TripleWhite96

iTrader: (29)

I can't see these anything but better than the bilsteins having them on our other fbody.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

You must me Armando... On the way today! Thank you!

As for anyone else.... If you are interested in these, you better step on it. I have more than 5 cars sets of fronts in stock, but I'm down to just 4 car sets for the rear... That's between me, my warehouse, and Koni North America. And I just checked, there are none currently in transit. So don't wait if you want a set!

TripleWhite96

iTrader: (29)

That would be correct!

pemberton

iTrader: (1)

Please somebody review them. I am looking to buy in probably a week or two..

TripleWhite96

iTrader: (29)

I received mine today! I will have my opinion up about them in a week or two. It will be a little harder for me to judge however. It will be be getting these shocks, bmr springs, umi lower/upper a arms, founders lower control arms/relocation brackets, founders adjustable panhard bar, founders weld-in subframe connectors. Shocks/springs will be getting new shock mounts, isolaters, and seats as well to go with new ball joints in a-arms. I do own another f-body with bilsteins/eibach to compare it to though which helps. It will be fun!

vSPECTRE

I've finally gotten a chance to drive my car a couple times since install. This is my first fbody, so I can't say anything about these vs bilsteins or anything other than worn decarbons. So far they've been a HUGE improvement on ride quality. A previous owner installed sportline springs and the rest of the suspension is stock for now. The ride is firmer but not unforgiving like other cars that I've owned with spring/shock replacements.

If I can remember I'll post pics tonight.

ChevyChad

iTrader: (50)

Just placed my order online.. Hopefully they are still in stock- the website said they were in stock, so fingers crossed. Still waiting for the rep to call me and confirm.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I'm guessing you are Chad? Yep, they are on the way today.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Still have a few sets in stock, but we are getting low and fast. Like only a few car sets left before we run into a backorder status. I managed to grab a few extra sets. But looking at what Koni has (and I have on order from them) it's only a few sets.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

I'd really like to hear a detailed review from a former Bilstein HD/SLP user to compare to the new Koni's

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I think it might be a while until you do, if you do. I mean if someone already has Bilstein's they are not hugely likely to change unless the Bilstein's are old and show a lack of damping for their personal taste, or they have money to burn.

I can't directly help as I have no F-body these days myself. I have run Bilstein and Konit STR.T back to back on other cars, particularly Mustangs and find the Koni's to have better rebound control. Also have used STR.T's are on some E36 BMW's and Honda's too. Everytime they've worked the way we hoped as a shock that can deal with some lowering springs and not be overwhelmed by them. They are not a replacement for Koni Sports, they are basically a Bilstein fighter though with valving I historically like a little bit better.

TripleWhite96

iTrader: (29)

Everything is here but the front A-Arms to do my suspension. I will post side by side pictures of the cars. One with Bilstein/Eibach and one with Koni/BMR. Should be done by next weekend I hope. Just waiting on shipping from UMI.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

Sounds great Triplewhite! Real eager to hear more.

I'm the type of guy that overthinks everything when it comes to modding. I go round and round in my head about what I can live with vs what I 'want' the car to do. I've had 4 of these cars in the past and they all had different types of suspension setups as far as springs/shocks is concerned (bilstein HDs/DMS springs, QA1 Fs w/ 275lb springs/Comp 3 way rears, KYB adjustables/Eibach pro kit, SLP bilsteins/stock springs cut 1 coil, stock/stock).
In previous cars I was always hunting for better 60 foot times at the local drag strip, when I was still street driving the car 90% of the time. I've finally realized that on this 'quest' for a better 60 foot time I was slowly taking the ride quality and enjoyment of street driving the car. Our roads here suck, so what I'm looking for probably wouldn't have the best rebound control, but I do want the car to ride and handle better than stock, but not stiff or rough like the Koni adjustables have been known to have. (I have ridden in a koni/strano car, and it felt stiff, but not uncomfortable. This was on Houston highways, no city driving like I'd be doing here frequently taking the car to work or out to cruise). I'm just afraid that these 'new' Konis will be too stiff for my liking if they're closer to an adjustable koni setup on recommended settings for a daily car.
So long story short, I'm not looking for the best handling setup on the perfect road, I'm looking for the best all around setup I can find that will handle our crappy roads here on a semi-daily basis, but still handle well with a good selection of supporting suspension mods.

Greatwhitet/a

iTrader: (1)

Considering you seem to have a lot of experience. Lets hear some pros and cons from all these setups you have had on your cars. Seriously for the benefit of all considering different setups. Like: PROS and CONS- ride quality cush? and performance, cost, looks, drag, autox...

Personally, I was able to drive in a 22k mile 10th anniversary firehawk bilstein slp car then hop in a brand new koni suspension, strano spring, full sway bar upgrade car and my 20k kyb gas a just rides all in the matter of a couple hours.

At first, I thought my car rode ok..it is lowered on trimmed springs and considering it does ride ok...BUT a big BUT!!!!

I rode in the firehawk...wow buttery smooth, confidence inspiring, and much more capable of speed in the twistys...close to same spring rates just better shocks!!! HUGE Difference!! BUT BUT BUT!!!

I rode in the Koni Strano setup... Now this was more sporty/firm than the firehawk and less floaty smooth, and I am sure this is in part to the upgraded sways and springs, but it was not bad at all or uncomfortable. I really liked it personally. I thought it felt like how I always imagined they should drive. (firm, steady, and ready to do war) I am budget all the way with my car...but I understand now why KONI is the way to go. Still I may not be able to justify spending that money on the SA's with STR.T's out now, but I will certainly always know that more can be attained and will remember what it felt like to ride in such a better handling car. If the STR.Ts are just a little better than the bilsteins, and the SA's are out of your price range the STR.T's are a no brainer to me after my ride the other day. This experience was so big for me, that it has made me halt all other plans for the car until I at least get some better shock in my car used or new. Honestly, I may decide to spend my new wheel and tire plans on the SA's at full price. The setup rode and performed that well. I can't deny that I would enjoy my car 100x's more...


This is not the opinion of someone that has not rode in many "nice" cars. Nor am I a strano "groupy" (I rebelled and trimmed my springs). I have driven vipers, vettes, BMW M3's M5's, just saying I know Fbodys are generally considered subpar to others in the handling and road feel dept. Koni's will "shock" most of these Fbody haters that they are even riding in a catfish or mullet machine, and in MHO are possibly one of the best mods you could do. Granted we are in a recession, and they are still 1000$. (I still want them)

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

I don't want to ***** this thread up too much, so I'll start my own on the subject in case theres more interest.

Greatwhitet/a

iTrader: (1)

Photo chop... please do. I am interested.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

These are NOT Koni Sports or replacements for Koni Sports. That said, most folks who have Koni sport tend to run them more than full soft anyway. Having a big range you are kind of pigeonholing them, and to be honest I'm not sure where the comment about the Koni's having a stiff or rough ride is coming from. In fact in the very same sentence you say you've been in a car with Koni's and my springs (which are not stock kind of soft) and found it stiff, but not uncomforable, so I'm a little confused.

I think you are making a common mistake that many do, and that is blaming or praising shocks or springs for things that might not be their doing. I certainly won't claim that lowering springs are for everyone. The best handling will come from Koni Sports and swaybars if you want to keep stock springs.

STR.T's are basically Koni Sports set full soft. I can 99.99% guarantee that the car you rode in did not have the shocks set full soft because I don't ever recommend that for my springs. But remember you were in a car with 550/150 springs vs. the taller and softer 292/115ish springs. Context matters.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

Sam I respect your opinion and insight more than most around here due to your research and real world testing.

The fact is that I'm not building a race car. I'm building a 85% street car/10% drag strip car/5% road race car. I want lowered, I prefer that look as most do.

Our roads here suck. When I say stiff I mean jarring. When I stay stiff I'd compare it to more harsh than a factory handling car such as a '13 Boss 302 or a '13 1LE. I've ridden in both, and I felt they both had a comfortable ride - which would be my personal 'limit' to what I could tolerate daily for a handling oriented suspension. I realize that Koni Sports have a 'big range', but when you compare that range to a SLP Bilstein, aren't the SLP Bilsteins softer than the Koni Sport could ever be? I'm just going by what I've heard from users that have had both. Lots of guys here have commented that they found the ride too stiff with Koni Sports, nearly all of them running your springs or the copy-cat BMR versions. This isn't necessarily what I'm after.

I've been happy with Bilsteins in the past, and will likely run them again on this car. What I'm curious about is if the STR.T's will allow for weight transfer as well as the Bilsteins have on previous cars I've owned, and if the STR.T's feel much more harsh or stiff than the Bilsteins do. I'd prefer more control, but I also don't want to sacrifice ride quality. As I mentioned in my other thread, after having several different spring/shock combos on various cars in the past, I felt the DMS spring/Bilstein HD shock combination FELT the best street driving in a daily type setup. I know they may not be 'ideal' going by the sheer mechanics/how they work with spring rates and valving, but I enjoyed driving this car the most. It was a good compromise for what I was doing with the car. My focus has gone away from drag racing some, but I still want to be able to take it down the track and cut sub 1.8 60's in suspension I can drive on daily and do anything with.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Wow that's a lot.

Let's see where to start. A Boss 302.. has 135 or so front springs. It's VERY soft I wonder why it ride like it does? In fact the wheel rate is pretty similar to a 4th gen's wheel rate on stock springs.

If you want to lower it you have to go stiffer. The springs are in fact stiffer. As for the guys complaining about ride quality, I dunno I sure don't see that very much we must be reading different things. But there is A LOT involved in ride. The spring rate, the shock setting the control arm bushings, even how much air (and the type and size) of tires. It's painting with a broad brush to say it comes down to one thing. Maybe the cars you rode in would have been fine for you with the shocks set elsewhere? Hard to say without knowing where they were set. Also if you compare a car with urethane or rod-end control arms, that will ride harder than one with stock bushings, so on and so forth.

Bottom line, you have to make a decision. Do you lower the car and cut some suspension travel and up the spring rate, or do you leave it higher? Certainly the "BEST" ride will come from taller softer springs with excellent shocks. Gotta pick your poison, I just think you are kind of giving the Koni Sports a bum rap based on riding in cars with them, but also with many other things different.

Which leads me to...... the fact you could run Koni Sports on stock springs and use the lower perch to get a little drop out of it. This rides really well. NEVER did anyone ride in my Camaro back when it was running in F-stock (meaning I had to run stock springs) out on the roads here in Western PA and wasn't hugely impressed with how the car worked. I would hit big bumps on purpose to show them how well the car worked. Without fail those people bought Koni's. But at the same time the car was so taut and buttoned down with the good shocks and stock springs (and a front bar) that they would almost always assume it had to have more done to it, and were surprised when I said no.

I guess this is the thing that makes my job tough sometimes. It's hard to get folks to understand, particularly when you are talking online vs. on the phone, that things aren't always as simple as they seem.

I'll leave you with this. You get what you pay for, typically. Koni didn't build these to replace Sports. They are Bilstein/Tokico fighters and fill that part of the market nothing more, nothing less. I tend to find Koni to be better at rebound damping than the others, like most European stuff and their warranty service is typically the best so I'll lean that way, almost always.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

I appreciate your feedback Sam. I know it's difficult to please everyone, it is largely opinion based, lots of other factors, etc. I'm building this car with different intentions than previous, so I may just try out these new Koni's just for something different. I'll keep an eye out on this section to see what folks have to say. My cars literally in pieces at the moment, and I'm shooting to have it back on the road next summer, I'm in no hurry