lowering

[soopercooper]

im thinking about lowering my cooper.it currently has the sports plus suspension set up on it.just wanna know what are the best lowering springs to install to give me improved handling and a less jarry ride.i feel the sports plus set up is too harsh.any suggestions will be awesome

[Gismo]

Springs alone will not give you the best, for that you'll need a set of coil overs as a minimum

[Gorbash12346]

another vote for coilovers.... Kw variant 1's are about the best low maintentance set you can get though if you can get them properly set up variant 3's are the dogs danglies

[james f]

springs are more a comsmetic fix that only improve the handleing abit buy giving the car a lower center of gravity for optimum adjustment and improvment coilovers are the only way due to the fact that the normal daper is replaced with a perfomace optimised set up and more importantly ones that have been desinged for the drop the lowest the standards should be dropped is 35mm any more is to much from what ive been told

[vintageb3]

Load of bricks on the back seat....will give it that spax adjustable look

kewl

mark

[Ivano]

I have just had KW Variant 1 Coilovers fitted and loving them, although Gorbash has now got me panicking over rubbing issues....

Ivano

[Crombers]

In a word , dont!! Anyone I have spoken to on NMS who has lowered their suspension has regretted it & may be along later to explain.

[AN03REW]

I dont regret it, My car looks alot better and handles better to. I just put in 30mm lowerin springs in my standard one. Springs would be far to hard in your car, So I also agree coilovers for you but there alot of £.

[ELFMAN]

I had 'Sports Plus' on my S, and while it was great on smooth roads, I often found it too stiff & edgy on our crappy tarmac. Swapped to JCW suspension as it retains all the handling, but without the jarring/skipping which affected the O.E. suspension. It works a treat, BUT... although it's only 10mm or so lower than standard, I can now catch some 'Road Calming' (%@&*^$€#!!) bumps (can't avoid them as they're where I live!) and some multi-storey car park ramps which I cleared before with the lower flexible front plastic lip/spoiler. This isn't really damaging (yet) and only happens a few times a week depending on where I'm driving, but it's bloody annoying and sounds terrible when it hits. Having said that, I wouldn't change it though, and even a 10mm or so drop gives the car a better stance. In my case, any lower and I'd be wacking the front end all over the place.

I thought about a Coilover setup, but decided to go for JCW 'cos 'EVO' magazine gave it a good write-up and for ease of fitting/warranty etc my local dealer - bit of a cop-out I know, but it wasn't too dear (fitted) and it DOES work. So mod the suspension to suit the roads you're on as well as for the looks!

[ELFMAN]

ps I took ride height/clearance etc into account as well when I chose the JCW setup.