51 replies to this topic

[jackbushin mini 988]

anyone know how to lower it with out buying a hilow kit ??

[PaddyShepherd]

I've heard you can cut the trumpets, but I don't like the sound and don't think it'd be that safe, if I were you I'd just get hi-lo's/adjusta rides.

[Cooperman]

You only need to lower your car if you are going to use it for racing or hill-climbing. In that case use Hi-Lo's so that it can be set accurately.
For road use lowering is not really a good idea as the disadvantages far outweigh any perceived advantages.

[Skortchio]

For the £40? a set of hi-lo's will cost you, it's really not worth the messing about.

If you want to trim the cones, you have to get it right or at least err on the side of caution. You'll have to remove them to cut them down, measure how much you want lower then divide by 3 for the fronts and 5 for the rears, chop that off and replace.

On the rear you'll likely have to add a washer to the end of the trumpet - best welded in place and of course it's thickness taken into account when cutting (you'll need to remove it's thickness too).

Also consider as your cones wear you may want to alter the height upwards, if cutting you have to add more washers to do this. For the cost, hi-lo's are really worth it.

Edited by Skortchio, 11 August 2012 - 10:51 PM.

[tiger99]

Cutting down the trumpets is far safer than using some of the trash HiLo kits currently on the market.

Why would you need to add a washer? You can't weld a washer, invariably made of steel, to an alloy trumpet anyway.

But as Cooperman said, you do not need to lower any Mini for road use, in fact it will be distinctly unhelpful, as you will have wrong geometry at the front, the roll centre height will move unfavourably, etc. Taken to extremes, lowering puts lives at risk due to ball joint failure.

[Skortchio]

The rear washer, which could be ally, would be to allow snug fitment to the knuckle, if you were to cut the trumpet the apature would be larger the further up cut, surely?

As for lowering for road use, would it not be beneficial in terms of accurate setting of the suspension and geometry to have hi-lo's?
Not specifically for lowering, but to equalise the height across the car to account for discrepensies in the tolerance of the Mini design, as well as front to back height.
If you go to the trouble of correcting the camber and toe etc. Is that not also optimised by having the car at recommended height?

Edited by Skortchio, 11 August 2012 - 11:17 PM.

[tiger99]

No, the bore in the end of the trumpet is, of necessity, parallel. If it was not, the knuckle would wobble in the trumpet and cause very rapid wear.

Minor adjustments to take up tolerances can, if necessary, be accomplished by a very small amount of metal removal or fitment of a thin washer.

Some of the adjusters on the market are known to collapse after a while due to fatigue failure. I find the quality of many aftermarket parts currently available to be depressingly low. It was not always so, and good, safe height adjusters did exist. They probably still do, but not for £40 a set.

[freshairmini]

Still tho, I have not heard many cases of people's Hi-los collapsing when bought from a reputable supplier, generally minispares. Yes you will find some very poorly made parts but is not always the case.

[Bungle]

as well is lowering buying a real hilo from minispares will alter the spring rate for the lowered ride

cutting your trumpets down or a cheap hilo copy won't

[PaddyShepherd]

Bungle, can you explain how Hi-Lo alters the spring rate? I have minisport adjusta rides on the front and a cheap hi-lo copy on the rear (not fitted by me otherwise they'd be minisport or minispares) and looking at them they don't seem any different really?

[jaydee]

Cutting down the trumpets is far safer than using some of the trash HiLo kits currently on the market.

Why would you need to add a washer? You can't weld a washer, invariably made of steel, to an alloy trumpet anyway.

But as Cooperman said, you do not need to lower any Mini for road use, in fact it will be distinctly unhelpful, as you will have wrong geometry at the front, the roll centre height will move unfavourably, etc. Taken to extremes, lowering puts lives at risk due to ball joint failure.

+1

[Skortchio]

as well is lowering buying a real hilo from minispares will alter the spring rate for the lowered ride

cutting your trumpets down or a cheap hilo copy won't

Erm... What? 0.o

[Bungle]

they have a patented top bit (that sits next to the rubber spring) and because of it's shape it alters the spring rate

[Midas Mk1]

If you want to lower it lower it, dont let some silly people on here dictate what you 'should do' , it's your car, do what you want.

Easiest and best option is to get Hilo's or Adjustr-rides, stay clear of cheap chinese copies.

[tiger99]

Of course it is his car, and he can do anything that is legal to it any time he wants. No-one disputed that. The point is that lowering will actually degrade the handling, which makes it as pointless as hanging furry dice on the mirror. I will probably never understand why he would want to. But if he wants degraded handling, that is between him and his insurance company. It is only fair that he understands that his work and expenditure is not going to bring any tangible benefit.