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Best Answer yeti21586 , 17 November 2019 - 06:56 AM

I have them, and will be removing them, others will be along shortly with pics to show the dangerous outcome of fitting them long term Go to the full post


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#1 croc7

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 06:27 AM

What’s the general opinion of the coil spring replacement of the rubber cones?? Ride comfort vs handling performance. I enjoy throwing the car through the curves but am becoming more annoyed with the choppy ride quality during normal everyday driving.

#2 yeti21586

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 06:56 AM   Best Answer

I have them, and will be removing them, others will be along shortly with pics to show the dangerous outcome of fitting them long term

#3 unburntfuelinthemorning

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 07:07 AM

A problem with a choppy ride is more likely inadequate dampers.  The cones (when in good condition and not collapsed) are very good.



#4 gazza82

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 09:06 AM

What’s the general opinion of the coil spring replacement of the rubber cones?? Ride comfort vs handling performance. I enjoy throwing the car through the curves but am becoming more annoyed with the choppy ride quality during normal everyday driving.


try a search on here ... you'll soon realise what the general concensus is ... MokeSpider's post and pics are most enlightening!!

#5 smudger068

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 09:37 AM

If anybody has had coilovers on their car and gone to cones (like me). Then you will understand all the differences from safety to comfort to ride and handling. If you are not happy with your standard setup (this only includes cones!not coilovers) then seek different available parts. Do not fit coilovers. Bloody things I'm sure they are a death trap!!

Edited by smudger068, 17 November 2019 - 09:38 AM.


#6 DeadSquare

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 11:50 AM

Somewhere, somebody lost the plot.

 

When I first saw a classic Mini rubber doughnut replaced with a steel spring at the 65 or 66 Motor Show, it was a cone spring which replaced the doughnut AND the trumpet, with the knuckle ball sitting on the bottom of the spring,

 

This gave the spring at least twice the compression length   ( because it was a cone, in theory it could have been compressed to about to about two coils )  and there was no chance of the coils binding and destroying the subframe.



#7 Magneto

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 04:09 PM

I've often wondered about that Deadsquare.....seems to me that's the right way to do a spring replacement - not the tiny large coils that are supplied now - especially in the rear where there's a lot of room for a spring.

 

I do not agree that the ride with rubber cones is "fine", it's not - that's why the factory went to hydro. These cars do ride choppy and harsh, even with new cones.


Edited by Magneto, 17 November 2019 - 04:10 PM.


#8 Spider

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 05:32 PM

Somewhere, somebody lost the plot.

 

When I first saw a classic Mini rubber doughnut replaced with a steel spring at the 65 or 66 Motor Show, it was a cone spring which replaced the doughnut AND the trumpet, with the knuckle ball sitting on the bottom of the spring,

 

This gave the spring at least twice the compression length   ( because it was a cone, in theory it could have been compressed to about to about two coils )  and there was no chance of the coils binding and destroying the subframe.

 

This type of Spring won't fit in a standard front subframe. The 'Pad' where the Bump Stop is will foul on it. This can be cut out, but you'd need to come up with a different arrangement for the Bump Stop and I can say, there's not a lot of real estate in there to do this.

 

I know this fouls because years ago, after some early tests, we could see that the spring needed more travel than what we could get by simply replacing the spring and, as you've said here, it needed more coils and this one one thing we looked at but when we modeled it, it wouldn't fit, not by a long way.

 

 

I do not agree that the ride with rubber cones is "fine", it's not - that's why the factory went to hydro. These cars do ride choppy and harsh, even with new cones.

 

I'm not sure what Cones, Trumpets Wheels and Dampers you've tried and I'm not sure what vehicles you might be comparing this against ?

 

Unsprung weight has a huge bearing on Ride quality.

 

In my experience, they can ride very well - with the right combination, and that's a 'wide band' and not that difficult to land upon. On a trip we did a few years back, a friend also came along with his Son in their Coil Sprung Toyota Land Cruiser, which in it's day, won awards for it's suspension in regards to ability and ride quality. He was of driving age (about 25 at the time). After a few days on the dirt, he came in one of the Mokes to 'give it a try', After that he refuse point blank to get back in the Toyota as the ride was WAY better in his opinion, he found it over all a bit noisier and a little dustier, but in every other aspect, he felt it was better and he was utterly amazed to the point were upon our return, he bought a Moke.

 

I'll add though, in a Mini, this can be a bit harder to achieve to that level, but very possible with what's presently available. It is also easy to end up with a less than satisfactory combination.



#9 DeadSquare

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 07:55 PM

 

Somewhere, somebody lost the plot.

 

When I first saw a classic Mini rubber doughnut replaced with a steel spring at the 65 or 66 Motor Show, it was a cone spring which replaced the doughnut AND the trumpet, with the knuckle ball sitting on the bottom of the spring,

 

This gave the spring at least twice the compression length   ( because it was a cone, in theory it could have been compressed to about to about two coils )  and there was no chance of the coils binding and destroying the subframe.

 

This type of Spring won't fit in a standard front subframe. The 'Pad' where the Bump Stop is will foul on it. This can be cut out, but you'd need to come up with a different arrangement for the Bump Stop and I can say, there's not a lot of real estate in there to do this.

 

I know this fouls because years ago, after some early tests, we could see that the spring needed more travel than what we could get by simply replacing the spring and, as you've said here, it needed more coils and this one one thing we looked at but when we modeled it, it wouldn't fit, not by a long way.

 

 

That is a very good point.

 

I should have paid more attention, but I wasn't really interested in buying something that didn't need replacing on any of my Minis, just interested that someone had gone to the trouble of making a cone spring.

 

This has probably only stuck in my mind all these years, because at about that time I was mulling over building a single seater front suspension that involved chopping around the Mini top arms so that the doughnut / trumpets swung inwards 90 degrees, to a horizontal position in the space frame;  but as I picture the stand, there was a subframe with the towers nicely cut away to display the spring on one side compared with the doughnut / trumpet on the other, and I don't recall noticing or even considering the position of bumpstops.



#10 croc7

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 12:18 AM

Not coil overs, rather replacement of the rubber cones with springs. A friend did it on his LWB car and likes them, although he did have one break, which would be worrisome.

#11 nicklouse

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 01:35 AM

Not coil overs, rather replacement of the rubber cones with springs. A friend did it on his LWB car and likes them, although he did have one break, which would be worrisome.

They do break. Or they break things like sub frames or high lows total garbage.



#12 croc7

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 03:06 AM


Not coil overs, rather replacement of the rubber cones with springs. A friend did it on his LWB car and likes them, although he did have one break, which would be worrisome.

They do break. Or they break things like sub frames or high lows total garbage.


#13 croc7

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 03:10 AM

The pictures convinced me to stick with the rubber cones. Thanks




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