Suspension Brakes 1st Gen Most liked posts in thread: How much of a necessity?

Save some money & lower your MINI too! :wink:

Lowering Kit [LOW34] - $19.99 : KaleCoAuto, Hard to find automotive items!

 

They might sell a sense of humor at KaleCo. I think it's on the page with the muffler bearings. :crazy:

 

Not a Guru, but here goes...

How many miles on your R53? If it has more than say 60K I think lower control arm bushings would be a good place to spend a bit of that money. Since it is a street driven car I'd tell you to buy a swaybar. That would be a good bang for the buck mod. Save the rest of your money for school.

Just my .02...

 

I agree with Crashton here, how many miles? You really should get your current suspension in good shape before modding it. Otherwise you blow all your money on mods then have something worn out and not be able to afford to fix it.

 

.....and why the coilovers? Wheel gap?

 

Unless you're getting a really good deal on the coilovers, you might have a better time with just lowering springs. Waaaay cheaper.

 

+1 on that. Thing is, you're looking at doing some very worthwhile suspension mods, and pairing that with a so-so coilover. If you're going to hit the track, I'd consider upgrading/replacing all the worn parts, doing the sway bars and camber plates, maybe do the lowering springs, and hold off on the coilovers until you can get exactly what you want. Which many times can be found for cheap on the marketplace here or at NAM.

 

Lots of good advice here.....

 

Look beyond that one item on the site. You will probably find it funny once you see more of what they offer.

 

Stick around, the jokes get worse. :biggrin5:

Adjustable rear control arms will help bring your rear camber back into spec, otherwise you get bad tire wear. You don't need adjustable camber plates, or a thicker swaybar. New poly control arm bushings are nice, but not necessary, either.

Have you seen the Megan coilovers? They're a little better quality than the VMaxx, and they come with adjustable front camber plates, too. Plus the spring rates are higher, which you'll need if you're lowering the car. I'm not very well versed on the VMaxx coilovers, but last time I checked they had a reputation for running soft springs to keep the OEM ride and lower the car. On the MINI, with its limited travel, you end up riding the bump stops all day long, and the ride is harsh.

 

Depending on the year of your car, you might have some adjustability in the rear lower control arms (05 & 06 are adjustable). Even with stock adjustable rear lower control arms, if you go lower than about 1/2" - 5/8" you will probably want aftermarket adj rear lower control arms to correct the rear camber after lowering.

Since money is an issue and you do not plan to track the car, I would suggest using the money for shorter springs ($230), fixed camber plates ($180), 19mm rear sway bar ($220), and adj rear lower control arms ($240). Total would be around $870.

If you go with the coil-overs for $650 you will still want adj rear lower control arms for another $240 so at a minimum you will be at $890.

 

I just had this package put on my car and the handling is fantastic with the stock shocks. Add camber plates and you are not much above the price of the coil overs and more bang for your buck

WMW Suspension Package - Way Motor Works

Jim

 

No doubt Way's package is a good selection of parts and creates a street car with superb handling, but if you just want to slam the car on a low budget, go for the VMaxx coilovers. The TSW springs will still leave you with a 2-finger gap in front and a 1-finger gap in the rear. You can go lower on coilovers. Eibach springs are good for lowering, too - I think they drop a little over an inch, where the TSW springs drop about 0.75". But you'll get more control over the drop with the coilovers.

 

+1 again.

You'll have to decide what your goals for the car are. When I saw your first post, it looked like you were heading toward the track.

If you want to go low, vmax will be fine, but probably not first choice for the track.

On the other hand, if it's a drop that you're after, and not strictly performance, you really don't need to do anything with the sway bar (although you can get those used for cheap, and a decent sway bar used is just as good as new), and you really don't need front camber plates, although your bushings may be shot.

You probably will need rear control arms though--there is a little adjustment there on the later models, but not much (I have a 2006).

To make it easy, just give Way a call--he'll be able to put something together for you that jibes with what your goals are pretty easily, and for a reasonable price.

Crashton, for what it's worth, I thought that link was hilarious, I could find myself buying some stuff from there (synthetic blinker fluid anyone?)...:biggrin5:
Just wish I would have thought of it first.

 

It's not that any part would go (except for the bushings), but that you'd be better of with a sway bar and camber plates first, rather than coilovers first, and swaybar and camber plates second, for the track, if that makes sense. But it looks like your primary goal is the cosmetic drop--so the priorities change.

 

I'd look at the bushings first, when they go, potential problems follow. You are probably going to need rear control arms, otherwise you're going to have camber issues on the rears depending on how much you drop. I don't think you're going to be able to adjust the stock setup enough to fix the rear negative camber, and it's going to be easier to do that all in one go rather than install the coilovers, find out you've got too much rear camber, and go back and install control arms.

The sway bar and camber plates really aren't going to add reliability, but will add fun! Thing is, call it a placebo affect or whatever, but IMHO people put way too much stock in these on street driven cars--its at the track where the difference is REALLY noticeable. It's noticeable on the street too, if you're really pushing the car, but it's not an epiphany, like it is on the track.