I need advice on how to bring my on order '08 JCW/MCSC suspension on par with the increased power (already get the JCW brakes). I'm not a "gear head" so I don't understand the combination of pieces and parts the aftermarket offers.I read the M7 USS is great, but then told by a dealer it wasn't worth the $ and is a bear to install. Does anyone else sell a "kit" or "system" that I could have installed that isn't complicated and brings my MCSC suspension to levels of the JCW(coupe) suspension?Help!

 

A little help people?

 

2 things I would recommend (since I don't think the JCW suspension is available on the cabrio):

1) the M7 USS: it is worth the money on the cabrio. Plenty of discussion here on NAM, but also look at the review on Motoringfile:
http://www.motoringfile.com/2006/10/...rstrut-system/
I agree with your dealer that it may not be worth it on the hardtop, but it has been awesome on my cabrio . . . and since you have some time, you can be patient and look for a good price on the NAM marketplace (that's how I got mine).

"a bear to install"? -- something that can be done in one afternoon with 4 floor jacks and a torque wrench.

2) rear sway bar: I don't have mine yet but, as you'll see from looking in the suspension threads, it is a must (I'd recommend the 19mm based on my own research)
It is a little harder to install on a cabrio than a hardtop -- but also relatively easy mod

PS: for more on each of these (and hundreds of other mods) and on cabrio-specific installation issues, check out Blimey Cabrio's blog:
http://www.blimeycabrio.com/?page_id=2

(click on specific mods for info)

 

That's the advice I'm looking for. OK the USS is a GO! as is the RSB. Two more ?s. Why a 19" and not a 22". I had a 25"(hollow) on my '05 MCS.Also, is the strut tower brace worth $200. I don't care how it "looks" but aside from the "mushrooming" prevention does it really help stiffen up the cabrio? I spoke to an M7 guy who insisted it does and is a must. He wasn't trying to sell me the kitchen sink either as there were several items he said not to bother with.thanks again for the help!

 

I would say its a big yes on the strut tower bar too. I wasn't a believer that it would stiffen up my car until I put it on. I felt a difference immediately.
I love my 22mm rear sway as well.

 

I noticed absolutely no difference from the strut bar -- and if you read some threads on it, I think you'll find that it is generally considered to be merely bling . . . but the problem with suspension mods is that they are very ubjective -- so one guy will say it's great, and another will say it made his car worse (you can't just compare dyno numbers like with pulleys).
So take my opinion and anyone else's with a grain of salt.

I got the bar 'cause it was being sold with the plates. Get the anti-mushrooming plates regardless of whether you decide on a bar or not!!
You may want to consider the Craven's as well as the M7s (some have started speculating they may be better -- I don't know . . . I've been using M7 plates with great success).
The only reason not to get Craven or M7 strut tower plates is if you're going to install camber plates . . . in which case the Cravens or M7s are probably overkill (although some people have install both camber plates and the strut tower plates)

But I would go into the suspension forum and start searching through there. You'll find a lot of discussion and opinions on everything mentioned here.

 

skip the USS and get the TSW brace. Uses OEM hardware to install and has NO intereference with exhausts like the USS can have. We had the USS on the cabrio and the coupe and sold them both. the TSW brace is on teh coupe (sold the cabrio).

Suspension upgrades to do - rear sway, camber plates and a performance alignment.

 

but TSW is what??? also please explain the importance of plates. remember, I have NO CLUE what this stuff is...

 

Hi Mowse - Your old bar was a 25mm but it was also a hollow bar, and so the effective stiffness would work out closer to a smaller solid bar. Others will be quicker to give the approximate equivalent size, but without doing the actual moment of inertia calculation I would guess that your 25mm hollow bar would yield stiffness closer to the 19mm solid bar than the 22mm solid bar.

Most are pleased with a 19mm rear bar as that is still quite a bump in rear roll stiffness over stock 16 or 17mm. A 22mm bar is quite 'serious' and can make the car twitchy at the rear and whether this is good or bad depends entirely on your driving abilities and track experiences so I can't say if it would be too much bar for your case or not. Certainly, a 19mm rear bar would make you quite happy and combined with the USS you are considering I think you'll be pleased at the car's rotation.

PS. Congrats on the new cabrio btw!

 

www.txwerks.com

 

Are there any fitment issues on the Cabrio rear sway bar? Hotchkis has a 25mm hollow bar they say they haven't tested on a cabrio for fit. Any reason this wouldn't work?

Does the Cabrio need a bigger rear bar than a coupe because of its extra weight? The Hotchkiss 25mm hollow bar is supposed to be stiffer than the Alta 22mm by a good bit, but I haven't seen so much comparison done on Cabrios with different setups.

Thanks.

 

sorry, i hadn't noticed this thread. first off, you will find super helpful info in the suspension section. second, i have done just about everything that can be done on my daily driver cabrio...here are my impressions.

the omp lower stress bar solidifies the cabrio ride nicely. the ride feels more stable, there is less noise, there may be a tad more understeer....but we'll correct that later. it's about $100. it is a great bang for the buck suspension mod that you will not regret. yes, there are more extensive braces...m7 and tsw....but they cost significantly more...and in my opinion are more suitable for people who track their cars more than me (4-5 times/yr)....because, as you stiffen the car more, comfort and noise will be sacrificed...again, if you're tracking your mini a lot you don't care....but most of us with cabrio's don't...i suspect blimey and i are exceptions.

tires. non runflat ultra high performance summer tires make a huge difference! quieter and better handling...but you will need a winter/all season set up if you live in colder climes..like i do.

19mm rear sway bar is what you want. you do these three things and you will be one happy cabrio driver too much oversteer is NOT good, you don't need a bigger bar. perhaps the best bang for the buck move.

but i couldn't stop there. changing the front camber also makes a huge difference in our rides. you will need adjustable front camber plates for this (i skipped this, see later). increasing negative front camber with the above mods will make your mini feel like it is on rails . see the suspension section for ideas on camber settings.

some coilovers (springs/shocks/struts) include front camber plates. now you can adjust camber, ride height, and damping. i have bc coilovers, i know brownflyer has megans, not sure about other cabrio owners.

then you can get lighter wheels!! now you have less unsprung weight...giving you more grip and quicker acceleration.

these are the things i've done...and i am very happy. i am developing a mid chasis brace to augment the omp, but it's not done yet. i do have the m7 strut plates and strut bar...but really, just to prevent mushrooming. i have noticed no difference between putting on and taking off the bar...it's mostly bling!

good luck bro. as you can see, it can be a slippery slope!

 

You want the PSRS from ALTA. They take out over 80% of your torque steer, and keep you going straight when you hit ruts on the freeway.

If you don't believe the stock bushings are useless, the next time you have your car up on a lift, get under it, and push one of the tires as if you were trying to steer. You will see a LOT of play. That's why you get thrown around in ruts. The PSRS will also help a lot in the twisties. I'm saving up for these now!

If you do go with the 19, on a vert I'd recommend using the 2nd hole. Its a little more aggressive. Also, the H&K 19's also measure about 18.5 :( My father in law went with the 22's and thats what I'm gonna get. But we also go quite fast in the west hills of Portland.