I have a low speed rattle in the right rear that I cannot track down and has been getting steadily worse over the last few years. New: stabilizer links, stabilizer bushings, upper shock mount bushings. Control arm and trailing arm bushings seem good. Only thing left I can think of is my Koni FSDs have failed. When I had them out to do the shock mount bushings I did not notice them being easy to compress. They’re 11 years old and I’ve put 59K miles on them. But I bought them used on Ebay (from a guy who had taken them off because he had decided to lower his car) so they have more than 59K miles. Unfortunately since I bought them used I cant take advantage of the Koni warranty. They’re rusted as hell – rears worse than fronts. Makes me wonder if they leaked.

Anyone had FSD fail with a rattling symptom? If so at what mileage?

 

My right rear was clunking, especially in cold weather, Koni replaced after they checked it out. I think maybe my left rear is also starting to make some noise.

 

Would think a clunk is the shock or the stabilizer bar bushing where a rattle could be the end link. I had a rattle that was driving me crazy and it was the end link.

 

My Left rear failed due the the OEM foam top bushings going flat.The right seems OK so far , now that I've installed Powerflex yellow top bushings the noises have stopped and handling is good but I don't know that I would buy the FSD's again.

 

I'm torn on this. FSDs are very expensive. But my goal is compliance and comfort and the ride was great when I first got them.

 

My experience may have been unusual, having heard such raves over the FSD's I may have expected too much, but I replaced everything in the suspension from top to bottom and put on a new set of Yokohama S-Drives at the same time. I run OEM 16" wheels, with a 205-50-16 tire, a little more sidewall and the 16 inch wheel tends to make the Mini a bit easier on the spine with the bumpies.

I don't know if it was the combination of the Koni's and that particular set of tires or what, but I loved the first set of S-Drives on the original struts.I had absolute confidence in the feedback from the car.That seemed to be lost with the new struts, mounts , bushings and tires.

Then, when the OEM top bushings failed in a matter of weeks,I replaced them, realigned and had to do it again in a matter of months.The clunks, squeaks and general funky feeling wasn't conquered until I did the Powerflex top bushes for the rear struts, and even then those S-Drives didn't inspire the fling it into any curve sort of confidence I had in the car before.As mentioned, the left rear strut was toast, so I replaced it.

Oddly enough, the FSD's work more as advertised with the stiffer top bushings,although you will hear a bit more road noise. I finally dumped the Yokohamas for a set of BF Goodrich Comp 2 A/S tires and all is once again sunny in Mini world, and now I can drive the car in cold weather with a bit more confidence.

The ride has improved too as you might expect from a tire with a bit more radius at the sidewall.Wet handling is superb, and I really don't know that I have lost anything in the dry, but then I'm not the maniac I was when I first got the car.