Rally Dampers

[NZ Mini]

Hi there
This is my first post on here
I live in New Zealand and I'm building a historic rally car from a 1968 mini.
I am running. HiLos. Mini sport adjustable bottom arms and tie rods. Shim adjustable rear tracking and will elongate the holes on the radius arms to obtain correct rear camber.
I intend to do all sorts of club Motorsport from auto tests to hill climbs and a small amount of gravel if I can source tyres at a reasonable cost. I am on a limited budget but I like to do things properly. Most of my budget is initially gong into brakes and suspension. The engine will be the last thing I worry about.
My questions are
I am intending to get Protec steel dampers. Has anyone any experience with these and are they any good?
For a multi purpose Motorsport machine with adjustable ride height. Am I better to go for the dampers suitable for lowered cars or will I be able to drop the ride height sufficiently with the standard height ones to achieve good Tarmac handling whilst still have the ability to use it on sometimes rough gravel. I want the car to look like a rally car not a slammed down boy racer hot rod.
Whilst I'm at it is anyone interested in starting a section in this forum particularly aimed at rallying to share set up and product stories. I seem to find it difficult to weed out the crap on some forums and this one seems to have the least BS and some genuinely experienced followers on it.
There's is very little minis used for rallying in N Z and I want to make as few mistakes as possible when it comes to the parts and settings I buy.
Many thanks. Nick

[pad4]

Hi Nick

I cant comment on the Protec dampers but this ride height thing gets a bit out of hand - in my case standard length shocks do for forest, broken surface and tarmac - I see a lot of folk run their rally car on its arse with no suspension travel so your riding around on the bump stops all the time - ok its fine on ultra smooth tarmac like a circuit but not on lanes / roads / broken surface etc where you need the suspension to do its job and move up and down. I would leave lowered shocks to the race brigade.

Hope my 5 pennies worth helps, im sure others will disagree

Pad

[Evoderby]

Hi Nick,

There are few things to consider:

-lowering or increasing ride height changes front wheel alignment, requiring the tracking to be re-set in all instances.
-rear wheel alignment is indifferent to ride height.
-front axle is not that sensitive to running standard vs. lowered shocks unless running extremely low with shortened bump stops.
-rear axle is very sensitive to running standard vs. lowered shocks, since when running moderately low (3 fingers between tire and rear quarter panel) already has the suspension cone come loose on full droop when using a standard length damper. A shortened damper prevents this...but at the same time limits the amount the car can be raised.

Whilst lowering the car on smooth tarmac might give you a slight edge, I'd opt for standard length dampers and just accept the fact that about 4 fingers between tire and rear fender is the maximum it can be lowered....which, when correctly set up can still give very good handling.....whilst leaving ample room to raise the car when so required.

With regards to Protech, I run their alloy bodied shocks and really love them on tarmac. The steel bodied variant should add some strength for the rough stuff. Alternatively Avo do a Grp A. damper which is extra sturdy to handle rally abuse.

[GeorgeA]

Hi Nick,

I've not used Protect so i cant comment on them but if you are looking for a Shocker that can do all that you want to do.

For a multi purpose Motorsport machine with adjustable ride height.

I would recommend the Bilstein B6 Sport Shocker both Minispares and Minisport sell them.

You can just put them on and forget about them. I've ran them for a few years on Gravel, auto tests, PCT's and the Odd hill climbs but mainly road rallys and i cant complain. I did a Night Rally on the Thursday a Sprint on the Saturday and a PCT on the Sunday all in the same week with the same shocks on. Adjusting the ride height etc for each event.

I was talking to Rich at minispares about them the other week and if i remember rightly he uses them on his race car.

[NZ Mini]

Thats good advice thanks. I have a fair bit of experience working on Ford rally cars and Bilstiens were allways the suspension of choice.