21 replies to this topic

[scotty_1987]

Hi all,
Just thought I would ask can shortened shocks be fitted to otherwise standard suspension setup or do you need the hi-Los also?
Cheers
Nathan

[bmcecosse]

Short dampers are only for use with lowered suspension...... you don't need Hi-hos to lower the suspension.

[scotty_1987]

Oh right well how else do you lower them so?! Thought you needed the hi-Los...
Cheers

[Tupers]

You can trim down the standard aluminium trumpets to give the lower ride height. The Hi Los have the advantage of adjustability but once you've found a ride height that suits the car you're unlikely to change it.

[scotty_1987]

Thanks lads been reading up on it and I only really wanted to lower because a load of my mates have VWs like!! It just seems like so much hassle to lower minis I think I would just update the shocks to be honest!!
But thanks though...

[bmcecosse]

Indeed - too low is not good. Better dampers (not 'shocks') are a very good idea.

[Alex_B]

Its not hard to lower the back, cant comment about the front as I havent done that, but I did lower the back a tad ( i know the mini needs to be raked forwards, but it was stupidly high at the back) so lowered it by about 15mm and its evened it out a bit, still raked and the handling feels a bit nicer since, but that may be in my mind.

just have to be careful not to chop too much off the trumpet! (1:5 ratio at the rear and 1:3 at the front)

[Ethel]

As above, it's easy to trash your trumpets as the suspension doesn't settle to its final height right away and it's hard enough cutting them accurately & square. I'd say Hi-lo's are worth their money.

lowered shockers (dampers) can be fitted to an unlowered car, but you'll lose suspension travel on rebound, which could make cornering interesting.

http://www.calverst....per_lengths.htm - "lowered" is a subjective term it seems.

[scotty_1987]

so there would be "spirited" cornering to be had if i was to fit shortened gaz shocks then to my otherwise standard suspension set up?!

[Ethel]

You could find the inside wheels lifting off the floor even earlier, and more abruptly, as the spring (rubber cone) would go from pushing the tyre onto the tarmac to pushing against a fully extended shocker. Though I reckon many a Mini is sat on tired cones that run out of push before that would happen.

[Cerberus]

so there would be "spirited" cornering to be had if i was to fit shortened gaz shocks then to my otherwise standard suspension set up?!

If you want the best for a road mini, make sure your cones are in good condition, good dampers fully working.

I've got Hi-Los on mine, and it's at standard ride height (ish), but it allows me to get the height spot on if a cone wears differently to another or any other reason.

Then, adjustable lower arms to add a touch of negative camber, if you think you want to, rear camber brackets (bit more awkward especially if bolts shear).

Gaz seemed to be very popular when I was buying mine, and that's what I got, but I wouldn't buy Gaz again. For one, the rears are a very tight fit, due to the damper being larger diameter, and so the blue boot rubs on the inner arch, they were quite awkward to get on due to this aswell. Also, after about a thousand miles, they look like they're about 30 years old and are rusting. For the cost, I would have expected a better finish/coating on them.

Edited by Cerberus, 25 June 2012 - 01:52 PM.

[scotty_1987]

Cheers Cerberus that's a goo d bit of info there my man :) !!
Also cheers ethel this site would have me lost if it didn't exist!!
Cheers guys :)

Edited by scotty_1987, 25 June 2012 - 02:09 PM.

[Monkeymuff]

Hmm? I've been thinking about getting some lowered Gaz dampers,but reading that they are a bad fit and finish has put me right off.

[Skortchio]

I'm using lowered Gaz dampers, while they do suffer a bit from corrosion anything that's sat inches off the road and made of a ferrous metal is going to.

Fit wise, I had no trouble getting them in but also have nothing to compare them to but definitely wasn't a difficult task.

As you can see by the comparison site they aren't that short compared to your stock damper, it would be interesting to see some data logging on how much of the dampers travel is actually used in normal, if spirited driving.
From experience in performance motorcycles, the results generally show it's far less than expected.
I've personally never had any binding or skipping as a result of using them.

[Alex_B]

As above, it's easy to trash your trumpets as the suspension doesn't settle to its final height right away and it's hard enough cutting them accurately & square. I'd say Hi-lo's are worth their money.

lowered shockers (dampers) can be fitted to an unlowered car, but you'll lose suspension travel on rebound, which could make cornering interesting.

http://www.calverst....per_lengths.htm - "lowered" is a subjective term it seems.

yeah I cut mine shorter than i wanted as i didnt have the bottle to cut the amount off as planned, and sanded it off squarely, in the end i cut about 2.5mm off which is half what i wanted but I am happy with the height as I didnt want to fit lowered shocks and what not