8 replies to this topic

[Indetrucks]

2000 Mini Cooper

I ordered and installed two new rear suspension rubber cones from Mini Mania and now the rear end sits god awful high.

Mini Mania cones here

The cones that came out were Dunlop UKN6 763432 (original from 2000). Side by side comparison and yeah, the new ones looked a little taller for sure, I just didn't think they would be THIS tall.

Do you think the original cones had sagged so bad that they just sat THAT much lower?
Or am I being silly and should just let the rear settle for a week and check it then?

I loved the way it sat and really don't want to replace the front also as the car will be raised too much for my liking
However, I'm afraid that I'll have to replace the front cones to accommodate for the raise in the rear.

If this is the case, is there a company that sells lowered cones? How does one go about lowering a Mini?

Edited by Indetrucks, 17 December 2010 - 02:01 AM.

[Ethel]

Give it time to settle first, they do sit infeasibly high on new cones.

[Indetrucks]

Give it time to settle first, they do sit infeasibly high on new cones.

The trumpets fit up perfect and they went in without trouble.

After driving it and re-looking at it, I think the front may just need replacing. I'm just so used to it sitting low (probably sagged from age) and the sudden higher look is odd.

Which is a decent lowering kit? It looks like I may have to install new front rubber cones, a lowering kit and some new "lowered" shocks.

Is this a decent set up?
http://www.minisport...fo_SUSKIT5.html

Which lowered shocks should I get?

[Indetrucks]

Yup, mine looked just like this guys.
http://www.theminifo...p;#entry1919256

Sad.. looks like im gonna have to get new front cones to match the rear...

[Ethel]

You really will be amazed at how much the suspension drops over a few weeks of use. Hi-Lo are the original brand of adjustable trumpets, but those Mini sport ones look ok; they have rounded edges where they seat in the cone, cheaper ones tend to be machined flat. Minispares do a set of Hi-Lo's for £85 and sell some service parts for them. like other suppliers, they also do a package with dampers.

http://www.calverst.com/cc110f.htm, should be of interest (lots of other good suspension info on his site): some so called lowered dampers make little difference. As you've discovered, too much damper length on the rear can be as much a problem as them bottoming out at full bump.

The Kayabas have a good reputation, especially for a near standard road car where adjustable dampers are harder to justify.

[Indetrucks]

You really will be amazed at how much the suspension drops over a few weeks of use. Hi-Lo are the original brand of adjustable trumpets, but those Mini sport ones look ok; they have rounded edges where they seat in the cone, cheaper ones tend to be machined flat. Minispares do a set of Hi-Lo's for £85 and sell some service parts for them. like other suppliers, they also do a package with dampers.

http://www.calverst.com/cc110f.htm, should be of interest (lots of other good suspension info on his site): some so called lowered dampers make little difference. As you've discovered, too much damper length on the rear can be as much a problem as them bottoming out at full bump.

The Kayabas have a good reputation, especially for a near standard road car where adjustable dampers are harder to justify.

^^ good to know on the dampers. I don't plan on lowering it too much so maybe I'll be ok with what I got.

The rear cones were CAKE to replace. How does the front differ?
My buddy gave me his unused compression tool he said I'll need for the front. Workin in the tiny space within the engine compartment is intimidating. Any recommendations?

On another note, looks like I'll buy a front set of cones. Ouch, they run $99 each here in the states. I have yet to see the hilo kits offered in the states (haven't looked further than a few shops).
Hopefully shipping from England to CA wont rape me too bad

[Ethel]

New rubber cones can transform a Mini, in fact replacing all the suspension rubber mounts & bushes isn't that expensive, I guess tracking down the dampers states side should be less of a challenge as the same manufacturers cater for all makes of car.

I seem to have a Minispares bias, but they deal with a lot of overseas customers & charge fairly for carriage - you could give them a ring, or drop Simon@minispares a pm for a total price. If you use Minisport check they actually have the stuff in stock before you pay.


The front suspension usually puts up a bit more of a fight - you'll tackle most of it from under the wing though. Check the thread on the old cones you've taken off, yours should be metric, but they were originally produced with UNF: you can never be sure what might have been put on a Mini over the years. Taking the bonnet off can make life easier using the compression tool. Take care to seat and screw it fully in to the nut in the cone & try to avoid using lube on the threads - you have squeeze the cones up with a similar force to Mini dropped on its wheels. If the trumpet doesn't want to separate from the cone you may need to take the top arm out. Take the rebound stop off too, or what's left of it.

[minisilverbullet]

As Ethel said the rears will settle, but The mini is "supposed" to ride higher at the rear.

I went with a set of Hilos, they provide flexibility to have the car sitting exactly how you want it. And also offer you the opportunity set the height without waiting for the new cones to settle. Although I was forever adjusting the ride height using the hilos for the first 2 months as the cones settled, which is a bit of a pain!

AS for shocks (or as some smart %@& will soon tell us they aren't shocks but in fact dampers), my experience is: I wanted the car low but still usable, I wanted to drop the rear so the car was flat. This meant that I definitely needed lowered shocks for the rear. I also bought lowered for the front but to be honest, I probably could/should have used the standard height. The calver link is excellent for determining the open and closed lengths of the shocks/dampers.

You could measure shock pin to pin on your car as it sits on the ground to get a rough idea.

[Indetrucks]

All great tips fellas, thanks!

I'm still looking for a shop in the states that carried this adjustable ride height kit:
http://www.minisport...fo_SUSKIT5.html

minisport wants $100 for shipping (practically the cost of the parts themselves)

Edited by Indetrucks, 17 December 2010 - 04:23 PM.