How "adjustable" is the Koni/Strano setup?
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From: San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
How "adjustable" is the Koni/Strano setup? I am rebuilding my car to become an all around machine rather than a 9 sec. straight line toy. Currently, my car has QA1 shocks, and if I adjust them to full soft, they ride like an Oldsmobile or Buick of 15 years ago. Comfortable enough to take on a 14 hour ride.
The setup I am ordering right now will be Koni single adjustable with Strano springs, Strano sway bars, and a Watts link.
My wife would like to be able to drive the car up the coast from San Diego up hwy 1 to Napa with something similar to the kind of ride it can have now. I would like that option too.
So...On full soft on the Konis, but with the Strano springs, how comfortable can the ride get?
The setup I am ordering right now will be Koni single adjustable with Strano springs, Strano sway bars, and a Watts link.
My wife would like to be able to drive the car up the coast from San Diego up hwy 1 to Napa with something similar to the kind of ride it can have now. I would like that option too.
So...On full soft on the Konis, but with the Strano springs, how comfortable can the ride get?
It's a little stiff, even on full soft it's a sporty feeling ride. It isn't going to be like a caddy by a long shot. I still love the ride and have taken it on 4 hours hwy trips with no complaints from me or my wife. Here is a review I did on the ride after the install...
http://www.streetfire.net/video/koni...iew_689705.htm
http://www.streetfire.net/video/koni...iew_689705.htm
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From: San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Thanks for the info. I'm certainly not looking for the floating couch feeling of my mom's DTS, but Chevy Impala would be nice. Is that type of a ride achievable on full soft?
Here is something to think about though; I'm 26 and my spine is fused pretty much from my shoulder blades to my hips. My Strano/Koni setup on my car doesn't hurt my back at all where some cars (w/ aftermarket suspensions)have hurt my back.
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From: San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
EDIT:
My mom's back problems make it so she can only ride in certain cars. You just sold me...kind of. I already ordered the shocks, but you still sold me.
I addition, I am massively sorry to hear about back problems like that. I wish you the best and respect the hell out of you!
My mom's back problems make it so she can only ride in certain cars. You just sold me...kind of. I already ordered the shocks, but you still sold me.
I addition, I am massively sorry to hear about back problems like that. I wish you the best and respect the hell out of you!
I don't think you can get to the Impala ride but I'd say if you want to get closer to that you'd have to go with double adjustable Konis. Especially if you have wheels bigger than 17".
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It's a little stiff, even on full soft it's a sporty feeling ride. It isn't going to be like a caddy by a long shot. I still love the ride and have taken it on 4 hours hwy trips with no complaints from me or my wife. Here is a review I did on the ride after the install...
http://www.streetfire.net/video/koni...iew_689705.htm
http://www.streetfire.net/video/koni...iew_689705.htm
And the stance looks perfect. Is the ground clearance an issue with headers etc.?
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: St.Charles MO
Glued to the road, yet still smooth and very responsive/sporty.
No different than any other 1.2" lowering spring, so it depends on the exhaust setup and how well the headers tuck up. I have SW headers and ORY and the ground clearance is excellent, I couldn't ask for better clearance from a header setup.
And the stance looks perfect. Is the ground clearance an issue with headers etc.?
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: St.Charles MO
The setup I am ordering right now will be Koni single adjustable with Strano springs, Strano sway bars, and a Watts link.
My wife would like to be able to drive the car up the coast from San Diego up hwy 1 to Napa with something similar to the kind of ride it can have now. I would like that option too.
So...On full soft on the Konis, but with the Strano springs, how comfortable can the ride get?
My wife would like to be able to drive the car up the coast from San Diego up hwy 1 to Napa with something similar to the kind of ride it can have now. I would like that option too.
So...On full soft on the Konis, but with the Strano springs, how comfortable can the ride get?
And from my experience setting the front konis on full soft with the lowering springs will make the ride worse.
EDIT:
My mom's back problems make it so she can only ride in certain cars. You just sold me...kind of. I already ordered the shocks, but you still sold me.
I addition, I am massively sorry to hear about back problems like that. I wish you the best and respect the hell out of you!
My mom's back problems make it so she can only ride in certain cars. You just sold me...kind of. I already ordered the shocks, but you still sold me.
I addition, I am massively sorry to hear about back problems like that. I wish you the best and respect the hell out of you!
I'm sure you know but just because it doesn't bother me doesn't mean it won't bother your mother!
Awesome vid, couldn't have asked for a better review of this setup. It was direct, blunt, and straight to the point. Looks like it is handling like an awd car! Just wanted to ask how it feels on the highway going 70mph and up?
And the stance looks perfect. Is the ground clearance an issue with headers etc.?
And the stance looks perfect. Is the ground clearance an issue with headers etc.?
Ground clearance isn't to much of a problem. As mentioned above, no worse than any other spring that drops the car that much.
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From: San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Thanks for the replies guys. Keep any insights coming, they are appreciated!
Best way I can sum this up. Firm, but much less harsh (even then stock with miles). I'm not going to jerk your chain and tell you how it give a stock ride, etc..... having lowering springs means you have both stiffer, and shorter springs on the car and those are not things you do to make the ride more cushy.
The reason many find the ride to be "better than stock" is that while it's firm, it's a lot less slam/bam, impact harshness is greatly reduced. Yes, you feel the bumps, but they don't want to knock your teeth out, bruise kidneys, and make the car quiver and shake like a wet dog.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Thats kind of the impression that I am getting. I couldn't swallow the idea of double adjustable's price point. I am not really terribly concerned, particularly with the responses I have read. My QA1s are single adjustable on the front (full loose is a 90/10 drag setup), so I do have that experience. I don't really want to be getting out to change them, so this is more of a "will the wife approve thread."
Thanks for the replies guys. Keep any insights coming, they are appreciated!
Thanks for the replies guys. Keep any insights coming, they are appreciated!
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
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From: Tempe, AZ
I am rebuilding my car to become an all around machine rather than a 9 sec. straight line toy. Currently, my car has QA1 shocks, and if I adjust them to full soft, they ride like an Oldsmobile or Buick of 15 years ago. Comfortable enough to take on a 14 hour ride.
The setup I am ordering right now will be Koni single adjustable with Strano springs, Strano sway bars, and a Watts link.
The setup I am ordering right now will be Koni single adjustable with Strano springs, Strano sway bars, and a Watts link.
Are you just looking for comfort or what?
I know the QA1s are fully height adjustable and have 12 settings for rebound/compression, so why switch?
My guess is because they ride and handle pretty poorly. They hit bumps hard, they don't offer great control so they often get turned up which makes them even worse over the sharper bumps....
They are drag shocks, and drag shocks don't have to do much very well--in fact you want them to be on the poor side because that's what promotes weight transfer. 12 settings on anything is only good if the basic setup is valved well. QA1's use a really poor piston, an even worse adjuster, and aren't even gas-charged which makes them more prone to fade as the oil gets hot and tried to cavitate.
They are drag shocks, and drag shocks don't have to do much very well--in fact you want them to be on the poor side because that's what promotes weight transfer. 12 settings on anything is only good if the basic setup is valved well. QA1's use a really poor piston, an even worse adjuster, and aren't even gas-charged which makes them more prone to fade as the oil gets hot and tried to cavitate.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Thread Starter
9 Second Club
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From: San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
My guess is because they ride and handle pretty poorly. They hit bumps hard, they don't offer great control so they often get turned up which makes them even worse over the sharper bumps....
They are drag shocks, and drag shocks don't have to do much very well--in fact you want them to be on the poor side because that's what promotes weight transfer. 12 settings on anything is only good if the basic setup is valved well. QA1's use a really poor piston, an even worse adjuster, and aren't even gas-charged which makes them more prone to fade as the oil gets hot and tried to cavitate.
They are drag shocks, and drag shocks don't have to do much very well--in fact you want them to be on the poor side because that's what promotes weight transfer. 12 settings on anything is only good if the basic setup is valved well. QA1's use a really poor piston, an even worse adjuster, and aren't even gas-charged which makes them more prone to fade as the oil gets hot and tried to cavitate.
Thread Starter
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From: San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
May I ask why you're switching from the QA1 setup to Konis? I just purchased the QA1 rear coilover kit and QA1 fronts w/ springs from Spohn and am waiting for them to come in the mail.
Are you just looking for comfort or what?
I know the QA1s are fully height adjustable and have 12 settings for rebound/compression, so why switch?
Are you just looking for comfort or what?
I know the QA1s are fully height adjustable and have 12 settings for rebound/compression, so why switch?