Handling problem when I have sub in boot! - MINI Cooper Forum

Spoony · #1 (**permalink**) Jan 15th, 2004, 02:08 PM

Hi

I've had a quick look at previous posts on this but was unable to come up with anything.

About six weeks ago now I had a little, ah hum, mishap whilst driving home from work, the mishap being that I lost control of my ONE around a left hand bend and jack-knifed the car into some trees, nobody was hurt thankfully which is the main thing but the car was pretty battered (see photo gallery).

As a replacement of my ONE I have recently bought an Indi Blue Cooper with all the toys gadgets and gizmos etc which I managed to buy from the write off value I got from the ONE (and paying a little bit more towards it of course).

Anyway I'll get straight to the point of this thread.
My ONE had a sub in the boot which was fine, no handling problems etc. But whilst driving home from work this afternoon I felt a huge difference in the handling of the car, it felt as though there was so much weight at the back that the front wheels were barely able to gain any decent traction, this I found quiet hair raising. It would seem logical that if there is alot of weight at the back of the car then there wont be as much traction at the front, but I never experienced this problem when I had my ONE. It may well be the suspension, my ONE had the sports suspension and the Cooper has sports suspension plus (maybe the same thing?), the size of the wheels I had on the ONE were 15", the Coopers 17".

So has anybody had a similar problem or is it just my imagination?

Spoony

barrie74 · #2 (**permalink**) Jan 15th, 2004, 02:52 PM

Have you changed the tyre pressure to accomodate the load of the Sub, I'm sure I remember reading in the manual that there is a different set of pressures for loaded and unloaded this will probably increase the down forse at the front. I would imagine that you will notice it more with the SS+ suspension because I feel you get a much better feel of the road with the SS+

obehave · #3 (**permalink**) Jan 15th, 2004, 02:55 PM

Take the sub out and do the exat same thing and see if there really is a difference or is this just the first time you noticed.
No mention of tire pressures. Did you verify they are correct?

You there shouldn't be a negative to having the sub in your boot. Can't see why SS+ should feel worse than SS. It's a pretty subjective thing as well so it's pretty hard to say right or wrong.

Skinnyrunt · #4 (**permalink**) Jan 15th, 2004, 03:37 PM

Can't see why having a sub in the rear should affect the car this much....unless it's one of those clarion 32 inchers

Spoony · #5 (**permalink**) Jan 16th, 2004, 07:18 PM

Thank you for your comments guys but it looks as though I will never be able to fully resolve this problem.

There is definitely a very noticeable difference in the handling of the car and im certain it comes down to the different suspension on the car, if its not the suspension then im a little perplexed as to what else it can be, after all I did not have this problem in my ONE.

The tire pressures are spot on so no problems there, but Barrie, when you say 'Have you changed the tire pressures to accommodate the load of the Sub' do you mean I should try deflating them?

The subs not quiet a 32 incher

, its a 15" Kicker Solo Baric. Lol if anyone manages to fit a 32 incher in their Mini I will eat my hat, if anyone has achieved or achieves this in the near future, please feel free to email me with pics and I will gladly eat my hat live on web cam,

Spoony

NEMINI · #6 (**permalink**) Jan 16th, 2004, 07:36 PM

The more weight in the car the higher the pressures should be. In the manual it gives two pressures, one for unloaded and one for loaded

andyupnorth · #7 (**permalink**) Jan 16th, 2004, 09:00 PM

There's no way the installation of a sub in the boot would affect the handling - not unless it weighed an absolute tonne.

Root Ginger · #8 (**permalink**) Jan 16th, 2004, 11:31 PM

There is an obvious thing you are missing here folks, for the difference in handling.

a. Wheel size makes a big difference and more importantly...
b. Run-Flats

Am I right in thinking you now have run-flats and the one wouldn't have.

It's already be commented on that changing from run-flats to non run-flats makes a massive difference in the grip and handling of the car. Therefore the opposite would be true and I suspect this is what you're experiencing.

MINIALEX · #9 (**permalink**) Jan 17th, 2004, 12:17 AM

how heavy is the sub, i've had a bootful of loads of really heacy stuff, i.e. full of lager and I mean full and there was very little effect, The egneral concensus on here is that the car handles a lot better with a full tank of petrol so weight at the back should be fine

PS Yes my car did have SS +