mk1-forum.net

Now that I have my engine in, I was hoping that the ride height would come down a bit more. I have new rubber cones installed along with Hi-Lo trumpets. Right now I have the Hi-Lo trumpets cranked down so the two nuts are in contact (as low as it will go)-
However this is the resulting ride height-

How do you get the car lower?

They do settle after a period of time, especially when using the car. I wouldn't worry about it until you've been running it for a few months then you'll probably need to readjust the heights after the springs have settled.

20160716_153000 by Robin Derrick, on Flickr

Thanks for the response. Looks like there is a huge difference in spring heights over time judging by your picture. I know I have a bunch of old rock-hard springs that I could put back but I would think the ride would suffer from it.

I guess I will take a crack at aligning it with the ride height raised up then...

Do you think it makes sense to machine the locknut thinner to get a little more adjustment range out of it?

My picture is exaggerated a bit as the new spring is uncompressed but there will still be a significant difference old to new. The old spring has no compliance at all, it's completely set in almost full compression. I would still tend to put some miles on it before making final adjustments. Maybe the compound is harder than original, I doubt any new cars back in the day would be sitting up. The last one I did was like a monster truck for a couple of months but settled down fine.

They’ll need some mileage on them before they start to settle but once they do you’ll have a nice supple ride. Don’t be tempted to put old cones in just to lower it. Chances are the rubber will be hard and make the ride undesirable.

You’ll be best served to set the tracking correctly with the ride height you have now and keep an eye on it as the car settles.

Garry, do you know who's cone you have fitted in there?

There's a few around and they have very different characteristics.

Spider, these are the springs.

I had the same Problem last year. I had to take away 20mm of the Trumpets and 25mm of the
Tread.

But i had fitted the Red Dot Cones from Minispares with minispares Hilo's...

Your picture shows exactly how Minis came off the production line, check the old Pathe films, they all sat up pretty good when new.........

Cheers Garry.

As bwaminispeed said, these made on behalf of M-parts, on factory tools to the late factory spec. of rubber.

They will settle in a few weeks but it really needs to be driven to get them to settle proper.

I wouldn't suggest machining anything here.

If you are wanting them to settle faster, you can wind up your Hilos a fair way (top out the suspension and then add some more) to put some extra pressure on the Cones, then wind them down in a few weeks.

Having just removed the engine from an 82 car on original cones, I was surprised how little change there was in the front end height with the engine out. Virtually the same. They must be well compressed. Obviously not a reversible process. Question is do I change them?

'S'-type wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:35 am Having just removed the engine from an 82 car on original cones, I was surprised how little change there was in the front end height with the engine out. Virtually the same. They must be well compressed. Obviously not a reversible process. Question is do I change them?

100%. There's no pleasure driving on rock hard springs unless you're a masochist !. My photo shows how much compression set the springs suffer over time.