Hello,

I have a 2013 R56 S and i am looking into upgrading the suspension. Last year i put Bilstein B14 coilovers on the car, and i could not rid the front end of a horrible vibration, that felt like it was coming from the passenger side wheel. I replaced the axles, wheel hub/bearing assemblys, rotated tires, and balanced tires, and had it aligned.

I decided to put the stock suspension back on and then sold the bilstein coilovers. The vibration is not present with the stock suspension, but im still nervous that the root problem still exists, which i think is the front control arm bushings. I've since had new tires fitted, and done brakes all the way around the car(not that it matters).

I need some help deciding what suspension set up to go with. I daily drive this car around 25-30 miles total each day, but i like to drive it hard. I want a suspension that won't kill me on the highway's, but that will still offer the performance needed for spirited driving on curvy back roads.

So far, all the research i have done, is telling me to go with KONI FSD suspension, but i can't seem to find on the forums what the best components to pair them with are. What springs? What camber plates? What hardware? What SUPPORTING parts?

As for the vibration i experienced last year, i plan on putting in powerflex bushings all around the car when i do the suspension, to hopefully remedy that issue. I will also be getting new rims for performance and looks as well as to eliminate that as a potential cause of that vibration.


Please offer your suggestions and advice.

 

I went from FSD to yellow, yellow is stiffer but does not bottom out so hard, mini has very little shock travel

replace those bushings asap, I went offset poly for another -1 degree camber while you are there you may want to replace the ball joints they are very cheap

 

 

I use jcw red springs, the camber plates are vorshlag

I prefer.negative camber but it increases tire wear

 

I find the MINI needs negative camber in front otherwise the outside edges of the front tires will wear out. I'm at -2 degrees all around, rotate tires every 5K, and tire wear is very even.

I'm very happy with my Ohlins with Vorshlag camber plates, though the ride is fairly stiff and it wasn't a cheap upgrade. Koni FSDs with stock springs seem to be a popular upgrade from stock that won't break the budget. When you replace the shocks get the car aligned for maximum negative camber, unless you are going to the track or AX you don't need camber plates.

 

Vibration is just a result of driveline angles...CV axles. Some people get it bad, while others dont.

I feel like playing with different alignment specs may help it, but when you lower the car you increase these angles. Its pretty likely you will get it again. The bushings, ect ect likely wont help much in that regard.

 

im going to put new suspension in and i guess i will have to live with the vibrations that are caused. I am going to replace the ball joints, and control arm bushings at the same time though, even if it results in a less comfy ride.

I want to go with Forge Motorsports coilovers or BC Racing Coilovers but i cant find any reviews on the forge coilovers. Any finals thoughts or suggestions before i purchase the forge all in one coilover kit vs getting koni yellows, lowering springs, and adjustable top mounts?

 

when I did the ball joints and bushings I could not tell a difference in ride quality, mcpherson strut suspension is not the most ridged setup, even with poly the front end still has a lot of flex

I have no experience with either of those, but being able to corner balance is a big advantage over yellow & springs. Unless you TT or autocross where the coilovers put you in another class

 

So you can corner balance with Forge/BC coilovers and you can't with yellos/springs/vorshlag plates?

I'm fine with being put in a different class if i autocross eventually, so i dont really care about that.

I'm leaning towards BC coilovers because they are a little cheaper than the Forge on most sites. And i can't tell if the forge coilovers on WMW site comes with the adjustable top plates, because the pic shows that it doesnt.

Really tough to make a decision here.

 

Also maybe look into the Greene Performance ones...Basically BC coils with swift springs.

 

Are they any reviews of people who has used them?

I think i saw the greene performance ones on ECS's website. Nevermind, they arent there.

 

the facebook group "r53 addicts" has a few running the bc/swift combo from greene

I run his camber plates, only ones that let you add positive castor too

 

We dont carry greene, maybe in the future. We have BC Racing and many others,

https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2007-...ion/Coilovers/

 

AHHH, i can't decide if i should go with a fully adjustable setup or just get FSD shocks and adjustable top mounts?

I daily drive this car, but i like to drive it hard. What should i do?!?!?!

 

I missed your question on corner balance, you cannot do it with regular springs, you need coilovers, the spring perch or shock height depending on design sets ride height and is used to corner balance the car.

Corner balance is not something I would even care about on a car that is only driven on the street, but if it's a track or autocross car then I would care

 

I drive my car hard too, and have tossed the FSD purchase around for months, but after I heard that FSD's aren't a quick enough shock to handle hard fast left/right cornering with bumps. I've passed on getting FSD's and saving up now for an adjustable coilover set up which is a BIG difference in price.


What really confirmed me to go this route and put my choice in perspective was after seeing two BMW 135i's go across train tracks. The first 135 had KW coils (don't know which version) but he drove right over them at regular speed with no chassis tossing at all! The other 135 had FSD's and couldn't go full speed to cross the tracks and had to almost creep over them. His car dipped twice pretty good bit where the first car literally hovered right over them (blew my mind)! So it has to be something going on better with the compression and rebounding to have that drastic of difference but it convinced me that coils was another level better.

 

I think i'm going to go with the Forge coilovers from ECS website.

I like how BC racing coils are cheaper, but i want the forge for the brand