MPP AWD/Performance Coilover Impression and Installation

[MountainPass]

Makes sense now. You mean to remove those from the OEM top hat, so that you end up using just the hat. The dust boot and bump rubber can be stuck on the hat. Now back to my rear ride height question...

A rough rule of thumb you can use is a 1:1.2 ratio when adjusting the spring perches. This means to get a 12mm change in ride height, you would adjust the spring perch 10mm. You can measure where you are now and determine how much you need to adjust the perch to get to your final ride height!

 

[vogz]

A rough rule of thumb you can use is a 1:1.2 ratio when adjusting the spring perches. This means to get a 12mm change in ride height, you would adjust the spring perch 10mm. You can measure where you are now and determine how much you need to adjust the perch to get to your final ride height!

I was just going to ask the same question. I finished my sport coil over install today and used recommended settings. Front is about 1/4 inch higher than the rear. Going to get it back on the lift tomorrow and move the fronts down a tad. Thanks for the info!

I took a short drive today and so far I'm super impressed. I'll post a full review shortly in a separate thread.

 

[beastmode13]

At ride height the piston rod is not exposed, you may be looking at photos of the coilovers at droop or uninstalled. Most aftermarket and offroad suspension do not use a rubber accordion like that. Ultimately the seal is responsible for keeping out dirt and debris. If you live in an area where this is a concern, there are readily available aftermarket solutions such as universal accordion boots and even some neoprene styles!

I had rubber bellows/accordion covers on two previous coilovers. They have the tendency to get chow up by the springs as the breather holes are too small for air to quickly flow in or out of bellows during quick compression and extension of damper. It’s hard to tell from the Redwood photos, but looks like there are at least five holes on the bottom of the rear damper. That might be sufficient to facilitate quick air flow in and out of the bellows under quick suspension movements.

 

[dfwatt]

I was just going to ask the same question. I finished my sport coil over install today and used recommended settings. Front is about 1/4 inch higher than the rear. Going to get it back on the lift tomorrow and move the fronts down a tad. Thanks for the info!

I took a short drive today and so far I'm super impressed. I'll post a full review shortly in a separate thread.

Yes they are super impressive. I've had mine now for 9 months and I appreciate them every time I drive the car.

 

[yourotherleft]

A few pics from the installation:[/QUOTE

Tim, your MPP sport looks different than mine. I received mine a week ago

 

[yourotherleft]

Yes they are super impressive. I've had mine now for 9 months and I appreciate them every time I drive the car.

Ditto. Just have mine installed yesterday. I wouldn't say the difference it's night and day, but the improvement is obvious. With the recommended bump/rebound setting, I feel the car is more planted and annoying road vibration is mostly eliminated.

 

[dfwatt]

Tim, your MPP sport looks different than mine. I received mine a week ago

View attachment 528341

Is that all wheel drive or rear wheel drive?

 

[yourotherleft]

Is that all wheel drive or rear wheel drive?

Mine is awd. Sorry, Tim's is the one like in their website. Mine's the one that look different.

 

[dfwatt]

Mine is awd. Sorry, Tim's is the one like in their website. Mine's the one that look different.

I suspect they just change the lower Forks on the front that's all. Otherwise it appears identical.

 

[MountainPass]

I suspect they just change the lower Forks on the front that's all. Otherwise it appears identical.

The lower forks are updated now, however, the photos on our website are not We have literally sent every AWD kit straight to our customers and haven't even kept one for ourselves to photoshoot yet. We are pretty much caught up now though and the order-to-shipment time has improved greatly despite the global situation.

 

[vogz]

The lower forks are updated now, however, the photos on our website are not We have literally sent every AWD kit straight to our customers and haven't even kept one for ourselves to photoshoot yet. We are pretty much caught up now though and the order-to-shipment time has improved greatly despite the global situation.

I was very impressed when mine arrived 3 days earlier than estimated. Crazy quick with how much international supply chains are being strained right now.

 

[Skione65]

The lower forks are updated now, however, the photos on our website are not We have literally sent every AWD kit straight to our customers and haven't even kept one for ourselves to photoshoot yet. We are pretty much caught up now though and the order-to-shipment time has improved greatly despite the global situation.

@MountainPass,

Why the change and what was the reasoning behind it? Looks like the lowers are powder coated instead of raw stainless? Slight design change as well?

Ski

 

[beastmode13]

@MountainPass,

Why the change and what was the reasoning behind it? Looks like the lowers are powder coated instead of raw stainless? Slight design change as well?

Ski

The initial stainless steel version were made in Canada before KW got their version out. The new version, from KW, are casted aluminum.

 

[MountainPass]

@MountainPass,

Why the change and what was the reasoning behind it? Looks like the lowers are powder coated instead of raw stainless? Slight design change as well?

Ski

The initial stainless steel version were made in Canada before KW got their version out. The new version, from KW, are casted aluminum.

Exactly as beastmode13 said, we needed to produce forks ourselves while we waited for KW to make them for us. The one-sided design is very similar to the Model S.

 

[ULEWZ]

My 3DP with 20" wheels measures 15.5" hub to fender on all wheels. It seems using the Sport Coilover suggestion from MPP lowers it by 1.5". As I have a steep driveway, is it safe to use this drop or would it be recommended to use 1" or only 0.5"?
If I wanted to maintain the stock setting, that would entail going 39.7mm more than the recommended setting of 355mm.
I see Beastmaster went 10mm higher than recommended, so that should have been a drop of only 1.25" from stock, correct?

Just trying to get things in my head before I attempt an install.

 

[ULEWZ]

Oops, make that Beastmode, can't edit.

 

[beastmode13]

Oops, make that Beastmode, can't edit.

@MountainPass posted in one of the thread. The ratio is 1:2. For every 1mm change in thread, you gat 2mm change in height. So 10mm higher than recommended means 20mm higher ride height. One inch is 25.4mm, or ~.78” taller.

If the goal is to have visually equal front/rear wheel gap. Then measuring from arch to hub center is fine. However front and rear wheel arch opening are not identical. If you want a level car as defined by the battery pack. Measure from the battery rail next to the four jack points would be best.

 

[ULEWZ]

I saw this, which is a little different than 1:2:
"A rough rule of thumb you can use is a 1:1.2 ratio when adjusting the spring perches. This means to get a 12mm change in ride height, you would adjust the spring perch 10mm. You can measure where you are now and determine how much you need to adjust the perch to get to your final ride height!"
Now I am confused.

 

[vogz]

@MountainPass posted in one of the thread. The ratio is 1:2. For every 1mm change in thread, you gat 2mm change in height. So 10mm higher than recommended means 20mm higher ride height. One inch is 25.4mm, or ~.78” taller.

If the goal is to have visually equal front/rear wheel gap. Then measuring from arch to hub center is fine. However front and rear wheel arch opening are not identical. If you want a level car as defined by the battery pack. Measure from the battery rail next to the four jack points would be best.

MPP actually said the ratio is 1:1.2 so 10mm difference in adjustment give you 12mm of ride height difference. That lined up with my adjustment. I needed car 6mm lower in front to even it out and I dropped the collar 5mm on the front dampers.

EDIT: TREED, lol

 

[ULEWZ]

Ok, here are my calculations for peer review trying to maintain stock ride height, or close to it. I do realize it will droop after the springs settle which should be fine for my steep driveway:

My stock battery height from the battery (perpendicular to the front jack point), and then to ground is 6 in. (152.4mm)

Stock PD3 with 20 inch wheels (fender to hub center) :15.5 in. (393.7mm)

MPP recommended height (fender to hub center in mm) 354F/359R (13.94F/14.13R In.): Basically a drop of 1.5 in. from stock.

To maintain my stock fender to hub measurements, I would need to do the following using a 1:1.2 ratio in the calculations:

393.7-354=39.7/1.2=33mm, or 1.3 inches front (adjustment up from 80.4 mm recommendation).

393.7-359=34.7/1.2=28.92mm, or 1.14 inches rear (adjustment up from 18mm recommendation)

So for the front, set the spring perch to 80.4+33=113.4mm, or 4.46 in. (total spring perch measurement)

For the rear, set the spring perch to 18mm+28.92=46.92mm, or 1.85in. (total spring perch measurement)


From the MPP website as of 4/5/20:

FRONT SPRING PERCH OFFSET: START AT: 80.4mm
FRONT RIDE HEIGHT: 354mm (Hub to Fender)
FRONT BATTERY HEIGHT: 110mm (Using OEM 18″ wheels and tires)

REAR:

REAR SPRING PERCH OFFSET: 18mm (this is the gap between the bottom of the spring perch and the top of the body – see photo)
REAR RIDE HEIGHT: 359mm (Hub to Fender)
REAR BATTERY HEIGHT: 111mm (Using OEM 18″ wheels and tires)