FSD's w/ JCW springs, that's my thinking, too.

 

This morning I had a chance to drive Scott's car at Central Coast Coopers in Oxnard, CA. He has 10,000 miles on H-sport springs w/ FSD shocks. I was blown away. The car handles better than my car with H-sports / OEM shocks and the ride is far more comfortable. Scott has tried many spring - shock combinations and he feels this is the best.

 

anybody know how much tophats are? It would be nice to assemble a new set with FSD's and H-sports or JCW's to swap in instead of having to tear down the stock assembly to steal tophats.

 

Why settle for stock 'tophats'? https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=45257

 

I had to buy one (mushroom damage) from MINI when I put in the FSDs.
It was ~$42.
I expect rears would be less.

 

Since the Koni FSDs will not fit my '02 MCS - does anyone know of a comparable product?

 

Boy, this is really confusing. I was about to get the FSDs put on my 03 MCS back with stock springs (been running H-Sports with stock shocks for 2 years), but after reading some of the conflicting reports I am not so sure. The claim that they are firmer on smooth pavements than stock makes me nervous. I have gotten tired of the H-Sports on bumpy roads and really want to go for a softer ride.

The roads here in Houston are really bad and I am leaning toward going back to all stock.

Ulrich

 

It is my understanding that the FSDs are designed to run with stock springs. They can be mated with H-sports, and we have local shop owners who swear by that combination, but IMO there is less spring travel, so the advantages of the special design features of the FSDs are reduced. If I continue to change my suspension, the KSDs with stock springs and fixed offset camber plates will be the next step. I've already done the rear sway bar (19mm, stiffer setting).

 

Okay, I'm seriously thinking of getting the FSD / H-Sport combo... what exactly do I need to order (besides the spring set and FSDs from TireRack, for example)? I'm thinking I'll also need something to adjust for camber (camber plates?)... anything else?

Also, any recommended install places in SoCal for this (looks like a few of you are nearby)... I talked with Steve at Steve's Auto Clinic, and he said he could do it but didn't think the FSDs were designed for lowering applications... i.e. he's never done that paticular combo.

 

Talk to Scott McIntyre, owner of Central Coast Coopers. I've heard tell he likes the FSDs with the H-sport springs. They're in Oxnard, but worth the drive.
http://www.centralcoastcoopers.com/

 

Scott is running the H-sport / FSD combo on his car. He is very familiar with this combination and will let you test drive his car.

 

I came across this thread which discusses the general topic of mixing shocks and springs: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=68426
I think there is still not enough experience with FSDs and lowering springs to judge how well they last over the long term. There is always some risk to combine springs and shocks that weren't originally designed for each other.

 

I talked with Scott (Central Coast Coopers) for quite a while about his setup... he has 10k+ miles on the H-Sport / FSD combo, so he seems pretty confident about it. He thinks the ride is much better than the stock Sport suspension (even with the lowered springs)...

I also received a price quote from him: about $1k inc. tax for the H-Sports/FSDs installed (his part price quotes were basically what TireRack advertises). He also runs some H-Sport adjustable camber plates in the rear, which he says run about $400 or so plus another $140 for installation. (The springs/struts are installed at the same time, but he said the camber plate installation is a different job and costs the same whether you do it at the same time or later.)

Anyway, I'm thinking to go this route... still unsure about the camber plates, but think I'd probably need/want them as it might look a little funny with a few degrees negative camber in the rear, and the handling/wear is probably also much better with the camber adjusted. I was surprised at the cost of the camber plates, however...

Here's a thread on the issue of camber plates (check the last few posts):
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=69684

 

I have the FSD + 22mm Alta Sway + M7 Front Strut + Rear strut brace.
I love the ride now... like a refined BMW/MINI (I also got rid of the runflats and installed new alum. wheels).
My mechanices could not stop talking about them and how great they were - Downtown mini is surrounded by brick roads and the ride is fantastic.
Up at MOTD4 - they handled great when they needed to and stiffened up in the curves.
Modern sliced bread.

 

I just ordered the FSD's and will use stock springs. I look forward to a smoother ride. Green Iguana - thanks for the FSD feedback - it helped with my decision

Will let you know how it turns out...

 

Any additional feedback on the FSD's with stock or JCW springs? I am debating on the FSD's versus the Koni Sport Suspension Kit (Yellows). Spirited street driving with occasional track days.
Thanks.

 

Most of the feedback about FSD's is with stock springs (it is Koni's recommendation). Much fewer people are using FSD's with other springs (lowered), but apparently with good results.

 

I've been corresponding with Lee from Koni about another application and asked about lowering springs on the FSD's. He said that most springs put the car on the bump stops. He said the strut itself can handle it no problem mechanically, but that the real issue is that being on the bump stops and the resultant spooky handling this can create havoc with the unique capability of the struts. Make sense?

 

Makes sense. I would also think it would be pounding the snot out of your strut towers.

 

You're both making sense. I wonder if there might not be a correlation between lowering prings with stock shocks and mushrooming shock towers?

 

And, stress on the ball joints, CV joints, and the front control arm bushing. The control arm pivot has a hexagonal shaped shaft that corresponds to a steel bolstered center within a bushing which is fixed within a sleeve. The bushing twists rather than rotates so if the control arm shaft is positioned for the stock ride height (there’s a predetermined mark on the bushing) and then is lowered, it will spend most of its travel in a twisted stressed state. After spending most of its 60,000 plus miles on lowering springs, my passenger side bushing was torn and the inner ball joint worn. Granted this happens to stock spring wearing MINIs but I think there is a lowering spring correlation with my damage.

BTW, the stiffer the MINI gets (poly & steel pivots), the better FSDs work.

 

Can anyone recommend an installer in the NY area that has alot of experience with mini suspension upgrades?

 

Helix in Philadelphia is worth the trip

 

I just had the KONI FSDs installed with my H-sport springs at Central Coast Coopers in Oxnard, CA. The car handles better, stops better and no longer hops around on bad road surfaces. The owner of CCC has had them on his MINI for over 12,000 miles. Give Scott a call

 

Hi Larry, I'm planning to do this in the relatively near future. Just saving up some $$ for it. Did you get rear camber plates installed? I talked with Scott a few weeks back, and he mentioned that the H-Sport springs will cause 2-3 deg. negative camber in the back (the front is adjustable)...