JOHN COOPER WORKS SUSPENSION UPGRADE FOR R56 S. Info Required.

[ELFMAN]

Has anybody fitted the JCW Suspension upgrade to their R56?

If so, what do you think? :confused:
Is there a noticeable improvement over the 'Sports Suspension'? :yes nod: or :frown:

I know there are lots of other suspension options available, but I'm specifically trying to find out about the JCW stuff at the moment. Any info or ideas greatly appreciated. :thumbs up:

[stoney]

would try a post on TM or NM more like to have some one on there that has done this

[ELFMAN]

Aye, there's no much happenin' here...

[GCA3N]

Can I ask why you feel the need to upgrade from the sports suspension pack? I am unsure what mine has but what ever it is, it works well. What would the jcw pack give you that you don't already have.

[stoney]

Well in norm drops the car about 10-15mm and gives you a better ride and handerling

[GCA3N]

Well in norm drops the car about 10-15mm and gives you a better ride and handerling

Even from the sports suspension rob or from the standard kit. I mean it's not like the standard kit rolls about although I'll give you this the wheel arch gap is too big.

[stoney]

Will prob drop
Both the sports will drop
The 10mm
And the
Non will
Prob drop 15mm ish

I know that was the case for the R53

[ELFMAN]

Can I ask why you feel the need to upgrade from the sports suspension pack? I am unsure what mine has but what ever it is, it works well. What would the jcw pack give you that you don't already have.

Well my friend, that's precisely what I'm trying to find out! If I knew, I wouldn't be asking would I? It's nothing to do with 'Rolling About' - my car wouldn't know a roll if you drove it into a Bakery. It's all about 'finesse' and how the car behaves on a given road. The Sport Suspension is stiff, but lacks a degree of control on various surfaces when you're pressing on - and the 4x4 ride height, while handy for speed bumps, doesn't help the handling either.

I know Ian King DOESN'T have Sports suspension on his JCW R56, as he feels it is too stiff - he's quite happy with the standard S Suspension. Maybe yours is running non-Sports? Check it out and see. Stiffer isn't always better, despite the rumours...

IMHO the Sports Suspension with 17's on the R56 isn't as good as my R53 JCW 210 with the JCW Suspension (albeit on 16's). The current setup is great on smooth roads (but it does have a bit of 'fore & aft' movement under hard acceleration), and I know that it can be improved on. There are loads of alternative suspension setups out there - Koni FSD shocks, Eibach 20mm Lowering Springs and Eibach Anti-Roll Bars being one, which is meant to be very good for road use. The JCW kit is pretty comprehensive and changes the Shocks, Springs, Anti-Roll Bars and bushes etc and drops the car by about 10mm - I'm trying to find out what difference these changes make, and I also have my Warranty in mind, as the car's only a year old.

Is the JCW kit set up for British roads (ie very variable in quality) like the previous R53 kit was? Why have MINI produced a JCW kit for the R56 if it doesn't improve on the Sports Suspension? These questions as yet remain unanswered.