R53 front bumper 'apron' scraping the road on compressions
Discussion
Recessed under the front bumper of the R53 Mini there is a grey plastic 'apron' (sorry, I don't know the correct term). It often scrapes the road when I drive over deeper compressions. Is this scraping normal in the experience of other R53 owners, or does it indicate that my front shock absorbers are aged?
It is an 03 car with 65,000 miles on it and has the original factory shock absorbers. I don't recall it scraping on compressions when I bought it in 2005 but the roads around me were probably in better condition then.
It is an 03 car with 65,000 miles on it and has the original factory shock absorbers. I don't recall it scraping on compressions when I bought it in 2005 but the roads around me were probably in better condition then.
Dickie-D said:
Thanks for the response and31, that is useful feedback.
Mine scrapes plenty of speed bumps, even at low speed, so it makes me think there may be a problem.
Now you have the perfect excuse to fit some coilovers-best thing I’ve done to mine-and believe it or not the ride is slightly better aswell Mine scrapes plenty of speed bumps, even at low speed, so it makes me think there may be a problem.
On the standard SS+ they ride quite high. My R53 didn't scrape - maybe over really brutal speed bumps very occasionally. Since fitting AP coilovers it now scrapes fairly often over speed bumps and big undulations, pot hole thingies, I mean very big, when driving. Given it is all rubber it just gradually re-profiles the lower lip. Which you can't see. My APs are not really dropped, in fact the fronts are pretty much at full height setting.
At 65k miles your shocks shouldn't be too bad. Reckon about 100k miles most OE shocks are v tired or shot.
IMO the ride and performance of the OE SS+ is abysmal. I hope the accountant who designed it has been fired. Clearly no engineers were involved or indeed harmed in this process. Feels to me as if the springs and dampers are simply not properly matched.
The ride on APs is in another league. They iron out all the little ripples, undulations and surface irregularities that with the SS+ used to shake my teeth out. Which is why I went with them.
Are your arch gaps even across the axles?
At 65k miles your shocks shouldn't be too bad. Reckon about 100k miles most OE shocks are v tired or shot.
IMO the ride and performance of the OE SS+ is abysmal. I hope the accountant who designed it has been fired. Clearly no engineers were involved or indeed harmed in this process. Feels to me as if the springs and dampers are simply not properly matched.
The ride on APs is in another league. They iron out all the little ripples, undulations and surface irregularities that with the SS+ used to shake my teeth out. Which is why I went with them.
Are your arch gaps even across the axles?
Thanks all. I appreciate you taking the time to help.
Mine is not on Sport+ suspension thankfully. A few years ago I downsized from the original 17" wheels and runflats to 16" and normal tyres because the tramlining and general ride quality was really starting to annoy me. 4 kg less weight per wheel and no runflats is a wonderful thing.
God knows what they were on when they thought runflat tyres and even harder suspension was a good idea. German roads perhaps.
@E-bmw, there was no mushrooming that I could see when I checked a couple of months ago. I'll check the springs, or get someone more competent than me to do it.
@R53rider, I think the arch gaps are even but will check. Thanks for the tip.
Coilovers have been on my mind for a long time and I've never had them on any car. I fancy Öhlins Road & Track but they are costly and it's always been a road car, so far.
Mine is not on Sport+ suspension thankfully. A few years ago I downsized from the original 17" wheels and runflats to 16" and normal tyres because the tramlining and general ride quality was really starting to annoy me. 4 kg less weight per wheel and no runflats is a wonderful thing.
God knows what they were on when they thought runflat tyres and even harder suspension was a good idea. German roads perhaps.
@E-bmw, there was no mushrooming that I could see when I checked a couple of months ago. I'll check the springs, or get someone more competent than me to do it.
@R53rider, I think the arch gaps are even but will check. Thanks for the tip.
Coilovers have been on my mind for a long time and I've never had them on any car. I fancy Öhlins Road & Track but they are costly and it's always been a road car, so far.
GaryF said:
I have the Ohlins on my Gen2 - they are fantastic. If it's a keeper you cold treat yourself 
I have read such amazingly good feedback on Öhlins, I desperately want them on my R53 .... but I don't need them. And they are serious money, for sure. I've been running APs for about 18 months and for the money have found them excellent. Just bought a set of ST by KW XAs, so the added excitement of rebound adjustment. Not fitted yet. Same as KW V2 but without the INOX finish on the bodies.
I believe the Öhlins Road & Track DFV (Dual Flow Valve) damping technology is similar to, or the same as, KONI's FSD technology. 'Intelligent' damping that adjusts the valving internally depending on the frequency of the compression encountered?? Wonder how effective that is with the Öhlins.
The only other coilovers with similar damping technology that I've come across is the MeisterR GT1. Also serious money but supposed to be amazing.
I've been for rides in or driven R53s and R56s fitted with most of the makes of coilover popular amongst the MINI community. But never one with Öhlins fitted.
I'm fussy about low speed ride quality on the type of road surface that has apparently been considered 'acceptable' in north London for the last 15 years or so. I guess 15 years of crap quality road surfaces have prematurely aged my car's suspension, although I'm very thankful to live in a borough where the councillors had the good sense to remove speed bumps.
@GaryF - thanks for the feedback. If you're still watching, how is the low speed road ride on your Öhlins?
@R53rider - Koni's FSD, or Special Active as they are now calling it, certainly sounds similar to the Öhlins technology, although there are no adjustments possible on the Special Active and they seem to market them for road-only use. Thanks for the reminder about the MeisterR GT1.
@GaryF - thanks for the feedback. If you're still watching, how is the low speed road ride on your Öhlins?
@R53rider - Koni's FSD, or Special Active as they are now calling it, certainly sounds similar to the Öhlins technology, although there are no adjustments possible on the Special Active and they seem to market them for road-only use. Thanks for the reminder about the MeisterR GT1.
For the sake of thread semi-completion:
I discovered that five of the screws that secure the lower part of the front bumper to the upper part had not been secured to the clips that are supposed to hold the lower part in place. 1:46 and 7:53 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKbp05_PKSY
I don't know which dumb-ass failed to re-attach them, but it illustrates that even when you think you are using a reliable garage, they might have an unreliable/lazy employee working there.
However, the car still scrapes even after securing them properly.
I discovered that five of the screws that secure the lower part of the front bumper to the upper part had not been secured to the clips that are supposed to hold the lower part in place. 1:46 and 7:53 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKbp05_PKSY
I don't know which dumb-ass failed to re-attach them, but it illustrates that even when you think you are using a reliable garage, they might have an unreliable/lazy employee working there.
However, the car still scrapes even after securing them properly.
Dickie-D said:
@GaryF - thanks for the feedback. If you're still watching, how is the low speed road ride on your Öhlins?
Sorry, just saw this. I have my Ohlins wound back 10 clicks from max firmness as recommended in the guise and I think, Moonigan on here. The ride is firm, but not 'crashy'. I could wind them off a little more for further compliance but have not felt any need.On your point about reliable gagages - I used a renowned Mini specialist last year and they did not put back a number of front bumper fixings and clips which I know were there / affixed before it went in...
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