20 replies to this topic

[MIGLIACARS]

Just my 2 pennys worth.

even on a race mini its hard to improve on the rubber spring, to prove this the miglia minis are still the cars to beat they get there speed/lap times through the bends Ive not seen any fast minis using these nasty spring conversions!!!

[ukcooper]

@cooperman Perhaps it's me, but I can't understand why anyone would buy a classic Mini, then try to make the suspension feel soft. - old age bad back more motorway work as run's are far and far away these days mostly all south coast so 400 mile round trip so no country lanes as much no more. mines fine they way ive set it up protech lowered shocks new everything front and rear tighten up the springs so they cant pop out suits me as young bloke with old age problems each to there own plus  the roads get crapper every day.

[Cooperman]

To get a softer ride just use adjustable dampers, set them quite soft and make sure the ride height is high enough for the suspension to work properly. The ride harshness is mostly controlled by the dampers anyway ad if the dampers were removed the ride would be very soft indeed. I have driven a Mini with the front dampers removed and it was super-soft!

The point is that the coil springs can give no improvement at all, despite what the vendors claim. No doubt those who have bought them as a result of sales literature, then fitted them to replace old and worn out rubber springs will perceive an improvement, but it is less of an improvement than they would get with new OE rubber cone springs and dampers set to personal preference.

The Moulton 'SmoothaRide' rubber springs are designed to have a lower initial rate, but the rate increases until it is as high as the OE rubber springs when maximum deflection is approached. This suits those who want a soft ride, but the dampers need to be set to a soft setting as well. They work well on the road.

The 'competition' rubber cones have a higher initial rate for better steering response on smooth roads as the initial body-roll is less. This is what the coil springs used in racing are intended to achieve.

It's a case of those trying to sell so-called 'improvements' latching on to what is used for racing as a 'must have' modification when, in fact, they are quite the opposite.

Yes, of course a coil spring can be made to work on a road Mini so long as it is very accurately manufactured to be as near to the original rubber cone in terms of initial and rising spring rates as possible, but how is that any sort of improvement over the original?

[Mini Manannán]

I admire your patience boys, this must be the 6th or 7th thread this year asking exactly the same question.

[Orange-Phantom]

Exactly Tim!

 

To UKCooper, I;ve got Protech shocks on mine too, it's been corner weighted and has been properly setup, but... I'm running springs.  They are not as good as the good olde rubber, which is why I'm puuting them back to Red Dot Rubber suspension.

 

After doing a comparison with my brothers racing Cooper S that wins the hill climbs and road races over here, the difference was quite substantial.  His just felt more planted, a better ride, not rough which the springs are when you hit the bumpy stuff and I had a lot more confidence in the car.  Going on first hand experience I know what is better for me, and that is Red Dot good olde rubber suspension!

 

Springs on a mini......... a backwards step!  And that is from someone who is currently (and not for long) running Japanese Mini Delta springs and Protech Shocks!

[bubbacluby]

Thankyou for everyones comment.

I'm sorry this has been asked several times in recent times, I will try to do a search next time before I post.

I was really wanting to know has anyone smashed their subframe towers using springs?

But thankyou for everyones comment