Koni SAs and stock springs

**third_shift|studios** · 01-20-2006, 11:58 AM

anybody have any thoughts on doing Koni Single Adjustables on stock springs? This is a recommendation by Sam Strano. I'd just like to know what the difference was, partiularly in stance b/c first and foremost i wanna lower my ws.6 but i don't want to compensate looks for bad performance. I know they only give you a 3/4 " drop even though i was looking for atleast 1-1.25.

Also i've been advised against the hose-mod on the rear.

**bad99ta** · 01-20-2006, 01:43 PM

You might want to go with a set of Hotchkins lowering springs which drop the car 1". I talked to Sam about lowering springs and ride quality and he said that they aren't overly stiff and their one of his top choices. He said the same about the Eibach Pro-Kit.

**01 Red WS6** · 01-20-2006, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by bad99ta

You might want to go with a set of Hotchkins lowering springs which drop the car 1". I talked to Sam about lowering springs and ride quality and he said that they aren't overly stiff and their one of his top choices. He said the same about the Eibach Pro-Kit.

Hotchkis or BMR would be what I would get. I have BMR springs and Koni shocks. Just Koni's alone won't lower the car too much and the heater hose mod doesn't really lower all that much. There is a sticky on LS2.com that has pics of a Formula with Koni's with the lower perch mod.

**Eugenio_SS** · 01-21-2006, 07:04 PM

I think that setup is better bang for the buck, getting great valving if you adjust the Koni SA right... allows to reduce costs because you keep stock springs, and also allows for a nice stance, due to 3/4" lowering.
btw, i think that with stock springs, it allows the ride to remain confortable, and with better damping, you are winning in handling and confort.
Having said that, with the $ you save, you can get stiffer spring rate when cornering, by getting a bigger front swaybar, and still cost you less than getting springs + shocks.

**third_shift|studios** · 01-23-2006, 05:45 AM

here is what Eugenio_SS is talking about...I don't see how this "lowering set up" is worth $800+

before:

after:

**bad99ta** · 01-23-2006, 05:57 AM

Your paying $800 for a set of Koni Single Adjustable shocks. They are the best shocks they make for our cars, so you get what you pay for. I just bought a set of Koni SAs (Front). I'm waiting for them to arrive. I'm going to buy the rear shocks after I get my tax return and put everything on in the spring.

**01 Red WS6** · 01-23-2006, 06:51 AM

Koni's are well worth the cash. I have had mine for a year and they are 100xs better than stock shocks.

**third_shift|studios** · 01-23-2006, 08:09 AM

i'm sure they are orgasmic shocks, but as i said b4 i want my car lowered and comfortable to drive...not just comfortable to drive. I don't wanna spend 1700 on shocks/springs/ sways just to get the damn thing 1.25" lower, even though it'll be a hell-of-a ride

**Bowtie Guy** · 01-24-2006, 04:11 PM

If you want to lower the car significantly you have to change the springs. $200 more in parts. You have to disassemble the front assy any way so the labor is the same. Do the shocks and springs at the same time and save some money on labor. My .02 .

**SSPORT** · 01-24-2006, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bowtie Guy

If you want to lower the car significantly you have to change the springs. $200 more in parts. You have to disassemble the front assy any way so the labor is the same. Do the shocks and springs at the same time and save some money on labor. My .02 .

Bowtie guy is right, springs are the best way to lower and cost less. Besides, Konis are for track driving, so unless you're racing, you're spending money needlessly on them. When my SLP-valved Bilsteins wear out--which is probably never-- I might install a set of the Edelbrock IAS shocks: soft on rough pavement and stiff on smooth, which is the opposite of the Bilstein rising-rate valving.

If you want cornering stiffness, upgrade your anti-roll bars (swaybars). I changed my stock hollow bars to ADDCO solid bars of the same size, front and rear; that and P-S-T polygraphic bushings makes a major difference. Add some negative camber to your front susp. settings and you'll fly through corners (but you'll also find that a little steering input goes a long way with, say, one degree of negative camber up front...).

**third_shift|studios** · 01-25-2006, 05:11 AM

dude...i want to believe you....but i'm CRACKING up over your avatar

and just can't!

**bad99ta** · 01-25-2006, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by SSPORT

Besides, Konis are for track driving, so unless you're racing, you're spending money needlessly on them.

I disagree with that. I talked to Sam Strano about this before I decided on what shocks I wanted and Koni's are not just for track driving. He said they are awesome on the street as well as the road course. If you lower the car and you want a good set of shocks that can handle the increased spring rate then you can go with Koni SAs ($800) or Bilstein Revalved shocks ($500). I only listed those two because they were Sam's top picks and he said that many other shocks don't do well with aftermarket springs because they are too soft. If your watching your budget then you might want to save the $300 and go with the Bilsteins if your going to get shocks. I asked Sam flat out what the BEST shocks are in his opinion for street/strip/auto-X and he told me his honest opinion was the Koni SAs. He basically talked me out of getting a set of DAs which cost $500 more than the SAs do and can be overcomplicated when trying to dial them in. So Sam was steering me away from spending even more money and to me that's an honest person. He's also a 3 time SCCA champion so I believe he knows what he's talking about.

P.S. Your avatar is hilarious!

**01 Red WS6** · 01-25-2006, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by SSPORT

Besides, Konis are for track driving, so unless you're racing, you're spending money needlessly on them.

That's like saying a cam is only for race cars.

I have Koni's on my car and they handle great. I don't do any autocross or anything like that but I will say they are well worth the money

**SSPORT** · 01-25-2006, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by dipherentdesign

dude...i want to believe you....but i'm CRACKING up over your avatar

and just can't!

That's a photo of my car in October, 2002, decorated for an annual Halloween Show & Shine (all make & model) to benefit the D.A.R.E. program in Burlington, Massachusetts. (You should see the shit people do to their cars -- I think candy has gotten into more than one air cleaner there over the years!...) The East Coast Camaro Club usually made a decent 5 to 10 car appearance. Took me a full day to measure and cut out the "shark teeth" from heavy white illustration board, and make the "eyes" to fit over the headlights. The painted name on the windshield (you can't see it) says "CAR-NIVOROUS." I actually drove it about 12 miles to the meet decorated like this -- you should have seen the expressions on drivers' faces, visible in their rear-view mirrors! One or two actually pulled over, off the road, thinking I was some kind of maniac...

On the Konis -- I never meant to say they were ONLY for track driving; they're great shocks, I used to have a set on a previous British sports car I owned. Was just saying that, because they are expensive, and if one's primary goal is to only to lower the car rather than improve the handling, it's not NECESSARY to spend that kind of money on such a high-end shock (well, "oscillation damper," to be technical about it...). Not saying you wouldn't enjoy the Koni performance, just that there are cheaper ways to lower the ride height. As always, first determine what you want the car to be best suited for (street, track, drag, cruising, combination of all, etc.), then plan your mods accordingly for maximum effeciency.

**Eugenio_SS** · 01-25-2006, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by bad99ta

I disagree with that. I talked to Sam Strano about this before I decided on what shocks I wanted and Koni's are not just for track driving. He said they are awesome on the street as well as the road course. If you lower the car and you want a good set of shocks that can handle the increased spring rate then you can go with Koni SAs ($800) or Bilstein Revalved shocks ($500). I only listed those two because they were Sam's top picks and he said that many other shocks don't do well with aftermarket springs because they are too soft. If your watching your budget then you might want to save the $300 and go with the Bilsteins if your going to get shocks. I asked Sam flat out what the BEST shocks are in his opinion for street/strip/auto-X and he told me his honest opinion was the Koni SAs. He basically talked me out of getting a set of DAs which cost $500 more than the SAs do and can be overcomplicated when trying to dial them in. So Sam was steering me away from spending even more money and to me that's an honest person. He's also a 3 time SCCA champion so I believe he knows what he's talking about.

P.S. Your avatar is hilarious!

**bad99ta** · 01-26-2006, 10:10 AM

I always like to give credit where credit is due and I forgot to add that I've been emailing back and forth with Eugenio_SS since January 9th and he' still answering suspension questions I have (I emailed him yesterday). He's been a HUGE help. Pretty soon I'm going to mail him a check for all of the Technical Support I've received

**Eugenio_SS** · 01-26-2006, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by bad99ta

I always like to give credit where credit is due and I forgot to add that I've been emailing back and forth with Eugenio_SS since January 9th and he' still answering suspension questions I have (I emailed him yesterday). He's been a HUGE help. Pretty soon I'm going to mail him a check for all of the Technical Support I've received

It was my pleasure to give you a hand... I'm glad that you won't have to do like I did and go through 5 different setups and learn it the hard way.
Just let us know how it turns out.

**bad99ta** · 02-02-2006, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Eugenio_SS

Just let us know how it turns out.

Will do!

**Tobynine9** · 02-06-2006, 06:08 AM

Hey! Are the Koni's rebuildable? And if so, how much does a rebuild cost? $800 for new shocks is a lot of dough to drop every 40-50k miles. I put about 30-40k miles on my car each year and don't want to afford that much cash for shocks every 18 months.