From my discussions with parts guys at Classic & elsewhere, they all appear to be linear springs - simply different (& apparently highly classified) rates to be utilized according to the weight of the vehicle (gleaned from VIN). So in my case, a Cooper w/o sunroof would result in the "softest" (relative term) JCW spring. Did anyone else notice that contrary to all of the warnings that FSDs wouldn't work correctly with lowering springs, Koni is now offering packages of FSDs/Eibach lowering springs through Tire Rack among others? Last time I checked, Eibachs drop you at least an inch

 

I've said it before - Koni's issue with lowering springs isn't the spring itself, but rather the bumpstops. Lowering the MINI and leaving stock bumpstops leaves too little travel for the FSD's to work properly. Run a shorter and properly engineered bumpstop and there should be no issue. So sayeth the product mgr at Koni I worked with to send my Subaru struts for fitment and prototyping. I asked him this exact Q and he gave me a straight, no BS answer.

 

Koni's FSD/Eibach kit is available for some models of cars, but does not include MINI: http://www.koni-na.com/fsd/index3.html

 

Is there any modification needed, I mean any, including a trim to bumpstop, etc with stock spring and FSD combo?

 

No modifications are needed when adding FSD's to the stock spring setup.

That said, fixed camber plates make a nice addition, and it doesn't cost any more labor to add them when the struts are being changed.

 

Thanks Crazy :

I am interested of fixed camber plate too, but most of the products I 've seen are all adjustable. Which mfr makes fixed plate?

 

Ireland Engineering.

 

Why would you not want the option to adjust camber if you are going to the expense of putting on camber plates? For an extra ~$150, you can get the adjustable plates. A little bit of negative camber (~1 degree of negative camber) will improve the handling of the car without affecting tire wear too adversely. I am not judging anyone's decision; just curious as to why they decided to go with the expense of camber plates without getting the adjustable ones. Maybe the previous generation of adjustable plates was not up to where they should have been; but the current generation of camber plates from Helix, M7 and the like seem to have addressed the problems of the past.

 

Assuming that was a true question and not a rhetorical statement; here are some reasons for choosing the fixed camber plate over current adjustable options. First the price difference is more than $150 and stating the obvious, if the adjustability is not needed, the extra money spent will be a waste. Second is the rubber carrier for the bearing; one more vibration absorber to make the ride more palatable. Third, very little alteration in ride height which is a good thing when using fixed height struts (like the original topic of this thread, FSDs).

More good things about the Ireland Engineering fixed camber plates, the mounting plate, not counting the additional 2.9mm thick bushing carrier, is very stout, 5.1 mm thick and 5.5 inches across compared to stock at 2.5 mm (the bushing carrier is integrated) and only 5 inches wide. For those with tower braces the bolts are longer so better thread purchase is capable.

 

I was definitely not being rhetorical in my earlier post. (Maybe playing a bit of devils advocate, but not rhetorical....) You certainly have some good points about the fixed camber Ireland Engineering plates. Could you be more specific on variation in ride height? (+/-?) Right now, I think the suspension of my MCSa with the SS+ springs and FSDs is set-up just right for my tastes. I am looking for a bullet-proof solution to the strut tower mushrooming and strut mount failure issue. Thank you for your post.

 

Ireland says the fixed plates add about 1.25 degrees of negative camber, I thought 1 degree was what most were shooting for on street apps.

Paul

 

Scott, how much vibration are FSD owners experiencing with H-sport springs or other spring set-ups?

I've seen so much lately that I've shelved my plan to have you put the FSDs and my H-sport springs on. What solutions do you have, I'm sure you have some?

Paul

 

I'm not Scott and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night , but with FSDs and the stock SS+ springs, there is zero vibration from the FSDs. If the a/c kicks in, there will be vibration from the compressor, but that would happen regardless of whether the FSDs were on or not.

 

ok, first I have had the Ireland fixed plates on my car for 3000 miles now-with rotation at 3000 miles, tire wear is not any worse than it was. these plates raised my car a whopping 1/16, not even noticeable to the eye from a side view. the ride from the thicker rubber bushing in the IE fixed plates is truly the best my car has ridden as yet. they make it one step better, ride wise, and they also make it turn in verrrrrry nicely. Paul, my car has no adverse vibrations-so-I have no clue what folks are talking about. You need to come by and take mine for a drive in the country and freeways to see for yourself, then make your own decision.

 

1.0 to 1.25 degrees of negative camber is not going to kill the tires. 2+ degrees of negative camber is where you will notice premature wear on the inside edge of the tire tread. In this context, "notice premature wear" means the tread wear bars will appear on the inside edge of the tread, but you will have plenty of wear remaining on the outside edge of the tread.

 

Are you saying 1/16 inch raise with lowering springs? Or, 1/16 inch raise with stock springs? A 1/16 inch raise might just be variablity in the shock rebound. Couple that with the rubber bushing, and the Ireland Engineering plates may be the next mod that I do on my car. How does the rubber bushing in the Ireland Engineering plates compare to the OEM rubber mount? (I am most concerned about minimum thickness; the OEM mounts seem to have a cup-like molding that results in what appears to be a pretty thin cross-section closest to the strut mount.... Wonder why the OEM strut mount fails so much???? Duuuuuh....)