HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

I installed Koni SA 3rd gen rear shocks on my car. I still have my old KYB shocks up front for now until I can put some new ones up front. I pulled down the dust cover, pressed in the button and made sure the shaft was turned all the way counter clockwise as advised by Koni directly to put it on the softest setting. They already seemed to be all the way counter clockwise out of the box.. My concern is the ride is harsh, these are very firm shocks even on the softest setting. I'm using Hotchkis springs which are pretty soft compared to many other springs out there. I've always heard "oh Koni's are like driving on air" or "the car just glides down the road now smoothly".. yeah well what about until you hit a bump? It jolts the car much more than it ever did. I got clunks now that never existed before. I mean they handle greatly, and I can completely understand how a full set of these could make a car handle superbly.. but they are just too firm for a DD IMO. I can understand an autocross car but that's it. I understand I don't have the fronts on yet, but if the fronts are this stiff too, I don't really know if I want to get them at all.

Also, are the softest settings on the 3rd gen and 4th gen shocks equal? I understand they have more adjustment range, but is the softest any softer, or is the stiffest any stiffer than the other? Thanks

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

I believe the 3rd gen rear Koni SA's a a little bit more compression dampening, but I could be wrong. BTW, if you still have the bumpstop spacers on your car; remove them.

libertyforall1776

iTrader: (2)

Why did you get the 3rd Gen rear Konis? Do you have an aftermarket heavier rear-end? If not, I believe they are not advised...

Racin'Z28

iTrader: (7)

I don't know for sure, but they shouldn't be THAT firm. It sounds as if they are set to full firm instead. I know you said you set them the way they are supposed to be on full soft, but since they are so easy to remove, I would pull them out and turn them completely the opposite way and see if that is full soft or if it just makes it even harder. Since they are easy to take off, I would do that first. There is no reason for them to ride that hard.
And my Koni's don't float or ride on air, but they firm up the ride for sure and make the car feel like its planted better. The Springs will make more of a difference in how harsh it rides overall, and the shocks will either make it compliant or more harsh. It really depends on the combo you have.
I would start by pulling the shocks off and adjusting them the complete opposite direction. Who knows, you could have thought you were turning them in the right direction but somehow got it backwards. It happens to the best of us for sure. God knows I've made my share of mistakes with taking things off. I've had to remove the whole front shock assembly, TWICE, after putting the upper control arms on the wrong sides.
If after you change them and you find that they just get worse, than at least you know you did it right in the first place and you can change it back. If it gets better, then you found the problem.
Good luck and post up what you end up finding out.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Does the rear of your car feel like it suddenly drops after going over dips in the road?
If it does (to much rebound dampening), then some how you got your adjustments backwards (as stated above).

HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for the responses so far

Yeah it does feel like it drops and clunks at certain dips in the road. I went with the 3rd gens as a cheap(er) replacement to my currently broken shocks. I just needed a quality shock that is durable and didn't want to spend a shitload of money on some right now..

As far as the bumpstop spacers, are you indicating you think I'm hitting the bumpstops too much?

JD_AMG

Did you install them or have someone else do it?
If you are getting suspension clunks there is definitely something loose or wrong.
Removing the bump stop spacers will give you a little more suspension travel and a little better ride.

HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

I installed them, and I have done multiple shock installs. I also tightened down the upper bushings to the Koni specs. I called Koni to ask about how to adjust them, since there was no instructions. He said push down the button and turn the rod clockwise to make it tighten. So I went counter-clockwise for all soft... Guess I'll have to take them off and see

Shockwave179

iTrader: (7)

Just curious, what specs did you tighten the upper bushings too?

HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

Didn't have an exact torque specs, but in the paper it showed a diagram not to crush the bushings so they don't bulge out.. I tightened them to be equal width of the washers with no bulge.

HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

Well, I finally adjusted them today. I turned them all the way clockwise this time, and it's definitely a softer ride. The Koni tech I called said clockwise stiffens them, so he had it backwards. Oh well, I can finally say I accept Koni's as a good shock now

HavATampa

iTrader: (49)

According to the Koni site instructions http://www.koni-na.com/mono.cfm? , turning the shaft clockwise while holding the button down increases rebound, which is the shock extending out, like 99Bluz28 is describing. Compression adjustment isn't available on the SA 3rd Gen shocks. Not sure why firming them up, which is what you did, made the ride softer?

HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

I don't know. It's weird.. The shock itself got softer when I pushed the piston down, and the ride didnt clunk as much over large bumps, but it feels like small bumps are more distinguished.. It still rides better to me, it seems than it did. I'll take it for a longer drive tonight and see if maybe I wasn't tricked by the short ride I took

02Z28LS1

iTrader: (2)

the best way to gauge the difference is to take it for an extended drive on a road that you know REALLY well, like the back of your hand, so you can tell the difference in the little nuances in the road surface between the old & new shocks.

but that's the thing with the Koni's, unfortunately there is no universal "right" or "wrong" setting for everyone.....everyone is going to like it a little different than everyone else....but then again, that's also the beauty of adjustable shocks....you have the ability to play around with them so you get exactly what is right for you.

just give it some time on each setting, and go over roads that you know really well each time, that's going to be the real test to find what settings are right for you.

Ironhead

I know this is something of a resurrected thread but..... where do you keep coming up with **** like this? ("this" being utterly baseless nuggets of *wisdom*)

After trying both (and Bilstein HDs), I found that I prefer the Koni 3rd gens because I honestly feel they perform a bit better over bumps.

Why might this be? 3rd gen Konis are monotubes and have a larger piston than the 4th gen twin tubes.

Don't believe me? Fine. I also later found out that others have come to the same conclusion and that 3rd gen shocks have won a few national championships on the back of a certain forum sponsor's 4th gen car.

JD_AMG

Goes to show the common mistake people make, the "softest" settings doesn't always mean the softest ride, especially when you are on lowering springs or have bigger wheels...
What do you have your tire pressure set at BTW?