how low should i go

[softtoptel]

Hi to everyone im very new here but have already found mini2 to have been of great help.

i bought a gaz coilover kit for my mini 2002 cooper s with hartge upgrade , after driving a friends with the same kit it dawned on me my wife might find the ride too hard ,yet we both agreed we would like the car to be lower yet not so low as too put us in traction as we are both no longer spring chickens , any idea,s would be of great help.

[Darthbladerni]

what size of wheels are on the car??

20-30mm on 18" should be ok but im not sure on other size of wheels.

[adam_Randell]

My mates got his S on 18"s droped 45mm, and its fine. looks AMAZING too

[Darthbladerni]

you will now have to post a pic of that you know!!!

How did he actually do it? did the arches have to be widened, shaved or is it just tucked?

[softtoptel]

17 s are the size

[PmP]

Most coilover kits seem to lower the Mini about an inch around 30-35mm. It will depend on the car, the same kit on a mini cooper will sit slightly different on a cooper S due to the different layout of engine, battery etc.

Should be ok if its lowering in the region 30-35mm, particualrly with 17's, starts getting harsh if you run runflats, particularly in 18".

[wozcoop]

Quote: Originally Posted by softtoptel (original)

Hi to everyone im very new here but have already found mini2 to have been of great help.

i bought a gaz coilover kit for my mini 2002 cooper s with hartge upgrade , after driving a friends with the same kit it dawned on me my wife might find the ride too hard ,yet we both agreed we would like the car to be lower yet not so low as too put us in traction as we are both no longer spring chickens , any idea,s would be of great help.

Did you ever fit the Gaz coilovers? Interested to know what the ride was like compared to stock?

Cheers...

[adam_Randell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Darthbladerni (original)

you will now have to post a pic of that you know!!!

How did he actually do it? did the arches have to be widened, shaved or is it just tucked?

Nope he didnt have to trim the arches, but he did have to take that extra little bit of rubber of the front bumper as even at 4/5 mph it scrapes on bumps. Ill try get a pic for you and you can see.

[Hugo]

If I lived in the US I would slam it on 16s!!!!!!!!

For Northern ireland, Works suspension is as low as I would go. Coilovers look class but don't suit our roads.

[Darthbladerni]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hugo (original)

If I lived in the US I would slam it on 16s!!!!!!!!

For Northern ireland, Works suspension is as low as I would go. Coilovers look class but don't suit our roads.

Very true Hugh, our roads done suit extreme lowering, I scrape on alot of speed bumps now even at 5mph

[black20vt]

Quote: Originally Posted by PmP (original)

Most coilover kits seem to lower the Mini about an inch around 30-35mm. It will depend on the car, the same kit on a mini cooper will sit slightly different on a cooper S due to the different layout of engine, battery etc.

".

I thought one of the features of coilovers is the adjustable ride hight. You could set them to be the same or highr than stock, 1mm lower or slammed as low as the bump stops.

I am running lowered springs - ebach with 205/50/16s and an et of 37.
I get slight rubbing on all four corners on bumpy roads so for me ebachs are too low, although they look great.

I am looking for that elusive combination of lowered ride hight with a more comfortable ride. without going to the expense of coilovers as I do the majority of driving on the road.

Moving from 17" 45 runflats to 16" 50 non runflat made a big difference not least losing 52lbs of unsprung weight, but I start pogoing if I push hard on a bumpy road - 50000 mile dampers may not be helping here ?
Maybe the minisport 20mm ebachs with koni FSDs would work ?

[wozcoop]

Quote: Originally Posted by black20vt (original)

I am looking for that elusive combination of lowered ride hight with a more comfortable ride. without going to the expense of coilovers as I do the majority of driving on the road.

Moving from 17" 45 runflats to 16" 50 non runflat made a big difference not least losing 52lbs of unsprung weight, but I start pogoing if I push hard on a bumpy road - 50000 mile dampers may not be helping here ?
Maybe the minisport 20mm ebachs with koni FSDs would work ?

I'm looking for the same combination... have got the minisport springs on their way - I'm going to see how much [or little] they drop and then perhaps try them with Koni FSDs.