When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Suspension BC coilovers installed (how-to & feedback)
SuspensionSprings, struts, coilovers, sway-bars, camber plates, and all other modifications to suspension components for Cooper (R50), Cabrio (R52), and Cooper S (R53) MINIs.
I removed my BC Sports and went with a H-Sport + JCW setup.. not slammed, but still tight and can handle the bumps better..
now - I have a set of used BC Coilovers for sale, i need to look at my paperwork for the mileage i have on them. No leaks and they have Swift springs on them. PM me! Im in Seattle, but will ship to a good home.
I have installed the new BC (BR series) coilovers.
here is a short how-to with photos of the units and the install.
The BR series are 30 way adjustable compression / rebound adjustable.
Have ride height adjustability both Front and Rear.
AND come with adjustable front camber plates.
All 3 of these features were what I was looking for in doing a upgrade.
An additional feature is flexable adjuster extensions for the rears that I wanted to install to be able to use the adjustability feature WITHOUT having to remove the unit or even lay on the ground
These coilovers are well known in other market applications.
HERE THEY ARE...(as delivered)
Tools and extenders included
Here is a short HOW-TO
Again I installed to be able to adjust from above. They can be set and then installed, but to then adjust the rears they would need to be partially removed to reach the **** on the TOP of the rear.
The main point of the install is to show the MODIFICATIONS needed to do the install.
BEFORE YOU START !
Measure your ride height on level ground with the OEM units on.
You will want to know this to brag about your drop ...LOL
you will want to know this as a base or starting point when setting rideheight after install.
Jack up the vehicle and use jack stands
Now to remove the fronts ... then do the install
Time to Install
I jacked up the rear so as to be sure that in the normal position AND under load the adjuster clears the hole. As the suspension works the top does move.
... about stock height.
My final setting is 1+" lower then this.
I set the rear were I wanted it THEN adjusted the front.
The ride height would be about stock with thr front set here.
Final shot of panel reinstalled and the flexable adjuster on.
This is about a "straight shot" up from the coilover.
I was going to put at the "cubbie" door in the back but the more than 90 deg. bend...
just didn't feel quite right.
I could feel the indent position but not as "clearly" as the straight position.
MORE photos to come of vehicle shots as soon as weather permits.
I have now had the coilovers on for just 2 days (the car will be having a full alignment and corner balancing this weekend).
My first impressions are GREAT !
Firm and good road feel.
Still trying different settings on the compression / rebound.
The adjustment stiffens up the compression.
OR adjusting the other way softens compression.
You can feel the difference.
I started in the middle (setting 15) and today reset to 5 and could feel the softer ride.
The springs are stiff... they feel stiffer then the H sport (with stock shocks ) that were on before.
When ALL adjustmenta are made I will put them through more testing and adjusting.
All in all the quality looks good and the features are great.
The price point is excelent.
Camber plates, shocks and springs OR camberplates and coilovers elsewhere are more $.
Nice to see other manufacturers and vendors supporting the MINI crowd.
We now have more choices.
Hello,
Please I need photos on how you access the rear dampening with the extenders.
Yes. The holes will come out close to the cubby hole doors in the back. For the left side just take the door off, pull out the tie that holds the wiring harness to the body, it's like a clip in thing and have someone hold it to the side so the drill doesn't hit it. After the hole is drilled, just pop the wiring harness holder back. I think we used a half inch drill, or maybe an inch, I can't remember. On the right side, if you have the HK amp in the way, you have to take a lot of chit apart to get to it. You can do it with the back seats still in. Just put the seat down, pop the interior plastic away and have someone hold it way back while you unscrew the amp and remove it for the drilling. And it's really hard to get your hands in there to unscrew it. I think there were three screws and it's even harder to get it screwed back in. It'll be sore hands and a lot of four letter words. Then unplug the harness on that side to drill the hole. Then with the seat down and on the right side of the seat, when it's in the upright position and where the edge of the seats meets the interior plastic, drill a two inch hole in the interior plastic. That's where you'll run the cable though when you need to adjust it. There isn't enough room with the amp there to access it through the cubby hole. When you need to put the seat in the upright position, just stick the cable back in the hole. I said a two inch hole, because you'll need to stick your fingers in there to fish the cable out. It's not real easy, but you can fish it out. It usually takes me about a minute to get it out. I've thought about tying a string just under the **** and leaving the string out of the hole to help fish it out. I think that would work. You can buy a plastic plug for the whole and it makes it look like it was supposed to be that way and the side of the seat won't rub on the edges of the hole and when the seat is up, you won't see it anyway. If I were you, I'd buy a set of swift springs for the BCs. They are a much better spring. I went stiffer with the springs and the ride quality is much better.
Yes. The holes will come out close to the cubby hole doors in the back. For the left side just take the door off, pull out the tie that holds the wiring harness to the body, it's like a clip in thing and have someone hold it to the side so the drill doesn't hit it. After the hole is drilled, just pop the wiring harness holder back. I think we used a half inch drill, or maybe an inch, I can't remember. On the right side, if you have the HK amp in the way, you have to take a lot of chit apart to get to it. You can do it with the back seats still in. Just put the seat down, pop the interior plastic away and have someone hold it way back while you unscrew the amp and remove it for the drilling. And it's really hard to get your hands in there to unscrew it. I think there were three screws and it's even harder to get it screwed back in. It'll be sore hands and a lot of four letter words. Then unplug the harness on that side to drill the hole. Then with the seat down and on the right side of the seat, when it's in the upright position and where the edge of the seats meets the interior plastic, drill a two inch hole in the interior plastic. That's where you'll run the cable though when you need to adjust it. There isn't enough room with the amp there to access it through the cubby hole. When you need to put the seat in the upright position, just stick the cable back in the hole. I said a two inch hole, because you'll need to stick your fingers in there to fish the cable out. It's not real easy, but you can fish it out. It usually takes me about a minute to get it out. I've thought about tying a string just under the **** and leaving the string out of the hole to help fish it out. I think that would work. You can buy a plastic plug for the whole and it makes it look like it was supposed to be that way and the side of the seat won't rub on the edges of the hole and when the seat is up, you won't see it anyway. If I were you, I'd buy a set of swift springs for the BCs. They are a much better spring. I went stiffer with the springs and the ride quality is much better.
Mine have issues with a lot of clunking that I believe is the end links hitting the axles when I turn. I made a thread about it under suspension, it seems that the bc support guys don't really know anything and the rest of my suspension is all original and untouched.
I've got a set of feal coilovers that I'm in the process of installing. I have the rear adjustment extenders and found this thread as place to reference so I don't have to reinvent the wheel so to speak. However, none of the pics load! Does anyone have pics of where to drill, etc that I can reference? Thanks.
Brad
I have installed the new BC (BR series) coilovers.
here is a short how-to with photos of the units and the install.
The BR series are 30 way adjustable compression / rebound adjustable.
Have ride height adjustability both Front and Rear.
AND come with adjustable front camber plates.
All 3 of these features were what I was looking for in doing a upgrade.
An additional feature is flexable adjuster extensions for the rears that I wanted to install to be able to use the adjustability feature WITHOUT having to remove the unit or even lay on the ground
These coilovers are well known in other market applications.
HERE THEY ARE...(as delivered)
Tools and extenders included
Here is a short HOW-TO
Again I installed to be able to adjust from above. They can be set and then installed, but to then adjust the rears they would need to be partially removed to reach the **** on the TOP of the rear.
The main point of the install is to show the MODIFICATIONS needed to do the install.
BEFORE YOU START !
Measure your ride height on level ground with the OEM units on.
You will want to know this to brag about your drop ...LOL
you will want to know this as a base or starting point when setting rideheight after install.
Jack up the vehicle and use jack stands
Now to remove the fronts ... then do the install
Time to Install
I jacked up the rear so as to be sure that in the normal position AND under load the adjuster clears the hole. As the suspension works the top does move.
... about stock height.
My final setting is 1+" lower then this.
I set the rear were I wanted it THEN adjusted the front.
The ride height would be about stock with thr front set here.
Final shot of panel reinstalled and the flexable adjuster on.
This is about a "straight shot" up from the coilover.
I was going to put at the "cubbie" door in the back but the more than 90 deg. bend...
just didn't feel quite right.
I could feel the indent position but not as "clearly" as the straight position.
MORE photos to come of vehicle shots as soon as weather permits.
I have now had the coilovers on for just 2 days (the car will be having a full alignment and corner balancing this weekend).
My first impressions are GREAT !
Firm and good road feel.
Still trying different settings on the compression / rebound.
The adjustment stiffens up the compression.
OR adjusting the other way softens compression.
You can feel the difference.
I started in the middle (setting 15) and today reset to 5 and could feel the softer ride.
The springs are stiff... they feel stiffer then the H sport (with stock shocks ) that were on before.
When ALL adjustmenta are made I will put them through more testing and adjusting.
All in all the quality looks good and the features are great.
The price point is excelent.
Camber plates, shocks and springs OR camberplates and coilovers elsewhere are more $.
Nice to see other manufacturers and vendors supporting the MINI crowd.
We now have more choices.
Anyone else not able to see the pics on the OG thread?
I just installed a set of BC Racing coil overs on my R58 and I needed 5mm spacers for the front with NM Engineering Wheels. I also added a 8mm to the rear and it looks perfect. Front is set at 6 clicks from Soft, rear is set at 15 clicks from soft and it's to harsh for my taste. Participating in a Mini run this weekend so I'll adjust the rears after that. I do have the extenders for the rear **** adjustment I'm just to chicken to cut a hole in the body. Used Danny at MINICorsa in North Hollywood to do the install since I had other suspension work done as well.
