Suspension dos and donts (mini r56)
Discussion
Coming from the knowledge of doing this on an R53 these are my thoughts.
15mm is WAY too much! Even 5mm is noticeable, and is enough to clear the coilover (see below) perches. Personally, I would never even do 10mm.
When lowering the car, I took it to be a good idea to match the pre-lowered drop link angle, so bought a set of adjustable drop links & did just that, whether it made a difference, I don't know but it seemed sensible to me, as I changed every single other suspension bush/joint etc anyway.
How are you going to achieve the lowering?
I ask because I believe lowering springs are not the way forward as there is so little suspension travel anyway & mushrooming is definitely a thing on the strut towers even without stiffer springs.
Coilovers with (on the car) adjustable damping was the way forward (certainly on the R53) and is the way I and many others went.
Overall, the handling was utterly transformed for it, the ride quality was improved also.
15mm is WAY too much! Even 5mm is noticeable, and is enough to clear the coilover (see below) perches. Personally, I would never even do 10mm.
When lowering the car, I took it to be a good idea to match the pre-lowered drop link angle, so bought a set of adjustable drop links & did just that, whether it made a difference, I don't know but it seemed sensible to me, as I changed every single other suspension bush/joint etc anyway.
How are you going to achieve the lowering?
I ask because I believe lowering springs are not the way forward as there is so little suspension travel anyway & mushrooming is definitely a thing on the strut towers even without stiffer springs.
Coilovers with (on the car) adjustable damping was the way forward (certainly on the R53) and is the way I and many others went.
Overall, the handling was utterly transformed for it, the ride quality was improved also.
Planning to go with adjustable coilovers. Not spending loads, ie. no ohlins this time. These are road cars with original 2011/12 shocks although the rest looks in good order and some of it has been replaced along the way.
So basically, topmounts, coilovers and adjustable droplinks shortened by the appropriate amount (same as the amount lowered I assume).
Just been out spraying every nut and bolt with penetrating oil and easing them all off. I'll do that for a week or two and then maybe get round to replacing stuff on one car.
So basically, topmounts, coilovers and adjustable droplinks shortened by the appropriate amount (same as the amount lowered I assume).
Just been out spraying every nut and bolt with penetrating oil and easing them all off. I'll do that for a week or two and then maybe get round to replacing stuff on one car.
21TonyK said:
Just been out spraying every nut and bolt with penetrating oil and easing them all off. I'll do that for a week or two and then maybe get round to replacing stuff on one car.
One of the common seized ones is the strut pinch-bolts.Once again this is from R53 perspective, so 56 may be different.
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