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 Posted: Jul 14, 2017 12:12PM
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US
Alex, thanks. I am not interested in a slammed look or feel. I also did not want it as if it's teetering on stilts. I will put a tiny bit of preload on the front springs and will follow your procedure.

 Posted: Jul 14, 2017 04:34AM
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GB

Running with coil springs and lowering the car is an iffy business as far as I'm concerned.  You are negating most of the benefits of the coils, and introducing a decent risk of snapping a spring.

I wind my hi-los up until I have a smidge of pre-load on the front springs, and then adjust the rideheight to level the car.  The rideheight is sensible without looking like it's teetering on stilts, but at the same time it is impossible for the spring to move of the seat and get smashed.  I do similar at the rear, but with the dampers installed as they are the effective droop stop.


By running a sensible ridehight you allow the coil to work its ride magic - absorbing the jiggling you get with cones, and supplying a supple ride.  If slammed performance is your goal, stick to cones.

 Posted: Jul 13, 2017 08:42AM
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US
Thank you malsal. I will follow your advice. regards.

 Posted: Jul 12, 2017 11:35AM
 Edited:  Jul 12, 2017 11:44AM
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There are a lot of variables with ride height on a Mini, suspension, wheels, tires, flares etc. A good measure i have found is two and a half to three fingers between the top of the tire and the lip of the body which with my fingers equates to around 2 1/2 inches.
When working on Mini suspension and i want it to stay in its normal position (usually when undoing the top ball joint) i take a couple of chisels (or anything else wedge shaped) and insert them above the bushing between the upper arm and the sub frame then when jacking the car up it stops the suspension from going into full droop mode.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Jul 12, 2017 08:16AM
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US
Thank you all for all this information. I have ordered the parts and will install them once I get them and will send off photos. The last time my Mini was in a gathering, some owners commented that mine was riding TOO HIGH. I tried to lower it but I don't know what the correct ride height. I could not find any info on the ride height. Any input would be appreciated.

 Posted: Jun 29, 2017 05:52AM
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US
From the Shop by Category section of this web site: //www.minimania.com/catPage/8-9/8/9/0/Front-Rubber-Cone-Spring-Suspension--Known-as-Dry-Suspension-

The standard one is #40, the upper arm rebound buffer. It sits on the subframe and under the upper arm.

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 09:18PM
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For once Tony is right! it fits under the top arm and is fitted with one screw. You will see a pad cast in with the arm, it fits under there. But please ignore Tonys bodge about truck tires.
The only trouble is I think you are trying to lower the car so low that you will not get the stop fitted without it being crushed when you lower the car onto it's wheels! Try to curb you enthusiasm to build a low rider, the cars just not suitable unless you really start to modify suspention pick up points etc.  plus the fact that the first thing to get hit by the road is going to be the aluminium sump!!

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 08:37PM
 Edited:  Jun 28, 2017 08:46PM
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That's is attached to the frame underneath the suspension arm, that's where the arm slaps whenever it hits a hole or road bumps. I made my own version of that using truck tire cut out because i cannot  afford to buy one.

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 08:06PM
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US
Minimans, where does this part fit in? I can't find any info on the installation. With much appreciation.

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 08:03PM
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US
Yes, thanks for that info. I was told to use this unit, pictured but I don't know where it really attaches to. There is no installation procedure or information when ordering the part and I could not find an exploded view of the front suspension with this unit in place. I hate to spend the money and then have it sitting on the shelf for my survivors !!!

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 07:55PM
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You know, there is somebody here who owns a yellow estate mini ,  he actually sliced his bump stop about 3/4 of an inch, it seem to work fine ,we did not hear any complain from him about it tho.  It gives ample amount of travel and stops at a certain point..... Good idea tho.  

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 07:37PM
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US
I have the lower bump stop. I am not sure if I need another one. I also installed a web-belt retainer that seems to hold the shock from over-extending when the car is jacked up. I am hopeful that this is sufficient. BUT I am willing and eager to hear your thoughts. AND thanks for all the support.

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 05:15PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silver6
Totally understood. I will deal with it. My concern was the guy who is going to align the car, he jacks it up, drops it down and the springs are not on the perch. thanks. Nice mini, by the way.
That's not your real issue .... too easy to drive over a spoon drain or some such depression in the road that unloads the suspension enough for the springs to drop out/become misaligned so that when the car drops back down........8-0!!

Also, while the shocks may survive a few peak loads, the bottom mounting pin is not designed to take such a beating......

Cheers, Ian

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 09:31AM
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The stops perform a safety critical purpose! they stop the arm from over travel to the point where you are bending the hub swivel pins! unless you have some sort of stop you are at risk of snapping the swivel pin and disaster will surely follow..............
Yes the damper may well stop the over travel but it's not designed to and won't be progressive like the rubber stop albeit not very much. If your going to run the car that low without some sort of re design then you will have to put up with the bad and somewhat dangerous handling................

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 07:51AM
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US
Totally understood. I will deal with it. My concern was the guy who is going to align the car, he jacks it up, drops it down and the springs are not on the perch. thanks. Nice mini, by the way.

 Posted: Jun 28, 2017 02:41AM
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US
Or you could look at it like this; I spent years with lowered trucks they looked great but would bounce off the bump stops or the top of the fender well, when you jacked it up the springs would go slack, deal with it. Don't use the shock as your drop stop it will eventually break the shock. I lived with it because I liked the look and was just a little more careful on bad roads.
I had my mini "in the weeds" screwing in the Hi-Los and didn't like the ride or that inability to carry passengers.

 

 

 Posted: Jun 27, 2017 11:20AM
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US
I found the part. BUT here is a review:

"If you use these bump stops on a lowered car, they will eliminate much or all of your suspension travel, making the ride intolerable. Furthermore, the brackets will become severely bent by constant impact with the trailing arms. This suggests that even on a car that has not been lowered, they will eventually become bent by occasional impacts. Maybe the factory got it right when they decided not to employ rear bump stops on classic Minis. When these bump stops proved useless in preventing my rear suspension from bottoming, I was able to solve the problem by installing adjustable shocks and setting them just stiff enough to eliminate the bottoming.""

 Posted: Jun 27, 2017 11:17AM
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Yes, I think you are right. All else is failing.

 Posted: Jun 26, 2017 08:20PM
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Sounds like a job for galvanized baling wire...

 Posted: Jun 26, 2017 03:03PM
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US
Dropped a dash. C-srp015

Found 27 Messages

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