Install - Hotchkis 25mm Comp Rear Sway

Well since you did not ask, as mentioned, if on full stiff on a 25, do not lift in a turn, ever! I usually run in the middle since my reaction times have slowed a bit in my 70s. . I have run a 19mm and a 22mm in the middle on my 07 MINI, never took the jump to a 25, but gave it some serious though when I was doing some autoX.

Don

 

Sure! Crashton could chime in too. As I know in his ralleye days he might have expierenced 'lift pucker'

If you enter a sweeper, or a turn such as a fast on-ramp or a country road turn which is over 30 or 40 degrees of arc under full or near full throttle, lift gradually or reduce your power in a controlled manner, if you lift and cut power to nothing, usually you introduce oversteer where the back end of your MINI swings around and you might back into the barrier, tree or ditch ass first versus a nice graceful transition through said turn, then you can put on power for the rest of your drive. Until the next sharp turn. Wow, run-on sentence, I hope you get the drift.

 

Nothing to add tip wise other than the very good advice above. Just practice, practice, practice and start simple and learn how the car reacts to different imputes in turns. The best thing you can learn is from seat time, doing it yourself will build your skills and memory.

 

Countering oversteer in a FWD car is not easy. Instinct tells you to get off the throttle......you need more throttle in a FWD car. That is why I say keep it neutral with a tendency to understeer at the limit. It is much easier to come out of an understeer unless you have lots of track time to practice. You aren't on a race track.

 

The internet is not a great place to learn high performance driving. You need seat time & a safe place to do it. Doing a Porsche club or other track day / drivers school is a very good idea. you will learn a lot. Even auto-x will teach you the benefits of smoothness & car control.

Please be careful trying to find the limits on public roads. The margins for error can be very slim.

Have fun be safe.

 

BMWCCA will teach you about all you will ever need to know and usually on a track [aka road course] in a 2-day school with lectures followed by seat time with an instructor. Their schools are based on your ability and the instructor can move you up as your ability improves.

 

I recommend putting the bar on the lowest setting and get some driving time to experience the change. It's easy enough to change it to a new setting when desired.

 

Going fast is not = to speeding, pick your roads carefully!

 

With the new bar and fittings, the MINI will feel tighter or smoother, give it. 500 miles and see if it stays smooth. Should not have any vibration unless a suspension componet it loose.

Enjoy it, try different things.
Don

 

Agree with most of the above. Start on softest setting and get the feel of the better rotation of your MINI. The “lift off oversteer” is a very real “bad thing”! Autox courses are a great place to explore you, your driving and car’s dynamics.(slower speeds/yet still at the limits, nothing to hit but cones.). Have fun! But also be safe!