22 replies to this topic

[Yams]

First lets think about your options here, and why you need to lower the rear suspension.

 

My guess is that your car hasn't had new rubber cones in either a long time, or never at all. I think i read somewhere that rubber cones should be changed every 40,000 miles?* If this is the case, then your car's suspension will have sagged. The front of the car suffers the worst of it, since the cones also have the weight of the engine bay on them.

 

This pic i just stole from minifinity shows this perfectly.

 

Both of these cones are pretty beat up, and my guess is that they were being replaced, since i personally would never go to the effort of removing cones just to take a picture of them

Either way if your cones are old, they would have started to perish, giving you sub-standard ride height and handling

 

Hi-los are usually fitted as a performance enhancer, and ideally with new cones (or relatively new ones).

 

 

Although the minis suspension was what we could call 'innovative' it does suffer badly when it comes to wear and tear. If you want to even your ride out and keep the car at it's standard hight (good for insurance purposes, as you'd have to declare a suspension mod) , then you will most likely find replacing the cones and knuckle joints will be much more rewarding, and perhaps some nice new shock absorbers. if you want to lower the car just for looks, then hi-los are the way you want to go, however the ride will not be comfortable.

 

I've listed what i think is best for both situations here:

 

If you want to update your suspension so it's at it's standard hight and efficiency you'll need.

 

Cones:

http://www.minispare...px|Back to shop

 

Knuckle joints:

http://www.minispare...4A.aspx|Back to

 

Optional new shock absorbers, obviously your choice. You will not need lowered ones though.

 

 

 

If you want to just lower the car

http://www.minispare...px|Back to shop

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Yams

 

 

 

*Needs to be confirmed

Edited by Yams, 01 September 2014 - 10:46 AM.

[megamini_jb]

Surely it's better to get lowered shocks though, even if just lowering a bit....

[Yams]

Surely it's better to get lowered shocks though, even if just lowering a bit....

 

Not required really. If you get a standard height shock absorber and compress it it has a LOT of travel. When i was having a discussion with one of the chaps at mini spares he said that a standard shock will be fine for lowering up to 20mm. I lowered far more than that and still didn't bottom out the shock.

 

Edit:

I've got some standard hight Gmax shocks in the garage, i'll nip out later and grab some pics for you and post them up of it compressed and open.

Edited by Yams, 01 September 2014 - 10:54 AM.

[megamini_jb]

I see. When I was looking at lowering mine (not too much), I was told by others that I'd need lowered shocks, thats why I bought the Gaz ones. Wouldn't of bothered otherwise if I knew hat even standard shocks on a lowered minis still had sufficient travel in them

[Yams]

Ok this should give you an indication of the travel. The top line is obviously the shock opened all the way, the middle is the hight i ran, the bottom line is where the shock absorber bottoms out.

 

front shock

 

 

Rear shock

 

Plenty of room for suspension travel in my opinion, my ride hight was around 50mm lower than standard and the shock never bottomed out.

I'm currently running GAZ lowered adjustable shocks, because i needed a stiffer suspension to go lower.

 

 

Yams

Edited by Yams, 01 September 2014 - 11:37 AM.

[HarrysMini]

 

You dont need adjustable dampers (not shocks, shock absorbers are the doughnuts on a mini), the adjustability is in how they dampen the ride not the height of them. You will need hilos to lower the car however you want a small amount of rake (the back being higher than the front) for stability and handling reasons).

 

Shock absorbers are not the doughnuts or cones. Shock absorbers are shock absorbers, or also sometimes referred to as dampers. 

But the cones (springs) are what absorb shock. The dampers dampen the spring, and make the ride less bouncy. 

 

At least that's how I understand it. 

[Alex_B]

 

 

You dont need adjustable dampers (not shocks, shock absorbers are the doughnuts on a mini), the adjustability is in how they dampen the ride not the height of them. You will need hilos to lower the car however you want a small amount of rake (the back being higher than the front) for stability and handling reasons).

 

Shock absorbers are not the doughnuts or cones. Shock absorbers are shock absorbers, or also sometimes referred to as dampers. 

But the cones (springs) are what absorb shock. The dampers dampen the spring, and make the ride less bouncy. 

 

At least that's how I understand it. 

 

That is also how I refer to it but I did a bit of reading up and both a spring and a damper can both be called a shock absorber. I was always  taught the spring was the shock and the damper was the damper but I think that's now changed. Its an American term thats becoming common use over here as far as I can tell. 

[Yams]

A cone does absorb some shock yes, and could be refereed to as a shock absorber.

 

However despite this fact, it would be much better in a situation where someone is either new to minis or automobiles in general, to refer to the item the same way the mainstream retailers and dealers refer to them. This means if someone needs to spend money on a part, they get the right one. Thats like calling a steering wheel a 'directional circle' and expecting everyone to know what you're on about. Technically you wouldn't be wrong, but you'd defiantly confuse people.

 

If OP needs new cones (which i think would remedy the issues), and you refer to them as shock absorbers, and he goes and buys a set of Gmaz, Gaz or whatever shocks when he doesn't need them... Well lets just say that would be very unproductive. Thats just how i feel, and to me that is the most logical way to go about it. I may be wrong though?

 

 

Yams

Edited by Yams, 01 September 2014 - 12:58 PM.