11 replies to this topic

[lyesryan]

I am in the process of ordering a new suspension kit for my mini can anyone recommend the best components for both road and race without switching over to coilovers.

 

Thanks Ryan

[Dr s]

Race, i think you'd need to checking the reg's of whatever series you are thinking of. 

 

Road i'd be thinking HiLo's adjustable camber and tierods up front, adjjustable camber and castor on the rear and some decent shocks. 

[jt19]

As above. also might be worth checking condition of your cones.

[lyesryan]

I was thinking of replacing the rubber cones with the springs you can buy but weren't to sure on what stiffness to but.

 

Ryan

[HarrysMini]

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

 

I have just fitted and set up this kit (I can post up the suspension settings if you want), I personally don't think it gets much better for the price. 

 

Also look at Protech dampers, they are very good.

 

I personally like rubber cones over springs but that is personal preference, you really need to try both.

Edited by HarrysMini, 28 November 2014 - 01:59 PM.

[lyesryan]

Hi Sorry for the late reply In the past I have only dealt with Bilstein but they do not offer adjustable dampers for minis, so what would be the best option out of the 'AGX Evolution dampers' the 'GAZ Shocks' or the 'Protech Billet alloy' dampers. if anyone has had experience with any of these kits can you let me know how they are in terms of quality and performance.

 

Thanks Ryan

[Cooperman]

The first question is what race series you will be doing. Whatever you do it will be a serious compromise since the suspension requirements for racing are just so different from what will be just about possible for road use. The big problem is that full race suspension just doesn't work on the road unless you drive very slowly on the roads.

Then again, a race engine will be difficult to drive with at low speeds, so that is a problem for the suspension.

For tracks a coil spring solution is good as it enables a very high initial spring rate which reduces body-roll during initial turn in. Such a rate won't work on the roads as the car will be so stiff it'll just bounce from bump to bump.

The only real option if the car must be used on the road and the track is to use the stiffest rubber cones you can find, then try to 'tune out' the initial body-roll by turning up the damper stiffness when racing. This might not be ideal, but usually a race car will never be used on a track, unlike a rally car. You tend to not be competitive in a race, whilst having the worst of both worlds with little on the plus side.

Better to build a full-on race car with all the right bits and have a cheaper modern car for the road and to tow the race car. That is what most people do and it works well. You need a service car at any race meeting to carry the spares, dry/inter/wet tyres and wheels, etc..

Good luck with the project.

[lyesryan]

The car will not be used in any specific race series the company I work for host a sprint series for the GTROC and we tend to enter our own cars in the guest slots at the events but the main use will be for road use so I want to find the best road kit which is capable for track use that allows an adjustable set up to be used to adjust the cars performance depending whether it is on the road or on the track.

[Cooperman]

OK, that makes life easier.

In fact I reckon my rally Cooper 'S' would go well with the set up it has.

It is slightly higher than standard, but you can set yours to standard height for the road.

Use 1.5 degree negative bottom arms with 12" wheels (assuming you have the 8.4" discs) or 10" if you can run to the braking system and adjustable tie bars. You can get offset lower arm bushes to ensure camber accuracy and they are ideal for this.

The rear can be done yourself for free if you don't want to spend out on fully adjustable rear brackets. On mine I have filed the hols in the radius arm brackets until I could move the rad arm to the correct position, then welded on large washers to hold the settings.

With regard to rubber cones, they will, indeed, be best for you and the genuine original ones which Mini Spares sell will be ideal.

As for dampers, you will need adjustable ones in order to 'tune' the damping for sprints or road as appropriate.

Set the suspension up as follows: 

 

Front:

 

Camber:  Pre-set at -1.5 degrees

Toe-out:   1 mm to 1,5 mm

Caster:     3 to 3.5 degrees

 

Rear:

 

Camber:  Zero to 0.5 degrees negative

Toe-in:     1 mm to 2 mm (this is arguably the most important suspension setting of all).

 

Tyres:   165/60 x 12 top quality (Yokos for example)

 

For competition/track use castellated nuts on the front end of the tie-bars and split pins.

 

I hope all this helps.

[lyesryan]

Hi thanks for your feedback I am very happy with that advice and it will help me out massive do you happen to have all the measurements in degrees.

 

Thanks Ryan

[Cooperman]

You'll have to do the maths, Ryan  .

[lyesryan]

haha i'll get my mate to do that on our hunter hawkeye elite laser alignment machine, its much smarter than me.

 

Thanks Ryan