Rear shock absorber issues
Turbo Mini Forums

Alright guys, wondered if anyone could shed some light on this for me.

I recently decided to lower the back of the mini as it was sitting way too high. I could have gone about it in a few different ways but I chose to machine down my cones down a bit, I ended up taking 12mm off for quite a significant drop. I did go quite low so now maybe very brutal speed bumps will be an issue, but that's not my problem. my problem is that now the cone is effectively too short, so on 'de-compression' it actually leaves the rubber donut or the knuckle joint (i cant be sure which). It wouldn't do this if the wheel wasnt able to droop down as much, so the shock is too long basically. Instant reaction is to shorten the shock but I have KYB gas-a-justs and I cant see how I'd open them up, let alone shorten them. I'm sure that once I got them open I could lower them though.

so basically, has anyone ever seen/heard of anything like this? if not, short of buying some new shorter shock absorbers, what are my options? please dont just say buy some hi los or coilovers

the ratio on the rear is 1 to 5 so if you remove 1mm of the trumpet you drop the car by 5mm on the front is 1 to 3 but....... i may have them the otherway around ??? some body confirm this ?

you have gone over the top ..... way over
i suggest you reinstate the ride heigh to original specifications in my opinion

especially with all those so called speed bumps the insane council highways planning department have implemented all over the dam bloody country.

anyway no amount of shockers and adjustment will componsate for correct ride heigh

That's what I was going by, the 5 to 1 ratio.

The drop is about right, it sits at a nice height now. unfortunately you're probably right, i guess the cones can't be shortened by this much...
surely if i got hi-los and set them to the same height im at now i'd have the same issue?

Most damper suppliers list two types, the normal and the shortened. Buy the shorter ones and bobs your knob, ploblem solved.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

that would seem to be the case....so, anyone in the midlands got some shortened dampers I can get my hands on before the weekend?

edit: I'll have a crack at shortening these dampers first though

Edited by NB on 28th Nov, 2012.

Short dampers and Hi-LOs is your only sane option. Then adjust the Hi-LOs so there is a little preload at full travel.

I would have thought if you shorten the piston on its own, all that will happen is your shockers will bottom out, not good for you or the car.. Alan

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I'd be very very careful cutting up dampers. Some of them are pressurised

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Dampers are free, why bother cutting and welding. Welding a gas/oil filled damper could possibly qualify for a Darwin award.

http://minispares.com/product/Classic/Susp...classic/lowered damper.aspx|Back to search

I had a look and chose not to attempt the above, there's no obvious way to go about dismantling them and anyone who's had a pair would know what i mean. If i were to shorten them there certainly wouldnt be any cutting and welding! by putting a spacer the appropriate side of the piston rod you could restrict the droop. well, this is the theory i've applied to many mountain bike forks anyway!

hi los and new dampers on their way

If you shorten the damper piston in order to drop the car, then you shorten the travel of the shocker, is all was saying, where all learning here no need to get clever.. Alan

Edited by nala56 on 6th Dec, 2012.

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