5 replies to this topic

[kwacktastic]

My '96 Cooper Sportspack is nearly ten years old and the suspension is a little tired. I'm therefore planning an overhaul. I was originally considering going for the Sracer coil spring conversion, but have heard and read a number of horror stories. I've therefore decided to stick with the rubber cone approach.

I'm planning to fit Hi-los but retain the standard shocks as these appear to be in good order. I'm also planning to replace the tie-bar and bottom arm with beefed-up adjustable versions. My question is however is there much to be gained by going for the red spot version as supplied by Minispares or should I stick with the standard (cheaper) Rover offerings.

I'm after a more compliant ride, not solid suspension, though obviously I don't was to bugger the handling up completely! If any one has any experience of these "uprated" cones I'd appreciate your advice.

Thanks in advance,

Kwack

[minidaves]

have not tried the red spot ones, but to be honest on a road car, normal rover rubber donuts (the ones i can do for £27.50 each) good shocks if over 2yrs old replace, rebush it and a soild dubframe mount kit and the car will be untouchable on the roads

dave

[Dan]

Try the Moulton Smooth-A-Ride kit. It's supposed to be a bit less good with the 13" rims but it still works. The kit will sort you out, comes with Adjust-A-Rides, new standard shocks, neg camber brackets for the rear and new springs all round.

History lesson-

Alex Moulton is the man who originally designed the Mini suspension, both rubber cone and Hydrolastic. The rubber cones were actually just a short term measure to use while the Hydrolastic was being developed. Then when they decided Hydro was too expensive and ditched it they went back to the original rubber cones which had been designed in a hurry and were somewhat of a compromise. Moulton tried for many years to get Rover to switch to a new design of cone for the front but they ignored him. This kit supplies the system he would have preffered to fit and makes a radical change to the ride comfort and harshness in the suspension. The kit is only available from Mini Sport and requires specialist setting up of the suspension after fitting at any good garage. Don't fit adjustable or neg camber parts to the front with this kit, it's designed around standard components.

Smooth-A-Ride

I've been considering the Mini Spares springs you have listed above for my car. They aren't actually real 'red spot' springs (red spot springs were BL Special Tuning versions of the standard blue spot spring and just a harder rubber but exactly the same shape) rather they are Mini Innocenti shape springs from the little Italian beastie. Mini Spares have decided to give them spot names as they make the same spring in different rubbers so they need to tell them apart. Real red spot springs are very much NLA.
These springs do seem to be a good idea but I've never managed to track down anyone who has fitted them in order to ask about them. I've asked on here and other places. Still considering it before our trip to the ring though.

If you do steer away from the Smooth-A-Ride kit and decide to go with neg camber at the front, I'd avoid adjustable tie rods unless you are going for a lot of negative camber from the adjustable bottom arms. Changing the caster isn't really needed and causes some problems. It will probably make the problems of the 13" wheels even more pronounced to run a lot of castor, and the castor angle stays relatively close to standard using standard tie rods until you get to quite a lot of negative camber. If however you do go for a lot of camber and caster, get bushes for the bottom arms designed to compensate for large caster angles or the standard bushes will fail in no time. Ether that or go with rose joints but that will return a lot of the harshness you are trying to avoid.

The best adjustable bottom arms are the new Mini Spares type, and Hi-Los are the best suspension height adjuster as they also modify the spring rate which the other types don't.

While the tie rods are the weak point in the suspension if you beef them up then something else and more expensive or dangerous could break instead.

[taffy1967]

Well i've just had the Mini Sport Adjust-Ride adjutable ride height suspension cones and Spax adjustable dampers fitted all round on my 90' Mainstream Mini Cooper for exactly a decade and I can't recommend them enough as i've had no problems whatsoever and I know we found the ride quality slightly improved with just these (it got slightly firmer, but it doesn't bounce along anymore) items and you can set the ride quality from soft to firm just how you like really. But we've kept our dampers only turned a few clicks as that provides excellent handling and a complient ride too.

We've also got Mini Spares (might be Moss, but I can't remember without digging out all my reciepts and stuff) adjustable tie-bars too, although their set at the standard length, but their heavy duty and much thicker than standard tie-bars, so there's less chance of them bending/kinking. Oh and they've been fitted to my Mini for about a decade too and we've not had any troubles from them and they've even got polyurethane bushes too!

[neil_g]

I was originally considering going for the Sracer coil spring conversion, but have heard and read a number of horror stories. I've therefore decided to stick with the rubber cone approach.

fitted correctly with hi-los, lowered height dampers etc i cant see how there should be any problems with the coil springs. also steer clear of the cheaper kits.

[minisam92]

does any 1 hhave a guide or no how 2 fit soild front mounts with pictures perferably please pm me or send me the link