Spax Coilovers fitted, now have driveshaft vibration!?

[Gaz-Muir]

Hi folks, ive got a 2004 Cooper S that ive just fitted Spax coilovers to. Theyre 6 months old and are part number RSX580. The guy claimed they were specially made to drop 90mm although i doubt his claim. They are at theyre lowest setting.

Since fitting them (last night) there is a vibration from a (or maybe both) driveshafts when accelerating hard.

Im guessing its simply too low and the shafts are at too much of an angle, i just wondered if anyone else has had this problem or has this kit fitted???

Thanks in advance! Gaz. :thumbs up:

[john]

Hi folks, ive got a 2004 Cooper S that ive just fitted Spax coilovers to. Theyre 6 months old and are part number RSX580. The guy claimed they were specially made to drop 90mm although i doubt his claim. They are at theyre lowest setting.

Since fitting them (last night) there is a vibration from a (or maybe both) driveshafts when accelerating hard.

Im guessing its simply too low and the shafts are at too much of an angle, i just wondered if anyone else has had this problem or has this kit fitted???

Thanks in advance! Gaz. :thumbs up:

Without looking, sounds too low, this will also cause a problem with bottoming out(just ask Gismo) he had the same problem.

[Gismo]

I fitted these to my previous S, i had quite a bit of trouble with them getting them set up correctly.
The car was very unstable and "crabbed" around corners, too stiff a setting, in the end i got them set up by a guy who raced MINI's, that season anyway.

I didn't go too low but did have some vibration, what wheel size you running, if 18's i would raise the ride height, which was what my problem was.

If you run too low expect excessive wheel bearing wear (quicker)

[Big Gordy]

specially made to drop 90mm although i doubt his claim. They are at theyre lowest setting.

Jings that's low:eek: (if it has dropped 90mm) I'd be more worried that I was going to grind away the floor of the car dropping it that much:Whistle:
Anyway...does sound like the driveshafts don't like being at there new angle of attack:frown:

[Gaz-Muir]

Its the 17" S spoke wheels..

I measured the trim height before and after. The coilovers are as low as they'll go.

Before:

Front:365mm
Back:350mm

After:

Front:305mm
Back:310mm

So surely thats simply lowered 60mm front and 40mm back?

It certainly is low though, ill have a gander at the angle of the driveshafts! Shame, because i like the height and it seemed to handle well. Dampning needs playing with as it was rather bouncy!

[Crombers]

I would'nt muck about with it buddy, MINI spent ££millions on development & the cars handle awesomely as standard :yes nod:

[Gaz-Muir]

They look conciderably cooler low, shame the bumper catches just about everything! :eek:

[GCA3N]

Get some pics up of that drop, that is very low, very very low, i was considering a 25mm drop, but as said before somethings you have to be especially careful with, 60mm is seriously low:eek:

[Gaz-Muir]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g122/Gaz-M/Photo0237.jpg

Ill get a side on one in a minute.

It looks a great height i think. Not rediculously low really.

[Gaz-Muir]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g122/Gaz-M/Photo0235.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g122/Gaz-M/Photo0236.jpg

Simply too low? Or do others have them this height and no vibration? :thumbs up:

[GCA3N]

Wanted to see this as I thought it may look daft. However it does look good, think however you are going to have to go back up a bit. Trial and error raise it up a bit, go out and test it, see if the fault dissapears.

[Ivano]

Just one of those unfortunate things... Mine was dropped as low as that on KW Variant 1 Coilovers and i suffered the oh so common vibration problem... Its linked to your CV Joints, because they are sitting at a new angle outwith there normal operational.. you may be lucky and they will eventually work in a new groove and your vibrations may be gone. I have heard that vibrations have disappeared over time on a few cars as a result of this...

I ran mine for 6 months but never really got rid of the vibrations until i raised it back up to an acceptable height... The only thing i can suggest is to try raise it slightly ie 3/4/5mm at a time and road test and see and if your still getting vibrations.. If so raise a bit more and road test.. You will eventually find a happy medium and vibrations will be gone (normally around 30mm).. I had to raise mine to approx a 40mm drop to overcome it and car still sat very low...

I eventually got rid of mine as the high offset of the JCW R105 48et wheels wore right through my front spring perches and on the inside of the wheel and wrecked my inner rims... still got a bit of catching after fitting 5mm Eibach Spacers.... So off they went to be replaced by my current JCW Suspension set up which i love albeit that the car is only lowered by 10mm now...

The other thing to note when running your car that low is the massive negative camber on the back.. My rear tyres lasted a mere 5 months and were worn right through on the inner edge... I would advise on adjustable rear control arms to prevent this... Alta or Eibach variants are very good...

I loved my car slammed and yours looks good too its just a shame that some MINIs and it is just limited to some suffer from these Vibrations..

Good Luck and hopefully this has helped a little :thumbs up:

[Gismo]

I doubt your handling will be as good as the factory setting, 60mm is, in my opinion too far to drop, but, if it's looks your after, then that's your choice.

[zimbo]

Well in the long run if you keep running your car at that height and with the vibrations due to the ride height then your just going to end up destroying both your driveshafts and all your CV joints!!! So i would recommend raising it up till you no longer have the vibrations.

[Gaz-Muir]

Im going to lift it 10mm and see how it is. Ive had a look at the driveshaft angles and they dont look that bad. Ive certainly had cars with much worse with no problems at all..

So it is a known of problem, that when theyre low they may get a vibration??

:beer:

[Gaz-Muir]

I eventually got rid of mine as the high offset of the JCW R105 48et wheels wore right through my front spring perches and on the inside of the wheel and wrecked my inner rims... still got a bit of catching after fitting 5mm Eibach Spacers.... So off they went to be replaced by my current JCW Suspension set up which i love albeit that the car is only lowered by 10mm now...

The other thing to note when running your car that low is the massive negative camber on the back.. My rear tyres lasted a mere 5 months and were worn right through on the inner edge... I would advise on adjustable rear control arms to prevent this... Alta or Eibach variants are very good...



Thanks mate, i have 5mm spacers fitted too as the wheels were just catching the coilover and no more.

Ill also be getting the rear camber sorted out!

[Ivano]

Im going to lift it 10mm and see how it is. Ive had a look at the driveshaft angles and they dont look that bad. Ive certainly had cars with much worse with no problems at all..

So it is a known of problem, that when theyre low they may get a vibration??

:beer:

And saying that most of the guys in the States run their cars crazy low and have no vibrations... :confused::confused:

[Johnleiper]

i ran my spax suuuuper duuuper low as low and had no vibrations. just luck id say.. the strut tops did start to "bow" tho so extra bracing is often a good idea

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj136/johnleiper/SP_A1895.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj136/johnleiper/SP_A1907-1.jpg

[Gaz-Muir]

Its almost ne now, and i havent done anything! :confused:

[countdown]

Doesnt look excessively low to me, about a 50mm drop. Still not sure what the issue is, doubt it is to do with the angle of the driveshafts though. maybe damaged a driveshaft when fitting them? are your sure the vibration is coming from the driveshaft?

[Gaz-Muir]

I measured the trim height before and after. The coilovers are as low as they'll go.

Before:

Front:365mm
Back:350mm

After:

Front:305mm
Back:310mm

So surely thats simply lowered 60mm front and 40mm back?



Its 60mm front, 40mm back. I will be lifting the front a bit when i get my finger out.

The vibration is under hard acceleration, i have a 'S' with 17% reduction pulley etc so the driveshafts will be under twice if not more the load than just a Cooper.

Im a mechanic, fitted them myself and certainly didnt damage the driveshafts, the hubs split from the struts so no need to be near them.

And, its definately driveshaft vibration.