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Thread: Koni FSD's fitted today - quick review

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Koni FSD's fitted today - quick review

    Got the Mazdaspeed/MPS/Mazda 5 specific FSD's part number 2100-4045.

    Fitted today, took maybe 5 1/2 hours, including lunch and not really rushing.
    First front strut was a bugger, as is the usual way.
    Tried doing it the way as described on the US Mazdaspeed forum.
    Don't do it that way, couldnt get the lower control arm to drop low enough.
    Do it the way the workshop manual says, yes its a little more work (drop ball joint and tie rod end) but its a lot easier. As usual the manual is right.

    Driving impressions -
    To be honest, don't really know what to say, i'm speachless.
    This is the car Mazda should have built.
    I'm sure you could make it handle better or ride better, i couldn't think of a better compramise.
    Was blown away by the improvement.
    Wasnt even up to 50km/h or 400m down the road before i couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
    It rides so much smoother, it's still firm, but has lost just about all its harshness.
    Can't feel the small irrigations in the roads, and doesn't crash over the bigger bumps.
    Rides as well if not better that my old SP23.
    It's no Rolls Royce, you can still tell its a short FWD car, but its pretty good

    Handling - Hard to really tell because its been pooring with rain. But you can feel it turns in much better and even in the rain it takes a few of my test corners as well as it does in the dry.

    Handed the keys to Dad. Told him, "bet your smiling before Mary road" (side street about 500m from home)
    Was right, couldn't wipe the smirk off his face.
    His opinions echoed mine.
    "rides like bens Lancer, handles like my 6"

    All in all, i'm over the moon, could not be happier.
    If you wan't better handling, better ride, and like me, don't want to lower your car, BUY THESE SHOCKS.

    As i said, it's how Mazda should have released it in the first place.

    Can't wait for it to dry up and go for a decent drive.


    Last but not least
    A HUGE thanks to Dad (rd415) for fitting them.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    NSW
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    Default

    Sounds like a pretty impressive improvement.
    What did they set you back ????
    Can you run the Koni's with lowered springs or are you better going with Bilsteins B8's ???

  3. #3
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    Default

    Good review, what springs are you running (stock?)

  4. #4
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    Not the FSD shocks, you would have to use Koni sports or the Bilsteins.

    Cost me $1050 from Repco (trade price)

    Yes, stock springs. Roads around aren't good enough to go lower and i scrape too much as it is.
    Dampers seem to be a really good match for the stock springs.
    Big bumps at speed don't seem to have as much effect.

    I know when being followed at speed by Vanq in the RX8, if i hit a bump mid corner i'd nearly bounce to the other side of the road. I don't think that would happen now.

    And best of all, no more being pushed buy a certain lady in white Mazda 2!
    Last edited by bd581; 15-10-2010 at 06:11 PM.

  5. #5
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    Update -

    Couple of days later, and some dry weather testing done.
    Still love them, no complaints, fixed most of the clunks in the front.
    Through some corners near home it's a good 15-20km/h faster with the same amount of fuss. Could easily push harder. No small steering corrections, nice and smooth.
    Doesn't get upset by mid corner bumps

    Shame I don't have a dyno graph to prove how big of an improvement it made to the car.
    I feel as I can now use more of the MPS's available power.

    Pirelli got it right when they said "power is nothing without control"

  6. #6
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    Feb 2010
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    Picking up my fronts on Wednesday. YAY!!!
    I'll fit them up on Saturday.

  7. #7
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    Just fronts???

    They come as set of 4

    Are they FSD's you got or Koni sports?
    The fsd's aren't recommended for lowered springs

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by bd581 View Post
    Just fronts???

    They come as set of 4

    Are they FSD's you got or Koni sports?
    The fsd's aren't recommended for lowered springs
    Yeah, my shocks are sports. To go with my King springs. I have my rears sitting under my bench at work, and I'll be picking up my fronts tomorrow lunchtime... Fitting them on Saturday. Maybe even Friday night at work...
    ___,...--'--..--...,,,
    [__--_;=-o-:iiiiiilll.===
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