nine-eight

iTrader: (7)

If i'm running a near stock weight camaro with rwhp in the high 400s, what are the real world advantages for a 90% street car if any with koni double adjustables over single adjustables?What about if an aftermarket rear end is installed? I want this thing to handle well and drive nicely....

79_T/A

iTrader: (1)

I would recommend the singles, especially for a street car. In fact, when you start turning up the compression on a DA, they get incredibly stiff during normal driving, because the adjustment is not a high speed adjustment that comes into play when shock shaft speeds are high. It is more of a blanket compression adjustment, and the car will ride extra stuff until the car is being pushed and the shocks are cycled hard.

M4N14C

iTrader: (3)

Go with SA's, much better for street driving and they don't cost a fortune. I had the same dilemma when looking for my shocks and I went with SA's, extremely satisfied.

Also here's what Sam has to say:

nine-eight

iTrader: (7)

Great guys thanks for the info

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I should make a few points. First front DA's have been discontinued by Koni. Rears are still going to be around. I (yes, *I* because they know who to talk to about this stuff) convinced them that DA's should be around for those with massively heavy rear axles. I also basically told them I never use fronts but I do sometimes use rears.

Compression damping is NOT spring rate. Never has been, never will be.

Having said those things. Officially things are what they seem. Unofficially, if you want to do something with Koni, you would be well served to call me... that's all I can really say right now.

JimMueller

iTrader: (9)

I bought DA's from Lingenfelter back in 1996, bought them because that's what they used on the track car. If I had to do it over I would have just gotten the SA's. For street driving, anything more than 1-2 clicks above full soft compression is unsettling, I usually run them full soft which is the same as the compression valving which comes in the SA's anyway.

I recently had my 3 front DA's (one spare) and both rear DA's sent back for warranty. The rears came back with no problem found which I thought was odd given their mileage (they must have about 200K miles on them between two cars). For the fronts they warranted two out of the three.

Mason @ Koni never offered the information that they were discontinuing them, thanks for passing along that information Sam.

01SuperSport

iTrader: (7)

If I could do it all over I'd get some Bilsteins. At its softest setting the ride is still pretty stiff. From the reviews on here I was expecting much more in ride quality but I'm guessing most of the koni SA benefits are in the performance department. I do live in CA though so the roads can be brutal

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Well, ride has a lot to do with other things too, like bushings, springs, control arms, wheels, tires, even the rear axle weight.

Koni Sports are performance shocks, not cruiser shocks. Yes, some say they ride a lot better than stock. I think so, but not because they are soft, but just less harsh than old worn out stock deCarbon's. Firm and harsh are not the same thing.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I'm from CA and if you think the roads are bad there, try living in a part of the country that has snow and radical temperature swings - murder on asphalt. That being said, I went from almost new Bilsteins to Koni SA's and noticed a substantial increase in impact harshness. The Konis are just that much more firmly dampened that they don't have as much initial "give" as the Bilsteins, so the ride is less cushy. The good news is that they soften up after they wear in a bit.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Again, Koni SPORT shocks are that. If it's ride you are after above all else then yes a STR.T or a Bilstein might be more suitable.

The trouble often arises when folks are also trying to control springs and want their cake and eat it too. They want to lower the car, want it to handle and want it to 'ride well'. I have taken to asking them what the priority is for those things as there is no free lunch in this world.

I'll say this. I never had someone show up here, ride in my 2001 Z28 on Koni's (either with the springs or with stock springs) and not immediately buy them. And I'd hit bumps and things on purpose on a 30 mile route through the PA woods. Compared to old stock crap they ride WAY, way better.

Shocks are like anything else you have choices to make.

nine-eight

iTrader: (7)

Speaking of compromises, would koni sports and 1LE springs and strano sways blend well together to have a performance oriented suspension base with factory ride height? It is first and foremost a street car and with the area I live ground clearance is not something I want to compromise. I seem to remember something weird about z28 rear springs and 1le fronts possibly being a better match than the progressive 1les all around... Any truth to that Sam?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Yes, that works well too. But the trick is most folks don't have and can't find 1LE springs these days. And fwiw, the height is actually taller on those than the normal stock springs (just something to keep in mind).

I like the rear of the car softer myself, so personally I'd more likely do what you speak of. My bars, 1LE fronts, standard rears (but there are more than one version, some are stiffer some are softer) that are a touch stiffer (I swapped my 10 coil versions for a friend's 9 coil version OEM rears which by my measurements were about 10% stiffer... but the cars were optioned identically otherwise. Thanks GM. Then if the front is too high because 1LE springs sit high, use the Koni Sport's lower perch to drop it back down a touch.

nine-eight

iTrader: (7)

Thats interesting. I'll have to see if I have 9 or 10 coil springs. I wonder if the stiffer 9 coil units would mic out to be larger diameter wire. I have some 1le springs in parts storage that have 90k miles on them. I'll probably give them a shot with some konis.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

It has been a while since I did that, like 14 years ago a while. But I recall the wire on the two sets I had was the same or very, very close, just with fewer coils, making them stiffer.