Hi everyone - @WayMotorWorks is having a sale on Koni FSD shocks, and I'm thinking of taking advantage of the quarantine time and doing a suspension refresh.

I've never done one on a MINI. I think I'll drop the subframe and:

• Powerflex LCA bushings
• Front sway bar bushings
• Front shock mounts (current ones are torn)
• Koni FSD's
• MINI clamp b/t downpipe and exhaust (current one attacked by drunk badgers who had JB Weld and ice picks)

The bits around the suspension doesn't look to bad, but I wonder if I'll regret not ordering one of the kids that has bump stops, spring perches, etc.

I've read a couple threads here but I wonder if anyone else has any advice/war stories of a recent job.

'12 R56 S w/110K.

Thank you!

 

That list should take care of everything you need.

You can reuse the bump stops and the rubbers for the spring perches as that is how I do it at the shop.

 

Thank you!

 

You should also check the rear shock bushings.

 

Best way to check them?

Is this the bushing you're talking about?

Thanks!

 

That's them.

You can drop the rear shock pretty easily to take a look at them. It's two 13mm at the top and a 18mm at the bottom. The powerflex are worth putting in for peace of mind, the standard foam bushing will start to fall apart soon at your mileage.

 

Thank you. for 50$ I think it makes sense to replace them too.

 

No problem.

 

Rear shock bushings aren't a bad idea. But you can look at them from under the car. If they are bad you will see them cracked and usually flaking apart. We use the powerflex to replace them.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/powerf...-bushings.html

 

FYI - 2009 MCS 155k miles

Recently (8K miles ago) replaced tired OEM suspension with:

Bilstein B6/HD's, kept stock "S" springs
Replaced front strut mounts with OEM
Replace rear shock mounts

While car remains at stock ride hight, the ride and handling is much improved. Also, it eliminated the "hop" going over expansions joints when in a curve (like on a hiway ramp). Highly reccomend Bilsten B6's

 

Great, thank you for that.

 

Thank you - two questions: did you get the Bilstiens over the Konis after comparing them? I've always run Bilstiens successfully in my VWs (and even put them in my Titan), but after talking to a few shops and reading anecdotal stories online, I see the Koni FSD's recommended very highly. Second question - had you already replaced your LCA rear bushings and sway bar bushings? They seem pretty common to fail around 100K, and from what I can tell mine are shot. Thanks!

 

I refreshed the ENTIRE suspension on my 2008...struts, bushings front and rear etc. I used FEBEST bushings, Koni FSD struts. Im pretty sure I posted info on this forum.

 

Are you happy with the struts?

 

Yes I am but I honestly the old suspension was SO worn out I could feel and hear metal on metal noises. It was real bad...everything was original with 130k miles (I bought car from a friend who didnt wanna spend any more $ on the car) so I couldnt say what made the most difference. I mean I changed everything...all ball joints, bushings and struts (not springs), front and back at the same time. I wish I had put on softer springs but I wasnt sure what OEM springs would fit (regular cooper springs for example) and aftermarket for softer springs is almost non-existent. My Cooper S came with the sport suspension option, or so my friend claims, and the spring rate is too high.

The run-flat tires are the "final frontier". Once these tires are worn Im not buying runflats.

All that being said, most people love Koni FSD. They have a great reputation. But hard springs are my issue. Why BMW chose such a hard suspension is a mystery to me.

 

Dont forget to change your inner and outer tie rods while your doing suspension. I did that too. Plus the ball joints of course.

 

I, personally, have has issues with Koni products on other cars, so I'm somewhat of a anti-Koni guy. While, I've only had positive experiences with Bilsteins on other cars.

Also, I did not change out any bushings.

 

The bushings area whole lot more work, but my car had high miles so I went ahead and did it. You dont need a press....just a vice, a socket of the correct size and a small 2.5 lbs sledge hammer.

 

My experience is very similar. Add to that, the Mini R56 application of Koni yellow shocks requires modification to mounting hardware, and nope. I would sooner install Bilstein B8s. The Bilstein sports include inverted front struts, too.

 

I didnt need to modify anything when installing KONI FSD.

 

That's fine, as the FSD are a "Stock" replacement shock. I'm not convinced the FSD will last much longer than OEM shocks, either.

 

I lean towards this too, but I've had several MINI mechanics say it's not necessary. Did you test/measure the tie rods and ball joints or just replace them because of age?

 

I've been more of a Bilstein guy, that's what a grew up with. All my VWs, BMW and even my truck had them.

 

The ball joint is a safety issue. Ive seen multiple cars with broken ball joints (front wheel collapses inwards into wheel well). Mostly Hondas. One slid down my street and came to a halt in front of my house, bottom of the car dragging on the asphalt. If that happens at highway speed, I think you know the consequences. Luckily the driver was going 20 MPH. Ball joint and control arm (with integral bushings) is good to change because you're gonna have the hub off already to change the struts.

The tie rods (mostly the outer, inner rarely fails because it is inboard and doesnt articulate much) will just come loose in the socket and jiggle around and you'll have severe premature tire wear and the car won't be alignable. Ball joint can and usually will do the same thing BTW. But the tie rods can be done without taking off the hubs so its not a huge time saver.

The parts are not that expensive and since your taking it all apart I think its worth it, but you can wait till they fail too. But like I said...you can eat a set of front tires real real fast with bad ball joints or tie rods. Tires $$$.

If your paying someone then you need to talk to them about what kinda discount they are gonna give you. If they are just gonna add costs as if each part was being changed separately then you save no money.

If you're doing it yourself, like me, and your car has high mileage and you plan to keep it,...just get it over with. If your frugal or money is tight, then just wait and check for play in the joints from time to time and keep an eye on your tires.

 

Beats me, but are you gonna pay for OEM struts? They are absurdly expensive. I don't know who the original manufacturer is but if you can get those aftermarket, then cool do it. The Cooper S with sport suspension has the worst ride Ive ever experienced from a stock car and at 13X,XXX miles when I got mine, it was metal on metal sounds. The Koni FSDs helped a lot....but with those horrid run-flats it will always be like rolling on Fred Flintstone wheels.