Do Koni FSD raise the ride height on stock springs?
Some people say yes... some people say no... It cant be both ways.
Someone knowledgeable has to clear this up. I want to buy FSDs and possibly TSW v3 springs.

Thanks in advance.

 

During final testing with Koni before the release of the FSD we found that they worked best with stock springs and they did NOT change the ride height. In fact we recommend that if you are to run the FSD you only run stock springs.
Some good tech information is here!




You also might want to also check here.

 

Unfortunately I never measured and recorded ride height stock and with various mods. I *think* the combo of FSD's, Ireland fixed plates and TSW v3 springs sits a *little* higher in front than it should (maybe 1/2 inch) - but don't know which of the parts is contributing to this - and it's still a good bit lower than stock.

I added the plates and the FSD's at the same time and still had stock sport springs for a whle - so not sure which one contributed to height - seemed a little higher (1/4"?) then than stock.

So my post is worthless as "defnitive" it ain't.

 

I would say "definitively" no..

When a the car is static the shock/strut needs to be in a mid position -- not fully compressed or extended with the weight of the car on the springs. For the shock/strut to do its job of dampening the travel up and down it must start in a mid position. The valving of the shock/strut determines how fast or slow it will extend or rebound when the when wheel travel is raised or lowered.

With that said the spring determines the height of the car, the only way to change height, is to change the spring or add a spacer which would effectively change the spring height.

The only way a shock/strut could raise the height of the car is if the shock/strut was improperly fitted to the car and the compressed travel height was taller that the spring with the weight of the car on the spring. Simply the wrong shock/strut on the car.

Only caveat: I am just a MINIac not a Mechanical Engineer, but I would guess I am pretty close on this one.

 

Well i installed FSD's on stock springs and IE adjustable camber plates with a complete set of Powerflex suspension bushings as well as other bits a year ago.I cannot be definative as i did not measure before and after,but it shure looks the same to me,and very happy with the shocks for a daily driven car.I'm like Blimey totally useless.

 

On my car with stock springs, installing FSD's did not change the ride height.

I agree with ron-s mini. Struts do not actually support the weight of the car -- they only dampen the up and down motion of the wheels. Changing struts alone does not affect ride height unless they were improperly installed.

Camber plates change the ride height by the difference in their size from the stock strut plate. All the camber plates that I've heard of (both fixed and adjustable) are taller than stock and will raise the height slightly.

 

Same experience here. Installed FSD's along with IE camber plates and car was up 1/4 inch, from the camber plates. If you only install the shocks, ride height will not change.

 

FWIW, changing struts can ABSOLUTELY impact ride height... because the lower spring perch is physically on the strut... so if that position is a bit different in relation to where the strut body fits inthe knuckle... you get a different ride height. While one would presume that this geometry would be the same on aftermarket struts for MINI fitment, I don't know that I would always assume that...

 

Blimey is certainly correct on this point.

But when comparing the stock strut and the FSD, the lower perch certainly look and measure the same (no difference when using a ordinary ruler). If the lower spring perch is changed very much, the sway bar end link mount would also need to modified.

 

FSD's with stock springs: no change... although the car may sit a bit higher until things "settle" a bit...

IE fixed plates will raise the car a bit... although it looks about the same as the rear gap.

We're running the same set-up on the '03 MCS: FSD's, IE plates, PF bushings. Installed a couple of years ago. Happy with the ride and handling for a daily driver.

 

Excellent info. Thanks to all.

 

Gas pressurized shocks (like Bilsteins) can indeed change the ride height, but FSD's don't.

IE Fixed camber plates will add 4-5mm to the front height.
Ho Hum.