you know which you have first!!

3. adjustable end links come in lengths for stock ride hight!!! tsw sell theirs with this in mind and shortens them compared to what you get from powergrid (the manufacturer) which might be fine for bilstein's. unfortunately, on these coilovers you need to lengthen the front link to lower the car below about 1/4 inch. i'm waiting for new/longer shafts so i can sefely go lower than 1/4 inch.

4. each tick on the camber plate represents 0.5 degrees

5. front and rear set at 11 is only slightly stiffer than stock. front camber at -2.25 is comfortable on the street...and the car corners soooo nicely!!

i'm sure i'll be encountering more!!

 

What tires do you have? Will 205/45 R17 rub on the shocks?

 

Seems like a lot of fitment issues! Damn CorBlmy made it seem like these were a piece of cake to put on...what happened? is it cuz you have a convertible(seems like many things are different on conv. than coupes)?

 

There are no fitment issues with the coilovers themselves. These are normal issues that can be faced with many coilover systems or by simply lowering the car in general. Wheel offset and tire size will affect the need for wheel spacers. If a spacer is required usually a 3 or 5mm spacer will gain you the necessary clearance. Some time in late 06 MINI switched to 14mm bolts. This needs to be considered if the need for spacers arise.

 

ok great thank you very much cliff for that clarification. OxTox what wheel offset and tire size are you running?? And as far as the end links go stock links won't work with these coilovers? And if I do have to get end links(to go lower than a 1/4") than I have to find someone who sells longer? than stock links?

 

i don't think any of what i posted is a negative...i just wanted everyone to be as informed as possible....from the perspective of someone who had never installed their own suspension before. all in all, it's been great fun, and i've learned a ton. i'm sure i would have run into the same or similar issues with other coils as well. i'm gonna hold off on posting for awhile untill i have everything dialed in....but what's amazing is that out of the box, these things will transform your ride....for example, my mini handles much, much better than my e46 bmw m3 ever did!!!

 

oxtox, but what tire size do you have? and what ET of the wheels?

 

Stock end links work fine with the BC coilovers, and you can use them at whatever height you go for. You'll be preloading the swaybars, which isn't a big deal, especially for a daily driver..

 

215/45-17

i think you're right. during install, i left the front sway bar where i found it (pointing slightly down). i'm going to take the fronts off and move the bar parallel with the ground. i figure this should get me at least the 3/8" i'm looking for this was something i wasn't gonna mention until i tried it. also, the powergrid end links are significantly more substantial...i could see how the oem could break with a lowered car that's really being pushed. but, as you mentioned with a daily driver, probably gonna be okay. i still like the idea of something stronger that is adjustable though.

 

Definitely oxtox, I didn't mean to downplay the benefit of the TSW / powergrid endlinks. I'll be buying some when I get the cash. Heck, I broke one of the stockers when installing the coilovers.

But the OE links will work. I think that they tend to bend more than break - at least that's what mine have seemed to do. And a broken link isn't catastrophic either, so *shrug*

 

ok so tsw links will work fine that's good to know (probably a good investment with the coilovers anyways) The other thing oxtox was what wheels and offset are you running. I'm just curious if I'm going to experience the lug bolt problems that you had. It would really be dissappointing to have finished the whole install of the coilovers only to find out that they wheels won't go on and now you have a car that you cant drive until some new sized lug bolt/nut arrives in the mail. Do you know what I mean?? I'm not trying to be negative...please don't think that but you have to agree it must have been a little disheartening to learn of the misfortunes of not being able to put your wheels back on and enjoy your new coilovers right away.

 

yeah, I'd really like to know what wheels/offset you have too oxtox, so that I can try to understand if i'll need spacers or not.

 

believe me, i understand completely...after finding out at install that my lug bolts were 14mm not 12!!

all the oem 17" wheels are et48, so that's what i'm guessing mine are. there is painfully little written about the specs of the night spoke rim that comes with the mcsc sidewalk edition (seen on my sig below). i may be taking off the fronts tonight to move front sway bar, adjust end links, and drop another 3/8 inch.....i will definitely post if i find that the et is not 48 (sorry, i can't make it out with the wheels on).

 

ok then, I mount 205/45 R17 tires on ET40 wheels, hopefully I should have enough clearance to not need the spacers

thanks for the info

 

edit: nevermind I read that wrong.

Springs have settled and I'm really like the height (almost as low as it goes). the back is still a little high, but I'm going to move that brake line mount so I can drop it a bit more. The ride is so much nicer than the Koni/Hsport combo! even with the 8k/8k springs! i've got it set to 10 from softest front and 12 from softest rear for daily driving. no chance to try them out on autocross yet

 

Thanks x2 oxtox for the info....I really really like these coilovers and cannot wait to have a grand laying around so I can slap a set of these on my car and really start cornering. I just picked up a usesd Alta 22mm sway bar and can't wait to put that on this weekend and see how much better my car gets!!! WOO HOO

Steve

 

Upgrading the rear sway bar is a huge improvement. You won't be disappointed.

 

Darkness ....

You should really like the adjustability at the AUTO - X

Remember stiffer isn't alyays the best set up...

I was going STIF "above 20" always... front and rear
>Now my start setting at an Auto - x is 16 front and 22 rear.
Hoosier A6 tires at 26 lbs front and 34 lbs rear.
(lots of other suspension stuff)
Seriously NO underster and the back end rotates very well with predictable feel.

 

the rears are just too damn high on my car; with the coilovers bottomed out, they are higher than stock shocks with eibach springs. it just looks goofy with a very small front gap and a large rear gap.

cor, do you have any suggestions to get another 1/2" lower in the back? do you know the free length of the rear springs? if so, i'll see if swift has a shorter spring that will work.

(removing the lower lock ring only buys you about .2", so that won't completely do it...)

thanks

 

Thanks for the tips! When I started following this thread I remember you setting them at high 20s for autox, so I was going to start at like 22/24. Since you mention that now I'll start it much lower when I do get to go out there.

I'm thinking at lunch i'm going to make them a bit softer than 10/12 to see how the ride changes for daily driving

 

Hey "flyboy###" yes if you set at full front drop and full rear drop the "rake" is more than stock...
...would raising the front be an option ?
That would "correct" the rake...


I have done part#, length, and fit research...
DON'T hold me to this yet ...
There is a 6kg spring that is 150mm (the std MINI BC rear set up is 180mm)
that is 30 mm shorter... problem is that if you use that and set it up wrong you will bottom out on the piston and cause damage.
(that was the #1 issue of another coilover set up that has a BAD rap now)

I am looking into this and may do a test myself to see the set up and to see the additional drop that could be gained while still being safe.

 

Hey Flyboy it seems like maybe RedSkunk might have a solution for you. Did you try taking off the brackets. Maybe that seems to be your problem. RedSkunk...did you ever get around to shooting some pics so we can see how low your rear is and maybe Flyboy you could post some of your car too so we can compare and see how "high" your rear really is. Plus we'd all love to see some eye candy right everyone?!?!?!?!

Steve