4 replies to this topic

[Coalhod]

Hello;  I have a MK1 that is used in the summer months in the states.  After a recent suspension check I found the front cone springs needed replacing which I did with some new old stock cones I had in the garage.  Also, one of my 20 year old gas type dampers had come apart!  Replaced with Koni's which I have had for a while they seem fine as a lot of resistance to change the setting on them.  I  set them at 3 out of 5 clicks.

 

On driving the car the first notable thing is more body roll so not sure if would advantageous to tighten up the Koni's a little more.  I think the Koni's work on rebound only.  The car doesn't have the "go kart" feel it had before.  An alignment should help.

 

Apologies if this subject has already been discussed.  Would a gas type damper be a better option for occasional competition?  From what I have read the gas type control bounce and rebound.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Andrew

[nicklouse]

The job of a shock is not to control body roll. It is to control the movement of the wheels.

 

yes you will get more roll with new rubbers as they are not age hardened.

 

the original HiLo had a changed profile to the contact part of it where it meets the rubber under compression this increased the spring rate.

 

but a higher spring rate will need a higher damping rate to control the wheel movement.

 

a too high damping rate can cause the car to jack down. This is where the spring can not overcome the damping force in the time given and you end up with no suspension movement.

 

don’t think about going to ARB (sway bars) as they just reduce the grip you have and promote oversteer or under steer and should only be used to tune the handling on the track.

 

back to your shock. Buy any adjustable ones and adjust to suit.

[coopertaz]

minisport adjust rides aslo have the larger spring platform, use these with gaz dampers and work well

[Cooperman]

As alluded to earlier, the Koni dampers are soft on bump and stiff on rebound. This is not really ideal on the Mini with its short amount of suspension travel. I think the basic design of the Konis will increase the initial body roll at 'turn in' a bit.

Over the years I have tried many types of damper including the old Armstrong units (NLA), Woodhead-Monroe (also NLA), Spax and GAZ. 

For a road car Spax are good and are easy to adjust if competition use is required. I have used GAZ for rallying and they also work very well and are strong. The thing is not to set either type at too hard a setting and unless you are racing don't ever fit a rear anti-roll bar as it makes for excessive oversteer should you lift off in the middle of a corner (and round she goes - been there, done that!).

[ac427]

Cole at Classic Mini Diy likes the Protech dampers
https://youtu.be/NB1Fxe1IkCE