Adjusting Koni shocks

[DaMoB]

Hi all,

I’m going to be installing my Koni adjustables and Rok springs in the next day or two and would just like to know what settings you guys that have them, have them set at?

As I understand it the rears are a pain in rear to adjust so I would like to get it as right as possible first time.

I’m running on standard cse wheels at the mo. 60 profiles and find the car far too soft for my driving style (err fairly hard )

I’ve not received them yet (today hopefully) so not sure if they have preset setting adjustment or just a threaded adjustment?

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Damian

[BillJ]

I think it depends on which springs you have fitted. The Abbott springs, although lower, aren't as stiff as some others and require a fair bit of damping to work well. Mine are currently set at 1.5 turns front and rear, but I wouldn't suggest this unless you want a very firm ride. I set them up like this for the Abbott track day, and I do have another 9000 with standard suspension for long, boring trips.

I found the 0.5 turns front and rear that Abbott suggests to be too soft and actually reckoned the ride to be more comfortable and less "jiggly" set at 1 turn. This is after they've been installed for over a year, of course, and I think they have softened in that time. 1 turn on new Konis might be rather harsh.

The above applies only to my shocks on my car with Abbott springs. I know that people with other (stiffer?) springs use softer settings. I think Bubbles said his were set to 0.5 turns with his PI springs, and they felt fine to me as I explored the characteristics of his LSD in the rain.

If you're using standard springs, then I don't know. I think I'd tend towards the firm side with about 1 turn.

You're free to play with the fronts as much as you like, as they're adjustable from under the bonnet, but the rears do have to come off. They're adjusted by compressing them fully to engage the adjuster and turning while compressed. It's practically impossible to do by just disconnecting one end and it's easier to take the whole thing off and re-adjust. I've got it down to 45 minutes to do the lot. If you make sure there's lots of copper grease involved with fitting the lower end, then removal and refitting will be a lot easier, even after a while (after a year in my case).

If the rear shocks have never been off before, be prepared for difficulty in getting the bolt out, as it can seize in solid and can even require cutting. I was lucky and had no such problems.

[DaMoB]

Thanks a lot Bill,

The springs are Roc ones which were recomended for use with the Konis by Motorsportworld.

They are lower (by 40mm i think) and stiffer, but i dont know by how much yet (not arrived yet)

I do tend to prefer a stiffer ride, IMHO handling is more important to me than total ride quality, although i dont want a bone shaker

Thanks for the warning about the rears, Im also doing all the bushes at the front including streering rack,lower wishbone front and rear bushes and so on, BTW Ive been looking at your installation procedures on your site. Very helpfull indeed - thanks for passing your experiance on.

Damian

[cdcarlsson]

DaMoB,

The Konis' are far too stiff at their max settings, if you don't want a boneshaker, avoid anything past halfway stiff. (At least with Abbott springs). With my fronts set to max the car was a nightmare on bumpy B roads, 50 felt like 100mph!!!
I'm finding that nearer the bottom end of the range produces a nice compromise between outright handling and round town comfort, although its' no Jaguar.

Nick.

[JeremyFrost]

Sounds like I need to start with half a turn on my Koni/PI's that are going on next week, then.

I hope the ride ain't too bad as it isn't great with the existing Aero setup. Big bumps are fine, but it's the tiddlers that throw my standard Aero suspension. I wonder if new shocks will cope better with minor bumps? If not, perhaps I need to buy a third car......

[DaMoB]

Thanks all,

Damn- just went into town for half an hour and sods law they tried to deliver them ops:

So ill get them 2morrow.

Have spoken to the supplier - motorsportworld and they say that they get them from an euopean supplier who deal with saabs and that they come fully assembled and set up for my car

Wot a result

So ill see what they have them set to.

Will let you know how they are in a few days.

Damian

[BillJ]

Originally Posted by cdcarlsson

if you don't want a boneshaker, avoid anything past halfway stiff.

I'd agree. My Aero is definitely a boneshaker - the Konis are turned up 3/4 of the way. Brilliant for track use. Giles at Abbott didn't recommend going any higher than one turn if I was going to use the car on the road. I told him I just wanted to set it up for the track and was happy to re-adjust them after. He told me in that case that they still wouldn't recommend more than 1.5 turns for track use. This is very stiff.

[cdcarlsson]

Big bumps are fine, but it's the tiddlers that throw my standard Aero suspension. I wonder if new shocks will cope better with minor bumps?

I'm afraid you're going to be dissapointed Jez, as this is just my problem. :-? It might be that a really good shock would improve things, but the Konis aren't them. Or perhaps a different spring rate (or progressive rate springs) might help, but I havn't the time or inclination to go into an area where others (more talented) have failed.

Nick.

[JeremyFrost]

Nick,

This all seems very strange to me as the Elise has the same colour Koni's, weighs half the Aero, but does a better job of absorbing the minor road imperfections. What springs are you using. out of interest? Seems to me that the 9000 is more susceptable to canib vibration etc.. than some other cars.

[cdcarlsson]

Jez,

The're the Abbott springs which, I believe, are slightly shorter than the standard Aero springs, as well as being stiffer.
I suppose the poly bushes don't help but adjusting the front damping does help, but is not a total cure for the small bumps / potholes etc. that plague my corner of the country. (I reckon the A27 between Lewes and Eastbourne is the worst surfaced A road in Britain!!)

[JeremyFrost]

Well, we'll see next Thurs as I am having my bits fitted then! There is still something not quite right with my car as I am getting quite a lot of cabin vibration, especially at 80mph+. I have had the wheels rebalanced several times - it amazes me that most tyre companies have equipment that is out of calibration . Have also tightened up hub nuts, but it still is not quite right. I do still wonder if one of the shocks is not working as it should, so I await fitment of the new bits with interest. By the way, don't suppose you can make it to the dynoday at Power Engineering next week? I am definately going, maybe John from Elk, too - he lives in Brighton.