46 replies to this topic

[grahama]

What are the hydrolastic bump stops for the rear??  Can you post a pic of them please and their fitting as I am trying springs too and any improvements will be put on.

 

Graham

[miniman24]

Will do when Im next outside :) I got them from Somerford:

 

http://www.somerford...roducts_id=3354

[miniman24]

Heres a picture of one fitted (not mine), I dont know if all radius arms have the fixing point to mount them? Mine did.

 

http://i511.photobuc...as/Midas265.jpg

Edited by miniman24, 27 May 2013 - 05:08 PM.

[HUBBA.HUBBA]

Out of interest, did you have any kind of bump stop for the front.
Also did you reinforce the rear mounting points?

[firstforward]

Its really strange is it not, those that show so much knowledge, claim to be such experts giving advice on springs by suggesting all manner of reasons not to fit them have never used them themselves.

 

I took delivery of one of my mini's last year, covered approx 5K miles and knew the cones were shot by the bad ride. On inspection I noticed that it had settled to a height that I have seen on many mini's I have owned a height that was just about to touch the bump stops. So basically there was no further travel and the only suspension's cushion was via the bump stop/worn out cone. That gives a pretty rigid ride and as I have said many Mini's are like this.

 

If coils are set to the correct height they will never bottom out because of the very same reason a bump stop! If on the other hand you set the ride height too high, the coil will use up all its travel, bottom out before the bump stop has had a chance to perform its task of arresting further travel. Not many people run a mini "high" most are on spec or indeed lower than factory ride height so it really does not become an issue of coils bottoming out. The other point usually raised about coils is the loose fitting that may dislodge them. I have never experience this but imagine it can happen if the ride height is set too low, and when the suspension extends itself on pot holes etc there might not be enough force applied to the coil to keep it in place, so if you want coils and want to run your car lower than standard height you will need to make up a further tension spring to make sure the coil is always under tension.

[miniman24]

Out of interest, did you have any kind of bump stop for the front.
Also did you reinforce the rear mounting points?

 

Yup, standard bump stop above the top arm on the front. No need to reinforce anything, the springs are a direct replacement for cones, you may be thinking of coil-overs?

 

I agree firstforward, there is no way they can bottom out if the ride height is correct.

[richw911]

Cheap cones in the group buy if you go for them  

 

http://www.theminifo...i-lo-group-buy/

[Tamworthbay]

I have had minis with rubber, coil spring and Coilovers on. The rubber shod minis handled the best by far. What is interesting is that people who sell the coil springs claim all sorts of benefits, but they would wouldn't they? They are out to make a profit after all! I am in the process of building a mini for hillclimbing at work and that will have coilovers for one reason and one reason only- for the students to see the effects of changes on lap times. I certainly don't claim to be an expert but I have designed and built cars that have beaten factory Jaguar and Bentleys so I must be doing something right in the chassis/ suspension department. For me it is rubber all the way for road use.

Edited by Tamworthbay, 27 May 2013 - 06:40 PM.

[mini-luke]

I have had minis with rubber, coil spring and Coilovers on. The rubber shod minis handled the best by far. What is interesting is that people who sell the coil springs claim all sorts of benefits, but they would wouldn't they? They are out to make a profit after all! I am in the process of building a mini for hillclimbing at work and that will have coilovers for one reason and one reason only- for the students to see the effects of changes on lap times. I certainly don't claim to be an expert but I have designed and built cars that have beaten factory Jaguar and Bentleys so I must be doing something right in the chassis/ suspension department. For me it is rubber all the way for road use.

 

Completely agree

 

I want to know why would they have gone to the trouble of designing and making a rubber cone if springs were just as good?

[firstforward]

 

I have had minis with rubber, coil spring and Coilovers on. The rubber shod minis handled the best by far. What is interesting is that people who sell the coil springs claim all sorts of benefits, but they would wouldn't they? They are out to make a profit after all! I am in the process of building a mini for hillclimbing at work and that will have coilovers for one reason and one reason only- for the students to see the effects of changes on lap times. I certainly don't claim to be an expert but I have designed and built cars that have beaten factory Jaguar and Bentleys so I must be doing something right in the chassis/ suspension department. For me it is rubber all the way for road use.

 

Completely agree

 

I want to know why would they have gone to the trouble of designing and making a rubber cone if springs were just as good?

 

 

Yes so good they tried Hydrolastic after a couple of years. Maybe springs are not so good in some areas, but for standard road going car they offer a better ride and tick all the boxes against cones for me.

[Tahiti Joe]

 

I want to know why would they have gone to the trouble of designing and making a rubber cone if springs were just as good?

 

 

Surely that question can be turned around? As in why would they go through the trouble of designing a spring set-up if there were no advantages to be had over a rubber cone?

[mini-luke]

 

 

I want to know why would they have gone to the trouble of designing and making a rubber cone if springs were just as good?

 

 

Surely that question can be turned around? As in why would they go through the trouble of designing a spring set-up if there were no advantages to be had over a rubber cone?

 

 

To make money by selling you springs which are so much than saggy cones - not necessarily so compared to new cones

 

I'm sure it's not out of the goodness of their heart because they'd hate anybody to be uncomfortable when driving a mini

[Dan]

Yes so good they tried Hydrolastic after a couple of years.

 

  The car was always supposed to be on Hydrolastic but the system wasn't developed in time for launch.

 

  Spring technology was not up to producing the same springs it is today in the '50s.  Making such compact road springs would not have been possible at a decent price.  The advantage of the rubber springs is largely that they are self damping.  It is fair to say though that most people who think the coil springs offer a massive improvement have not driven a Mini on good rubber springs.  Most of the cars out there have old and worn out, solidified rubber springs fitted which offer a terrible ride. The late production springs were very poor quality too.  Any suspension is better than no suspension, so the coil springs seem a massive improvement.

[miniman24]

Another large factor in my moving to springs is that they dont perish, wear out and harden like cones. Also, there is next to no "settling" time with them, they settle almost straight away, so theres no need to constantly fiddle with the tracking.

[Dan]

  Well the replacement type coil springs haven't really been around long enough to assess how they perform over time to be honest, nobody knows if they will get to 10 years old and snap or not.  And I seem to remember that some people have found problems with the durability of some types already.  The current cones are far better than the late production ones and don't wear out anywhere near as fast.  Ultimately though you are right, they are rubber and rubber hardens over time. 

Edited by Dan, 27 May 2013 - 08:55 PM.