Hello forum friends....!
I been having my Mini for about 1 year now and I really want to start tuning it but starting off with the suspension.
I love my Mini S but I'm have been paying to much attention to tuning my 05 Subaru STi. I have done numerous mods to my STi and studied alot on the steps to take to tune my STi but now it's time to get started on my Mini (daily driver). I looking into to purchasing some wheels and some nice rubber with some light weight lugs and then I'm gonna get into the brakes and rotors/brake lines and then get into the Suspension.
I'm starting from the ground up on the Mini and thats the same way I went with my Subie (learned this tuning style from my teacher in mech tech school years ago).
Any who.
I would like to know whats the best Suspension set up for Auto crossing and daily street setup.
I didn't want to go with a Coilover suspension because I don't want to get into corner balancing the car every so often. So I would like to go with the Spring and shock absorber route as it can be used for daily driving and occasional track weekend car with out any worries of corner balancing.

Is there an ultimate performance lowering spring that is well matched for the stock shock absorbers without busting them up rapidly?
I know there are many springs on the market that lower the car but is there one designed for the stock shocks and doesn't reduce the handling performance of the car or maybe even a specific shock absorber that is designed to match the new performance springs without being a coilover setup?

What are the weak points of the R53 suspension and what are the best points of improvement?
Is there a step process to follow building the R53 to handling better because I know there is one for the STi?
What should not be done to the suspension of the R53 and can springs be installed by a handy gal like myself or do I have to go to the Mini shop?

Thanks in advance......

 

Welcome to NAM Iris!

It's not a huge deal but there are different sections for the first gen MINI (02-06) and the 2nd gen MINIs (07+). Suspensions from one version won't fit the other so you may get more relevant options by moving this post to the 1st gen section.

I'll help you out by asking a mod to move this to the correct section.

 

A lowering spring is pretty much a lowering spring. That said, lowering more than an 1" or so might require additional mods, like adjustable control arms in the rear. The best option, performance-wise, is to go with a linear rate spring. Not many make them. I'd suggest the Texas Speedwork springs. Never owned a set, but they drop the car an 1" and are linear.

Nothing is made specifically for the stock shocks, you can run any spring with the stockers, but the shocks will die prematurely. No big deal. (Oh, but Koni does make a kit with their Yellows and their lowering springs. It's nothing special, you can use any spring really.)

Aftermarket shocks, you've basically got Koni Yellows and Bilstein SPs. Koni FSDs are another option, but not meant to work with lowering springs (although some do it). I prefer the Yellows because of their adjustability.

Probably the best beginning mod path for autox or spirited street would be a larger rear swaybar and front camber plates. (Do a search, but I recommend a 19mm rear bar and adjustable plates.) The car will handle great with these improvements. Springs aren't necessary but everyone does it to eliminate the dreaded wheel gap.

etc.

 

RedSkunk's post is right on.

I'd add some sort of front control arm bushings to add caster to really get the alignment nailed. As far as I know, the only options for that are the Alta PSRS and Bavarian Autosport offset bushings.

 

got an LSD in that thing?

 

If not coilovers, then TSW springs,19mm rear bar and adjustable camber plates.

I have this setup and it handles great at the track and at auto x.

 

Has anyone ever used the Koni coilover setup? Not the spring and damper combo but the actual threaded body coilovers?
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...ooper_coilover
If so, what are the reviews on it? And, what ended up being done about camber? Plates in the front and control arms in the rear? Just fronts?

 

Bumping....
Also, a recent thought. What about saving a couple hundred bucks over Konis and TSW and getting JCW suspension? I remember someone saying it's probably the best streetable suspension available. The adjustablitity would be nice and getting to say you have Konis would be bada55 but the JCW stuff would be almost $200 less. All you would need is camber plates (Fixed IR's for $180) and you might even be better than Yellows because of the added camber. Plus, it comes with factory build quality and P/N.

 

The JCW suspension for the Mini sound pretty neat! where can you get it?
Sorry for not responding to the other replies. I just been working so much.....

 

Right HERE for the best price. 655.00 Just scroll down the page a bit.

 

Here's a few reviews:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...JCW+suspension
Order info and reviews:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...JCW+suspension
More opinions:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...JCW+suspension

 

What mods does your autox class allow? Does it allow springs or just shocks? Might want to look into that before going too much further on suspensions (and other mods).

 

Just thought of another to throw into the mix. What about Dinan's stuff? Dinan springs for 300 and 580-680 for Koni's on Ebay will put you at a little more than TSW stuff. Granted, throw in another 180 for plates and it's a bit above but many say Dinan's stuff is king.

 

hey iris welcome to NAM.

I'd suggest a 19mm rear swaybar and adjustable/fixed front camber plates, and some TSW lowering springs on Koni Yellows (or bilstein SPs if they take your fancy). That takes car of three major problems with the mini:

1. Too small a rear swaybar.
2. Shocking lack of front camber.
3. Ugly wheel gap.

Then go get a good alignment at a reputable suspension place. Get 0 toe or a little toe out at the front, toe in at the rear, 2 deg of neg camber front, and 1.5 rear neg camber and enjoy the car the way it should come out of the factory

 

^^^That's what I had in mind all along buy am now also throwing around the idea of some Dinan parts. A lot of people say that Dinan's stuff is just awesome. But, in the back of my mind, there's also a voice saying check out the JCW suspension. That ($650-700) and another $180 for IE Fixed Plates is almost too good to pass up.

 

QFT. The grassroots motorsports folks ran Koni FSD's and stock springs. Their MC was very competitive in H-stock solo. Next season, they switched to a dual action koni race strut for the rear for race day only. I believe SCCA H-stock mandates stock anti-sway bars and springs. The jcw suspension might not be allowed. MCS's are in G-stock.

As for a daily driver, FSD's with stock springs work great. I've been running the combo for a month now. Bilstein SP's with stock springs is another combo worth considering. Also consider the Mini has only 2 inches of effective suspension travel and is bump stop active. lowering will require increasing the spring rate at the very least.

 

+1 on "FSD's with stock springs work great"

 

We ran FSDs and The 1st gen TSW springs for almost a year. They were great on and off the track and the only reason we changed was to go with the Cross coils. FSDs are for sale now too:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=141852

 

Again, thank you all for the replies to this thread. I'm now home and relaxing browsing the forums.
I finally got some wheels on the Mini and some good rubber and I'm now ready for the suspension work.

Now with the new wheels I can notice the dreaded wheel gap. There are so many options out there for the Suspension and I'm becoming confused wanting to purchase a really good setup with out breaking the bank.
I soon want to attend the Mini hits the States meet in Miami the 13-15th of this month (I believe) here in Florida.
I really would like to do some mods before attending the big meet and at least get rid of the big wheel gap.
This is my confusing dilemma , today i just returned from the Mini dealership having the car serviced for a warranty issue. ( super charger actuator & crank shaft pulley replacement)

My warranty ends next month and I'm not sure to purchase the extended warranty from Mini that covers tons of little things that can help in the future ( Oil, brakes, ect).
OR....I can duke it out and work on the car myself and put every part that brakes in with an after market piece.
If i purchase an after market suspension part, and latter on I get some issues then Mini can invalidate my warranty and there goes the money that I invested for the warranty out the door.
Doing some small research i really ended up liking the TSW springs but it seems as if the car will still sit high and I like the M7 springs but they don't seem like a good option but correct me if I'm wrong. (especially me having a 40 profile tire on 17" wheel the wheels look tiny).
I would like to also get a nice sway bar but do I have to put end links and a front sway too?
I ask this because I had to do this to the Subaru STi.

As far as the JCW suspension does it come with springs? because I thought it mentioned that it needed a set and is the JCW suspension adjustable?

A pic of my dreaded wheel gap.......



and me & my little Subie....

 

First of all, your Scooby is beastly. If I saw a cute girl driving that car I'd be like . Second, you do not need a front bar to accomodate the rear and it is not necessary to upgrade the links. Third, the JCW suspension does come with springs and struts but is NOT adjustable. A lot of people like the TSW springs because it's a slight drop (enough to take away some wheel gap) but the ride actually gets better. If you're looking for a little more drop, consider Hotchkis H-Sports and their swaybar. I have the swaybar and love it.

 

You can add the rear bar without installing the front bar. You won't need new endlinks, but if you lower it, you may need adjustable lower control arms to negate negative camber on the rear. If you get an extended warranty, then your warranty will only be affected by the parts that you change. They may not cover a bad strut if you have aftermarket springs, but they will cover an engine problem or other areas. If you like TSW, you really can't get much better suspension advice than they can give you.

 

Nice subie! Well, define budget. As you well know from modding the subie do, the more one spends the more option there are. Nice R90s for the mini!

You had asked about the weak points in the r53 suspension. I would have to say the front top strut mount and the limited travel. After 30k miles of ny metro driving, my driver side strut mount (on the right) looked like this:

This is the replacement OEM mount, because the original bushing had ripped after an encounter with a pavement change of several inches at 20k. On the left in the picture is the Ireland fixed camber plate, which uses a beefer bushing from a heavier car and a thicker plate. And yes, the strut tower is deformed:


The top of the tower is supposed be flat.

That being said, there is a spring and strut combo that seems to be very good. One of the TSW guys ran it in autocross before going into business. H&R green springs with Bilstein SP's. Turner Motorsports sells 'em. Promini has a custom H&R spring (blue) and Bilstein SP's for $900. You will need rear camber adjustment. SPC/Eibach make a nice set of arms. Or you can go KMAC adjustable bushings. Addition negative front camber is good. TSW has a nice set of plates. I like the Ireland fixed plates myself, as I am not optimizing tire temp's after lapping. At this point, you can also look at Koni yellows with shorter springs as well. There is also the BC coilovers with integrated front camber plates for $1k. There's the Dinan and JCW setups in this price bracket. KW and H&R make height adjustable coilovers at this price bracket as well.

Now if you want spends madz money without going for full race setups. JIC cross, AST, leda make stuff for $1500 to $3000.

Isn't suspension sorting fun?

 

oh. JCW is not adjustable and the setup does come with springs based on your vin. I am a fan of keeping it simple. the drop is less than TSW.

 

In a way, though, having springs made to match your VIN is a great idea because it eliminates any possibility of something not working to expectations due to extra or less weight of options. Think about it, ----- brand springs can be bought for any MINI. But, the JCW springs are made for your vehicle. An R50 with cloth seats, no sunroof, and halogen lights is gonna work best with springs made for it. An R53 with sunroof, xenons, leather, and power everything is gonna weigh more and need a different spring.

 

*Bump*
Any thoughts on Dinan parts? A lot of users of their stuff say it's just amazing on the street.