[Chilipeppa03]

Hey guys, I have a 2003 MINI Cooper with about 56,000 miles on it. My question is how can you tell when your shocks or going bad? I do have a set of Alta lowering springs I put on the car around 36,000 miles. Between 36,000-56,000 miles, I have done a lot of had driving and some autocrossing. Also about a month ago, I installed an 18mm H&R rear sway bar to make the car handle better. I now notice since the car is getting older the ride is getting bouncer and less firm over bumps. Is this my shocks wearing? Also I would like to know what aftermarket shocks are good to use with aftermarket springs

[cristo]

when the ride is getting bouncer (sic.) and less firm over bumps, the shocks are wearing.

Usually, if you bounce the end of the car up and down , it should settle
down within a bounce or two of letting go.

[Root Ginger]

Yeah Cristo is right. The MINI with it's firm dampers will settle in one bump when bounced up and down. Any more and the dampers are worn. If this isn't the case then it could be tyre pressures to blame. If not that it could be that you are getting used to the lowering springs and pushing the car that bit harder.

Oh incidentally the standard SS+ dampers are very good. Unless you are going to be regularly tracking your car, no need to change the dampers.

[robbo mcs]

Hi,

The schock absorbers (dampers) go quite gradually, so it can be quite hard to pick up, until it gets really bad.

However, the standard shocks are amazingly good and durable. I was running very stiff spring rates, doing a huge amount of track and road rally work, and they lasted a long time.

You won't really notice the worn shocks on a smooth road or racetrack. Bouncing the car manually when it is stationary will give you some idea, but doesn't really replicate the loads the shocks are subjected to on the road. Where you really notice it is on bumpy surfaces, especially corners, where the shocks struggle to control the bounce from the springs. When the shocks are worn if you go round a really bumpy corner, you can actually feel the car bounce like a pogo stick as it hits the bumps The car bounces and skips accross the road, rather than gripping.

Cheers

Robbo

[Chilipeppa03]

Thanks guys, I do have to agree with robbo MCS on this one because whenever the car hit a large bump or even a small bump the car seems to get a little bouncy and skiddish, so does the steering imput. I am soon going to try the bounce test to see if the car comes back up in one bounce. Just have to wait and see!!