2019 JCW | Pearl
#26
10-19-2022 | 08:57 AM
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 33
Likes: 10
From: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Mod Plans
Small little update: I’ve done a little bit of window shopping on various websites and I’ve kinda figured out some stuff I want to do to my MINI at some point.
Performance
Suspension
Brakes
Wheels and Tires
Cosmetic
This is me putting all my stuff in one place. More likely going to change some stuff in the future.
Performance
- Eventuri intake
- Dervtech stage 1 tune via BootMod 3. Would love to do a stage 2 and beyond but the 6 speed auto can’t take a ton of torque and I’d like my transmission to stay in one piece.
- JCW pro exhaust (the straight pipe is way too loud)
- GP3 upper motor mount- more of a preventive maintenance thing. Motor mounts on these cars fail a lot.
Suspension
- Bilstein B14 coilovers (have heard good things about these for friends)
- NM engineering 22mm rear sway bar and new endlinks
- adjustable control arms (I’m going to wait until I do a few track days with the coilovers and sway bar to see if it is needed.)
Brakes
- G-Loc R10 pads all around
- new rotors? Rear ones are on the way out and I’m finding conflicting information about what rotors are best for track use
- Stainless steel brake lines
- Motul RBF 600 brake fluid
Wheels and Tires
- Continental ExtremeContact Sport 225/45/17 (for daily driving)
- Hankook RS4 225/45/17 (track)
Cosmetic
- JCW pro front splitters
- JCW Pro rear diffuser
- Duell AG style carbon fiber wing
- Carbon fiber and alcantara steering wheel
- Union Jack aluminum replacement paddle shifters
- dechrome kit for the interior
This is me putting all my stuff in one place. More likely going to change some stuff in the future.
#27
10-20-2022 | 06:25 AM
Nice and fun selection of things to do with your MINI... 
A few suggestions ....
The Hankooks are an old design and are more intended for the amateur endurance racing than track days. They are a harder rubber compound that wears well in that type of racing, but that is less desirable for the short sprints of a track day event. There are some much better tires out there for track events.
I personally like the Falken RT660. For me, the price is a big factor with those, and as shown in the video their performance is one of the best. However, there is a a new kid on the block, the Bridgestone RE71RS (replaces the RE71R). This is an excellent track day tire from what I have been told and fast on the track based on data. Next to that would be the Yokohama A052, although that may be a little more biased to autocross vs the track.
Stay with a 215-45x17 tire. The 225 will rub in the rear and the size will only bring marginal gains in performance.
The JCW Pro coilovers set is working out to be a very nice track setup. And they are very good on the street. They are a worthy option next to the Bilsteins you have picked out. I have Bilstein B8 shocks on my R56 and very much like them. What I don’t know about the B14s is what the spring rates are compared to the JCW Pro setup. What I do know is that, with no other mods on my JCW, the car is quite neutral with the the JCW Pro setup.
That said, with either setup, limit how much you lower the car by to an inch or less, otherwise the car’s roll center will be too low, which will adversely effect the car’s handling.
Don’t do the 22mm swaybar by itself. For the track this needs to be paired with a much larger front swaybar. This is what the Pros doe (LAP Motorsports who races in TC America completions and used to race in IMSA). And from personal experience I can say this works. However, it does stiffen the ride. The 22mm RSB by its self is an for an autocross setup where it is desirable reduce the stability of the rear of the car. It does this by reducing the traction at the rear of the car. On the track this can lead to the car swapping ends. I think you will find that either of the coilovers setups will preclude the need for the swaybar(s).
The MINI is very camber challenged in the front. You will see this when you first go out on the track and wear out the outer edge of your front tires. Instead of putting in a RSB, you get a much bigger gain from a set of camberplates or caster/camber plates. These will add traction to the front of the car, without removing traction from the rear of the car. A much better handling improvement and will improve tire wear. A caster/camber plate has the advantage of being able to add caster. Caster becomes camber when the wheels are turned which is important as camber itself is lost when the wheels are turned.
Brake rotors - the stock MINI rotors are fine for the track. I would stick with the MINI rotors up front given their somewhat unique internal ribs. As for the rears... Get a name brand (Brembo, Stop Tech, etc), any will do. Use match brake pads front to rear. R10s in the front; R10s in the rear. The car is designed to perform best with match compounds front to rear. Best not to mess with that.
Hope that helps.
A few suggestions ....
The Hankooks are an old design and are more intended for the amateur endurance racing than track days. They are a harder rubber compound that wears well in that type of racing, but that is less desirable for the short sprints of a track day event. There are some much better tires out there for track events.
I personally like the Falken RT660. For me, the price is a big factor with those, and as shown in the video their performance is one of the best. However, there is a a new kid on the block, the Bridgestone RE71RS (replaces the RE71R). This is an excellent track day tire from what I have been told and fast on the track based on data. Next to that would be the Yokohama A052, although that may be a little more biased to autocross vs the track.
Stay with a 215-45x17 tire. The 225 will rub in the rear and the size will only bring marginal gains in performance.
The JCW Pro coilovers set is working out to be a very nice track setup. And they are very good on the street. They are a worthy option next to the Bilsteins you have picked out. I have Bilstein B8 shocks on my R56 and very much like them. What I don’t know about the B14s is what the spring rates are compared to the JCW Pro setup. What I do know is that, with no other mods on my JCW, the car is quite neutral with the the JCW Pro setup.
That said, with either setup, limit how much you lower the car by to an inch or less, otherwise the car’s roll center will be too low, which will adversely effect the car’s handling.
Don’t do the 22mm swaybar by itself. For the track this needs to be paired with a much larger front swaybar. This is what the Pros doe (LAP Motorsports who races in TC America completions and used to race in IMSA). And from personal experience I can say this works. However, it does stiffen the ride. The 22mm RSB by its self is an for an autocross setup where it is desirable reduce the stability of the rear of the car. It does this by reducing the traction at the rear of the car. On the track this can lead to the car swapping ends. I think you will find that either of the coilovers setups will preclude the need for the swaybar(s).
The MINI is very camber challenged in the front. You will see this when you first go out on the track and wear out the outer edge of your front tires. Instead of putting in a RSB, you get a much bigger gain from a set of camberplates or caster/camber plates. These will add traction to the front of the car, without removing traction from the rear of the car. A much better handling improvement and will improve tire wear. A caster/camber plate has the advantage of being able to add caster. Caster becomes camber when the wheels are turned which is important as camber itself is lost when the wheels are turned.
Brake rotors - the stock MINI rotors are fine for the track. I would stick with the MINI rotors up front given their somewhat unique internal ribs. As for the rears... Get a name brand (Brembo, Stop Tech, etc), any will do. Use match brake pads front to rear. R10s in the front; R10s in the rear. The car is designed to perform best with match compounds front to rear. Best not to mess with that.
Hope that helps.
#28
10-20-2022 | 07:32 AM
Thread Starter
|
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 33
Likes: 10
From: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Nice and fun selection of things to do with your MINI...
A few suggestions ....
The Hankooks are an old design and are more intended for the amateur endurance racing than track days. They are a harder rubber compound that wears well in that type of racing, but that is less desirable for the short sprints of a track day event. There are some much better tires out there for track events.
https://youtu.be/m75xWB3Rnho
I personally like the Falken RT660. For me, the price is a big factor with those, and as shown in the video their performance is one of the best. However, there is a a new kid on the block, the Bridgestone RE71RS (replaces the RE71R). This is an excellent track day tire from what I have been told and fast on the track based on data. Next to that would be the Yokohama A052, although that may be a little more biased to autocross vs the track.
Stay with a 215-45x17 tire. The 225 will rub in the rear and the size will only bring marginal gains in performance.
The JCW Pro coilovers set is working out to be a very nice track setup. And they are very good on the street. They are a worthy option next to the Bilsteins you have picked out. I have Bilstein B8 shocks on my R56 and very much like them. What I don’t know about the B14s is what the spring rates are compared to the JCW Pro setup. What I do know is that, with no other mods on my JCW, the car is quite neutral with the the JCW Pro setup.
That said, with either setup, limit how much you lower the car by to an inch or less, otherwise the car’s roll center will be too low, which will adversely effect the car’s handling.
Don’t do the 22mm swaybar by itself. For the track this needs to be paired with a much larger front swaybar. This is what the Pros doe (LAP Motorsports who races in TC America completions and used to race in IMSA). And from personal experience I can say this works. However, it does stiffen the ride. The 22mm RSB by its self is an for an autocross setup where it is desirable reduce the stability of the rear of the car. It does this by reducing the traction at the rear of the car. On the track this can lead to the car swapping ends. I think you will find that either of the coilovers setups will preclude the need for the swaybar(s).
The MINI is very camber challenged in the front. You will see this when you first go out on the track and wear out the outer edge of your front tires. Instead of putting in a RSB, you get a much bigger gain from a set of camberplates or caster/camber plates. These will add traction to the front of the car, without removing traction from the rear of the car. A much better handling improvement and will improve tire wear. A caster/camber plate has the advantage of being able to add caster. Caster becomes camber when the wheels are turned which is important as camber itself is lost when the wheels are turned.
Brake rotors - the stock MINI rotors are fine for the track. I would stick with the MINI rotors up front given their somewhat unique internal ribs. As for the rears... Get a name brand (Brembo, Stop Tech, etc), any will do. Use match brake pads front to rear. R10s in the front; R10s in the rear. The car is designed to perform best with match compounds front to rear. Best not to mess with that.
Hope that helps.
A few suggestions ....
The Hankooks are an old design and are more intended for the amateur endurance racing than track days. They are a harder rubber compound that wears well in that type of racing, but that is less desirable for the short sprints of a track day event. There are some much better tires out there for track events.
https://youtu.be/m75xWB3Rnho
I personally like the Falken RT660. For me, the price is a big factor with those, and as shown in the video their performance is one of the best. However, there is a a new kid on the block, the Bridgestone RE71RS (replaces the RE71R). This is an excellent track day tire from what I have been told and fast on the track based on data. Next to that would be the Yokohama A052, although that may be a little more biased to autocross vs the track.
Stay with a 215-45x17 tire. The 225 will rub in the rear and the size will only bring marginal gains in performance.
The JCW Pro coilovers set is working out to be a very nice track setup. And they are very good on the street. They are a worthy option next to the Bilsteins you have picked out. I have Bilstein B8 shocks on my R56 and very much like them. What I don’t know about the B14s is what the spring rates are compared to the JCW Pro setup. What I do know is that, with no other mods on my JCW, the car is quite neutral with the the JCW Pro setup.
That said, with either setup, limit how much you lower the car by to an inch or less, otherwise the car’s roll center will be too low, which will adversely effect the car’s handling.
Don’t do the 22mm swaybar by itself. For the track this needs to be paired with a much larger front swaybar. This is what the Pros doe (LAP Motorsports who races in TC America completions and used to race in IMSA). And from personal experience I can say this works. However, it does stiffen the ride. The 22mm RSB by its self is an for an autocross setup where it is desirable reduce the stability of the rear of the car. It does this by reducing the traction at the rear of the car. On the track this can lead to the car swapping ends. I think you will find that either of the coilovers setups will preclude the need for the swaybar(s).
The MINI is very camber challenged in the front. You will see this when you first go out on the track and wear out the outer edge of your front tires. Instead of putting in a RSB, you get a much bigger gain from a set of camberplates or caster/camber plates. These will add traction to the front of the car, without removing traction from the rear of the car. A much better handling improvement and will improve tire wear. A caster/camber plate has the advantage of being able to add caster. Caster becomes camber when the wheels are turned which is important as camber itself is lost when the wheels are turned.
Brake rotors - the stock MINI rotors are fine for the track. I would stick with the MINI rotors up front given their somewhat unique internal ribs. As for the rears... Get a name brand (Brembo, Stop Tech, etc), any will do. Use match brake pads front to rear. R10s in the front; R10s in the rear. The car is designed to perform best with match compounds front to rear. Best not to mess with that.
Hope that helps.
It does! Thank you.
#29
10-20-2022 | 09:32 AM
Sorry about the typos... 
I should have added the following...
As for caster/camber settings... Up front, about -2 deg of camber would be a good compromise between track and street, and street tire wear should be about as good as stock. As for caster (if you go with a caster/camber plate), add about 0.5 deg to the max MINI value. You can do more or less camber if you want. -3.0 deg is about the max for any street track car. Beyond that, the ability to brake goes down noticeably as the tires will only be riding on the inside edge. It will also produce a lot of tire wear on the street. The rear camber is adjustable up to about -2.5 deg; you will want to max that out. Leave the toe, front and rear, at the factory settings.
Rear brake pads... I just leave them in all season. I have Carbotech XP12s back there and they are fine. The fronts I change out before and after each event, between the street and track pads. The fronts will squeal a lot with the track pads on the street. Also on the fronts I got rid of the nipple things on the back of the pads to make changing pads out easier. The pads will knock a bit, but that has not created any issue. Besides, on the track the adhesive will melt off and they will come loose.
Honestly, I found the stock JCW, with no other changes than the JCW pro suspension, brake pads and tires, to be very capable on the track. The biggest factor with being fast on the track is how much the loose nut behind the wheel learns about driving the car. I have been doing this for years with MINIs and I still get instructors in the car, talk to them about making changes and, recently, have gotten involved with learning what taking data can do to help me improve... Seat time and instruction is more important that modding the car... Of course, when changing out shocks is the perfect time to put in camber plates...
But it is all about learning and having fun doing it.
BTW - Skip the engine tune. The JCW has plenty of power as it is. On a lot of tracks, it is how well you can drive, not power, that determines how fast you are. Ask any spec Miata driver. Besides, tunes are known to throw codes when pushed to the limits out on a track. No fun driving back to the pits in limp home mode...
I should have added the following...
As for caster/camber settings... Up front, about -2 deg of camber would be a good compromise between track and street, and street tire wear should be about as good as stock. As for caster (if you go with a caster/camber plate), add about 0.5 deg to the max MINI value. You can do more or less camber if you want. -3.0 deg is about the max for any street track car. Beyond that, the ability to brake goes down noticeably as the tires will only be riding on the inside edge. It will also produce a lot of tire wear on the street. The rear camber is adjustable up to about -2.5 deg; you will want to max that out. Leave the toe, front and rear, at the factory settings.
Rear brake pads... I just leave them in all season. I have Carbotech XP12s back there and they are fine. The fronts I change out before and after each event, between the street and track pads. The fronts will squeal a lot with the track pads on the street. Also on the fronts I got rid of the nipple things on the back of the pads to make changing pads out easier. The pads will knock a bit, but that has not created any issue. Besides, on the track the adhesive will melt off and they will come loose.
Honestly, I found the stock JCW, with no other changes than the JCW pro suspension, brake pads and tires, to be very capable on the track. The biggest factor with being fast on the track is how much the loose nut behind the wheel learns about driving the car. I have been doing this for years with MINIs and I still get instructors in the car, talk to them about making changes and, recently, have gotten involved with learning what taking data can do to help me improve... Seat time and instruction is more important that modding the car... Of course, when changing out shocks is the perfect time to put in camber plates...
But it is all about learning and having fun doing it.BTW - Skip the engine tune. The JCW has plenty of power as it is. On a lot of tracks, it is how well you can drive, not power, that determines how fast you are. Ask any spec Miata driver. Besides, tunes are known to throw codes when pushed to the limits out on a track. No fun driving back to the pits in limp home mode...
#30
10-16-2023 | 06:53 AM
Thread Starter
|
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 33
Likes: 10
From: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Small Update
We're back! Lots of life insanity has taken my attention away from the car recently but I'm looking forward to pouring some more energy into the JCW. She's about 20k miles older due to my commute going from 10 miles round trip to 200 miles round trip this April plus about four trips to Tail of the Dragon over the summer. The new "mods" are 225/45/17 Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires. The roads where I currently live are horrible so the extra width and height are much appreciated. Nothing new otherwise! Life has gotten in the way a lot recently but I'm looking forward to what 2024 will have for Pearl.
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