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Suspension questions
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Author:  adamstuart [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Suspension questions
The shocks on the rear of my car are shot, and i am getting them replaced in the near future.

I was thinking about upgrading the suspenion on my car at the same time.

I use the car for street driving only, but there are a few bumpy as crap roads where i frequent (Schofields road on the way to rouse hill if anyone is familiar with it's horrible surface).

I want make the ride as smooth as i can while maintaining the mini handling feel.

Would the best bet be to get a hi lo set for both front and back:
-what are the positives and negatives of hi lo's

Would it better to get coil overs?
-what are the positives and negatives of coil overs?

Any help is much appreciatedd :D
Author:  Leighton [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
i think coil overs for a road car are pretty much a waste of time and money.

i think your best bet would be to strip both front and rear subframes and check the trumpets and donuts. the rear ones may have collapsed. i would replace the donuts and add hi los.

and obviously get new shocks all around.
Author:  adamstuart [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thought i should add that i'm planning on lowering the car when i buy new wheels, and that i only ever have 2 light weght people in the car, very very rarely more than that.
Author:  Leighton [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
if your really low on cash you can cut the trumpets down as per vizards book " how to modify your mini". or you can just get the hi lo's they are a pretty inexpensive item and you can both lower and raise the mini.
Author:  adamstuart [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
So Hi-lo's are the better option in my situation?

Can you find a link on minisport.com.au showing what i need?

I can find everything that says hi lo, and lots of things that look the same that don't say hi lo.

So any links that fit what i need would be much appreciated.
Author:  Mike_Byron [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
Aw - yes hilows are a much better way to go.

I have a lowered mini and frankly its a pain. Firstly you spend a lot of time watching for bumps in the road likely to take out the sump and secondly the ride is so harsh that its uncomfortable.

Cars need sufficient suspension movement - they need to respond to gravity and cornering loads and to bumps and irregularites in the road.

A lowered car does not make a better handling car - there are better ways of doing it and that involves controlling the rate of movement with predictable shocks and the like.

If its a race car then a lowered suspenson (within reason) is fair a slath but for a road car its smashed sump waiting to happen. Further to that, on the road, if your driving it that hard to notice the difference then Mr Highway Patrol is waiting to meet you.

Bottom line - there are better ways than simply lowering it.

Mike
Author:  adamstuart [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh, the only reason i said i was lowering was because i saw pictures of a clubby with 12" rims on it that looked shite, and another picture of the same clubby after it was lowered and it looked 100x better.

Depending on whether i buy new wheels, and how it looks, i may not even lower it at all.
Author:  gafmo [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
I like my cars low and always have done. EH Holden Premi Wagon, RX4 and my wifes roundy Delux which is Hydro. My wifes roundy we have pumped up mainly due to speed humps with the exhaust. so I know where your coming from.
I'm presently building a dry round nose Mini Van with dry suspension and i have replaced the rubber cones (Donuts) and fitted the Hi Los so I can adjusted to where i needed it. Additionally I have and will be replacing all the other rubber bits in the suspension. As you said when you were carring a car full it was not happy, we no car does from the normal times when it just ourselves in it but you do have to take into consideration for those time :roll: and find the happy medium or just put up with it during the loaded times.
Replace shocks and Donuts and fit Hilo's. you will find a heap of info already mentioned about all these on this forum :wink:
Author:  GT mowog [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Suspension questions
adamstuart wrote:
The shocks on the rear of my car are shot, and i am getting them replaced in the near future.

I was thinking about upgrading the suspenion on my car at the same time.

I use the car for street driving only, but there are a few bumpy as poo poo roads where i frequent (Schofields road on the way to rouse hill if anyone is familiar with it's horrible surface).

I want make the ride as smooth as i can while maintaining the mini handling feel.

Would the best bet be to get a hi lo set for both front and back:
-what are the positives and negatives of hi lo's

Would it better to get coil overs?
-what are the positives and negatives of coil overs?

Any help is much appreciatedd :D


They'll be fixing up Schofields Road shortly, so don't sweat that. My mini's ride OK on that road but it could be better.

Hi-lo's are good and considering the mini's rubber suspension they should have been factory fitted, but they are NOT a fix for donuts that are just plain knackered (look like pancakes). The only down side it that you have to actually set them.

I wouldn't advise Coil-overs for road use.
Author:  adamstuart [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Suspension questions
GT mowog wrote:

They'll be fixing up Schofields Road shortly, so don't sweat that. My mini's ride OK on that road but it could be better.

Hi-lo's are good and considering the mini's rubber suspension they should have been factory fitted, but they are NOT a fix for donuts that are just plain knackered (look like pancakes). The only down side it that you have to actually set them.

I wouldn't advise Coil-overs for road use.


I know they fixed schofields road at the Rouse Hill end, but Hambledon Road is posies shocking, i have to drive down the middle of the road to save my spine.

So coil overs are definitely out of the question.

I am thinking that getting Hi Lo's fitted and then the donuts need replacing too you say?

So i'm looking at new donuts, Hi Lo's and new Shocks all round?
Author:  adamstuart [ Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Suspension questions
GT mowog wrote:

They'll be fixing up Schofields Road shortly, so don't sweat that. My mini's ride OK on that road but it could be better.

Hi-lo's are good and considering the mini's rubber suspension they should have been factory fitted, but they are NOT a fix for donuts that are just plain knackered (look like pancakes). The only down side it that you have to actually set them.

I wouldn't advise Coil-overs for road use.


I know they fixed schofields road at the Rouse Hill end, but Hambledon Road is posies shocking, i have to drive down the middle of the road to save my spine.

So coil overs are definitely out of the question.

I am thinking that getting Hi Lo's fitted and then the donuts need replacing too you say?

So i'm looking at new donuts, Hi Lo's and new Shocks all round?
Author:  peterw [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
There's not much hope of making the suspension softer unless you can source softer rubber springs. HiLo's just change ride height.

You can optimise the operation of the suspension by making sure all the bushes and bearings are in good nick and working properly. Gas shocks might make a difference.

One way to save your back is to fit a better (non-Mini) seat. Mini seats were criticised in tests back when the cars were new.

Pete
Author:  Stuwey [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
How about a smootharide kit? Someone here only got one just recently.

I'd be putting coil springs (not coil-overs) in for comfort, with a set of hi-los to get the height 'just' right, and a set of good (do your research here, good ain't cheap) shockers for control.
Author:  Jonsey [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  hi-lo's
I am running 12" rims with hi-lo's all round, and lowering it is not really much of an option... Mine is a roundie though, not sure if the front guards have more clearance?
I will list some pros/cons based on my experience with my car.

Pro's
- I love the 12" mags look - at least with my mags.
- You can fit 8.4" discs.

Con's
- The front of the wheel arches/flare guards rub on the tyres at approx 60% lock, and on bumpy surfaces at 60% lock you usually have to go really slow... Or you may need to end up cutting your guards. Again, there might be more clearance for clubby front arches.
- 12" rims do give about 1" or more extra diameter at the tyre. This means that there is ~ 1/2 an inch less clearance than with 10" tyres.
This means you can't lower your car as much as with 10" tyres. I had mine lowered for a while (1 inch clearance between the top of the wheel and the arch), and the wheel kept rubbing/hitting the top of the wheel arch.
- If you decide to lower it, you will end up with positive camber, ie the top of the wheel sticks out further than the bottom of the wheel, which looks bad, handles horribly and gave me shaking in the steering wheel. If you want to get the really nice lowered look, you need to spend money on adjustable suspension parts (tie rods and lower control arms). Otherwise, stick with the standard ride height.

Have you bought 12" rims yet?
Make sure you get the right rim/rubber combo, you don't want the 175/45/12's (I think), make sure you get the 165/60/12's. These are a low profile tyre and won't rub your guards as much. It's possible the clubby you saw with 12" rims that you thought looked ugly had these 175/45/12's. Some people might like them, but IMHO they don't look that great.


Cheers
Jonesy
Author:  Stuwey [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: hi-lo's
Jonsey wrote:
- If you decide to lower it, you will end up with positive camber, ie the top of the wheel sticks out further than the bottom of the wheel, which looks bad, handles horribly and gave me shaking in the steering wheel. If you want to get the really nice lowered look, you need to spend money on adjustable suspension parts (tie rods and lower control arms). Otherwise, stick with the standard ride height.


Umm... No? Lowering the suspension should create negative camber, not lessen it.

Doubtful you will need any of the adjustable stuff for day-to-day use, but a well setup mini is amazing fun.

Also.. Adjustable shocks aren't all they're cracked up to be. Unless you know what you're doing, you can get it really wrong and make a dog of a car.
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