21 replies to this topic

[bmcecosse]

Gmax are EXCELLENT value for money - and I agree - adjustable suspension for a road car is pretty much a waste of money. If the cones have gone hard - they will need replacing. The front suspension may be sitting on the bump stops !

[AndyMiniMad.]

I went for the Spax coilovers. Ive heard all the "dodgy quality" stories, I bought them from Mini Spares who told me the problems were with the fitting bracketry and its all sorted now.



They are superb! easy to adjust for both ride height and damping. A huge improvement on the standard rubber suspension.

[parts boy]

I wouldn't use Spax if I'm being honest. They went bust about 18 months ago and since then, the quality of there stuff is crap, its all cheap chinese crap now, they are owned by some halfords style company now. Says it all.

I would go with either protech or Avo, the only trouble with Protech is that the alumium will go a funny colour with the rain and salt on our roads.

Hi
Spax are still the best product with reliability second to none and still in business and have been for 50 years and a truly great British Company with all dampers built on site in the heart of the cotswolds Bicester in the UK and absolutly nothing to do with Halfords or China

[ado15]

My concern with the coil-overs is that all the suspension loads are being put through the shell jn a place that wasn't designed for it. The loads seen from the dampers is next to nothing when they are set correctly (i.e. not wound up to 'shake your teeth out' setting!). The standard cones obviously send the main suspension forces through the subframes.

I have to agree with the comments on adjustable suspension on road cars. The original suspension was an excellent design. The geometry works really well in real life situations. I would suggest going through the components and replacing anything than is not up to scratch.... bushings, subframe mounts, cones, dampers, etc. Use good quality standard parts and the ride and handling will be transformed to the point you won't recognise the car! The ride height will be high, but this is fine. It allows the suspension to do what it's designed for without bouncing off the bump stops all the time which is what happens with lowered cars on the road. I'd go so far as to say, a factory ride height car will out handle a lowered car on the bumpy roads we have today. If you plan on using it on the track, it's a different story though.

[redboy]

I went for AGX dampers with original hi lo's and new cones. Ive got the ride hight set about 15mm lower than standard and with the new cones and dampers the ride is, Id say as good as your going to get for a mini for the smoothness and keeping the handling good. The AGX are great i can go over pot holes that i would of have to swerve for in the past and the adjustment has only 8 settings so you notice the difference with each setting. You can also adjust them without taking the wheel off.

[Cooperman]

My concern with the coil-overs is that all the suspension loads are being put through the shell jn a place that wasn't designed for it. The loads seen from the dampers is next to nothing when they are set correctly (i.e. not wound up to 'shake your teeth out' setting!). The standard cones obviously send the main suspension forces through the subframes.

I have to agree with the comments on adjustable suspension on road cars. The original suspension was an excellent design. The geometry works really well in real life situations. I would suggest going through the components and replacing anything than is not up to scratch.... bushings, subframe mounts, cones, dampers, etc. Use good quality standard parts and the ride and handling will be transformed to the point you won't recognise the car! The ride height will be high, but this is fine. It allows the suspension to do what it's designed for without bouncing off the bump stops all the time which is what happens with lowered cars on the road. I'd go so far as to say, a factory ride height car will out handle a lowered car on the bumpy roads we have today. If you plan on using it on the track, it's a different story though.

Agree 100% on all that.
You just can't beat the brilliant rubber cone suspension which made the Mini probably the first-ever production car with true variable-rate springs. The only problem, which is understandable really, is the short suspension travel even at standard ride height. Every lowered Mini I have ever driven has been a nightmare on a bumpy road.
Coil springs or coil-overs may be great for the race-track where it is ultra-smooth, but are no advantage on the public roads of the UK where it is quite bumpy.

[AndyMiniMad.]

My concern with the coil-overs is that all the suspension loads are being put through the shell jn a place that wasn't designed for it. The loads seen from the dampers is next to nothing when they are set correctly (i.e. not wound up to 'shake your teeth out' setting!). The standard cones obviously send the main suspension forces through the subframes.

I have to agree with the comments on adjustable suspension on road cars. The original suspension was an excellent design. The geometry works really well in real life situations. I would suggest going through the components and replacing anything than is not up to scratch.... bushings, subframe mounts, cones, dampers, etc. Use good quality standard parts and the ride and handling will be transformed to the point you won't recognise the car! The ride height will be high, but this is fine. It allows the suspension to do what it's designed for without bouncing off the bump stops all the time which is what happens with lowered cars on the road. I'd go so far as to say, a factory ride height car will out handle a lowered car on the bumpy roads we have today. If you plan on using it on the track, it's a different story though.

Agree 100% on all that.
You just can't beat the brilliant rubber cone suspension which made the Mini probably the first-ever production car with true variable-rate springs. The only problem, which is understandable really, is the short suspension travel even at standard ride height. Every lowered Mini I have ever driven has been a nightmare on a bumpy road.
Coil springs or coil-overs may be great for the race-track where it is ultra-smooth, but are no advantage on the public roads of the UK where it is quite bumpy.

I also agree with these comments, However having fitted new genuine rubber dohnuts on my mini and then fiting coilovers six weeks later, I personaly prefer the smoother ride. The standard rubber suspension will undoubtedly provide sharper handling but I dont think you loose too much with coilovers. And the adjustability is fab.

Edit:: As for the mounting points, I welded a large 3mm galv plate over the existing mounting area.

Edited by AndyMiniMad., 21 October 2010 - 08:08 PM.