Has anyone here fitted the coil springs instead of the standard suspension?

http://www2.minispeed.co.uk/classic/ind ... oilspringc

It wouldn't be to hard to make if the spring rates were known.

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Chris

Everything I like is either
illegal, immoral or fattening.

I don't mean to sound antogonistic but why bother fitting those when you can by GAZ adjustable coilovers for 200 pounds (+70 pounds frieght, which seems a little high)

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But he's thriving and striving and hugging the turns.

I don't think coil overs are a good idea. The damper mounts were never designed to be suspension mounts with all the associated loads going into them. They are simply not strong enough IMO. Years ago there was a fad using air shocks to hold cars level when loaded. The shocks were pressurised to lift the car and lots were fitted and lots of shock towers and mounting points broke because they were loading them to highly. On a racing car, yes a good idea, but not on a road car IMO. Also in my case it is a van which will often be loaded with gear when travelling.

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Chris

Everything I like is either
illegal, immoral or fattening.

I've seen a way of measuring the strength of valve springs..... the question is, can the same technique be used on the rubber cones?? I dont think it can....

Technique = drill press compressing spring onto bathroom scale until maximum pressure is shown...... i think..... something like that.

There's no reason to go for coil springs unless you wanted a stiffer spring rate (yes i do too )

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[NATHAN] -- Sold everything mini related and am back in big beautiful BMWs

There's a couple of threads re this mod on www.minimania.com site.
KC tested them all and didn't like them. Basically they are so short they have no spring rate progression, and very little travel, so on `yumps' everything hangs and they get out of position.
The ride is softer, you get more lean, so then you need antiroll bars, etc etc.
I'd stay with rubber springs. You can get comp ones now too.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I've heard that these things improve the ride quality, but don't know from personal experience.

They're blardy expensive though. There is a guy somewhere (UK I think from memory) who was selling the same ones as Mini Spares heaps cheaper. His contact details were posted on forum somewhere - can't remember if was this one or Minifinity. Maybe someone on here knows about him. I'd be trying to hunt him down anyway.

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Who's MadMax?

Yeah, I've heard of coil overs coming through the top of the guard too. The shock absorber have GOT to be strengthened, and even then there's a chance that can still part company with the car. But I'm sure someone on here's got 'em

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Who's MadMax?

drmini in aust wrote

Ditto, I looked into these myself a while ago and came to the same conclusion. If you want an alternative to standard rubber cones, check out the progressive competition ones that Mini Spares do.

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Who's MadMax?

you can get springs to replace the rubber cones too - no idea what they're like tho, looks like a bit of a wank

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

are these the polyurethane ones i recall seeing a while ago? they were scary prices too

michael

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

Here's the URL (I think) for the ones I was referring to.

http://ms-staging.complete.co.uk/Product.aspx?pid=38124

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Who's MadMax?

No, MiniSpares and MiniMania sell uprated rubber ones.
But surely Oz good 40 year old ones are hard enough!

KC tested the poly ones too- didn't like them either, said they were `dead' and implied they were a poor choice for a springing medium.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I have got the Gaz coil overs on the front and rear of my mini and yes you do have to get the mig out and do some reinforcing to the top of rear damper mounts and to the front top brackets were it bolts through the body with 3mm steel plate.The coil overs are not just bolt on in a afternoon as some of the mini shops/mags would have you believe.
Olly

Mini bug, can you describe what the ride/handling is like with the coil overs? Is it much different/better/worse than rubber cones? How does it compare to hydro?

The ride is better over some small bumps in the road than rubber cones and not as good over other bumps -It is the same but different...
A hydro mini will ride better and be smoother over all bumps compared to
coil overs.
olly