Koni install and found something interesting
I installed my new Koni's today and it turned into the install from Hell. Koni requires you to use parts from the original shocks which I threw away a long time ago. Thank you Steve/32Krazy for sending the stock bump stops! I could not locate the stock dust covers but I did talk to the Koni tech at Koni North America and he said they are not needed. I had read that only the rear bump stops needed trimming so I put the fronts together and installed them on the car. Without the dust covers you can really see how things fit and was suprised to see that on my lowered car I only had about 1/10 inch of travel before the shock tube contacted the front bump stop. This didn't look good! I took them back of the car and removed the three lower sections of the bump stop and used just the one larger in diameter section. The shocks I have are Koni Sports 1228 front and 1229 rear which are supposed to be for a lowred car. I found a similar problem in the rear and removed about 2/3 of the rear bump stop which is more than most people have been trimming them. finally everything was back together and it was time to compare them to the KYB's that I took off.
I first started with the full soft position and they are softer than the KYB's but the bumpy roads around here still felt like I was bouncing up and down in my seat but now felt mushier. The car didn't make me feel confident and connected to the road like the KYB's did. I then increased the stiffness a half turn at a time. As full stiffness I didn't have as much throwing me up and down feeling since they can barely move at all but it was very jarring. This would be great for racing but would drive you nuts in every day driving. I ended up at 1/2 turn firmer from the softest setting. This setting seemed to have a little more confident feeling on the road but took the bumps slightly better than the KYB's but still didn't feel as sporty and connected to the road as the KYB. At the mid to 3/4 stiffnes they felt exactly like the KYB's.
Overall I can say my ride is only slightly better but makes me feel less confident in the car. I figured I would go with the softer ride and learn to feel confident. Now that I have tried Koni, I can tell you the KYB's are a great shock for the money and will put you right in the middle adjustment of the Koni's. I am not sure the Koni's are worth the money for such a subtle difference but they are slightly more comfortable in the softer settings but you will feel less in control of the car.
Edit: I am editing this now becuase I have been driving around for about an hour and am enjoying the ride more and more. I am getting used to the softer ride and how the car feels. For me a half turn from the softest position is starting to feel pretty good.
OK, now who is going to be the first to try Bilstein's?
Last edited by LantanaTX; Feb 26, 2011 at 10:52 PM.