Koni Sport, possible the Koni race may ride better on the street ?
#1
Koni Sport, possible the Koni race may ride better on the street ?
current setup
Koni sports with GC 440/300 springs.
FCM 36mm bumpstops with NB mounts
height 12.75 r 12.5f
Not happy with how the car rides at times on the street. I know a good chunk of this might be do to the fact that I do not currently have any bracing done. I do plan to add framerails/rollbar/doorbars/frogarms in the future. I also know im in need of more travel in the rear and am planning to get ISC mounts in the rear
question I have now is would a koni race shock with say 600lb springs up front ride better on the street than 440lb springs on koni sports ??
I really wish I could jump on the Xida train. maybe in a few years but they are out of my price range for acouple years
Koni sports with GC 440/300 springs.
FCM 36mm bumpstops with NB mounts
height 12.75 r 12.5f
Not happy with how the car rides at times on the street. I know a good chunk of this might be do to the fact that I do not currently have any bracing done. I do plan to add framerails/rollbar/doorbars/frogarms in the future. I also know im in need of more travel in the rear and am planning to get ISC mounts in the rear
question I have now is would a koni race shock with say 600lb springs up front ride better on the street than 440lb springs on koni sports ??
I really wish I could jump on the Xida train. maybe in a few years but they are out of my price range for acouple years
#2
Cpt. Slow
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Don't waste any money on the konis. Is your ride bouncy? They're probably just blown, they apparently do that in 10-20,000 miles, which should be nothing for a "good" shock.
If you get anything, buy bilsteins. They should slot in with your current hardware more or less, and ride much better.
If you get anything, buy bilsteins. They should slot in with your current hardware more or less, and ride much better.
#8
Boost Czar
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I'd say the happiest I ever was with them was with the FM springs; I always regreted "upgrading" them to collars.
Even so, everytime I drive a miata equipped with Koni Shocks I know right away; When you get in the car and every single imperfection in the road causes you mild concussion and brain hemorrhage it's easy to spot. There's something about the way you hit a pothole in the road and the shocks do their best to transfer and multiply the impact through your spine and chasis that screams: Koni.
In contrast, my tiens are 400/335 and much more comfortable and inspire much better confidence in the performance area.
#9
Found this on M.net that you posted Sav
GC coilovers & Koni Race [Archive] - MX-5 Miata Forum
"The ride quality is damn good, though. I gave another member who was considering my setup a ride in my car, since he was very worried about what he might be getting into on a car he had to drive regularly on the street. 10 minutes on some nasty, bumpy backroads, and he was hooked. The setup is really nice to drive on city streets, and it doesn't feel as stiff as it is by a longshot"
Im just wanting something that can handle bumpy roads a little better than the sports without spending too much more money. race valving and new springs could be dont for less than $600 I believe
#10
Cpt. Slow
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Even so, everytime I drive a miata equipped with Koni Shocks I know right away; When you get in the car and every single imperfection in the road causes you mild concussion and brain hemorrhage it's easy to spot. There's something about the way you hit a pothole in the road and the shocks do their best to transfer and multiply the impact through your spine and chasis that screams: Koni.
Your review of Konis is going to cost me $400 for Bilsteins. Bastard.
#12
What sux is that I have Koni 8610's (Race) on my MR2 and it rides very nice on 700 front and 450 rears on the street.
Miata...not so much. Had two sets of yellows on it and still can't get the spring rates or bound setting on them to where I can say 'it rides nice' .I have been eyeing the XIDA's
Miata...not so much. Had two sets of yellows on it and still can't get the spring rates or bound setting on them to where I can say 'it rides nice' .I have been eyeing the XIDA's
#14
yeah at times they are harsh for sure. Thats why im wondering if the koni race might actually ride a little better on the street since they were made to handle higher spring rates.
Braineak, what was your setup when you had konis on your car ? mounts ? spring rates ? bumpstops ?
Braineak, what was your setup when you had konis on your car ? mounts ? spring rates ? bumpstops ?
I drive 450/300 rates with Illuminas set at 3-4/5 stiff in the front and 2-3/5 stiff in the rear, and it is wonderfully comfortable on the street. When I take them to 5/5 in front and 4/5 in the rear for autocross, then drive it on the street, it's jolty and not comfortable at all...however the overdamping does help with faster suspension response for autocross at the time.
Harshness doesn't sound like blown shocks to me, since blown shocks usually equate to a 'loose' feel.
from an ME.
#15
Harsh is usually associated with abrupt jolts, which is usually associated with an overdamped shock adjustment. If you're riding around with the Koni sport set on full stiff, then you're probably bouncing around like a pogo stick and the springs are mechanically 'soft' relative to your shock setting. Try dialing back a click in the front and two clicks on the rear and see how it feels.
I drive 450/300 rates with Illuminas set at 3-4/5 stiff in the front and 2-3/5 stiff in the rear, and it is wonderfully comfortable on the street. When I take them to 5/5 in front and 4/5 in the rear for autocross, then drive it on the street, it's jolty and not comfortable at all...however the overdamping does help with faster suspension response for autocross at the time.
Harshness doesn't sound like blown shocks to me, since blown shocks usually equate to a 'loose' feel.
from an ME.
I drive 450/300 rates with Illuminas set at 3-4/5 stiff in the front and 2-3/5 stiff in the rear, and it is wonderfully comfortable on the street. When I take them to 5/5 in front and 4/5 in the rear for autocross, then drive it on the street, it's jolty and not comfortable at all...however the overdamping does help with faster suspension response for autocross at the time.
Harshness doesn't sound like blown shocks to me, since blown shocks usually equate to a 'loose' feel.
from an ME.
#16
Boost Czar
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Harsh is usually associated with abrupt jolts, which is usually associated with an overdamped shock adjustment.
I drive 450/300 rates with Illuminas set at 3-4/5 stiff in the front and 2-3/5 stiff in the rear, and it is wonderfully comfortable on the street. When I take them to 5/5 in front and 4/5 in the rear for autocross, then drive it on the street, it's jolty and not comfortable at all...however the overdamping does help with faster suspension response for autocross at the time.
I drive 450/300 rates with Illuminas set at 3-4/5 stiff in the front and 2-3/5 stiff in the rear, and it is wonderfully comfortable on the street. When I take them to 5/5 in front and 4/5 in the rear for autocross, then drive it on the street, it's jolty and not comfortable at all...however the overdamping does help with faster suspension response for autocross at the time.
The Konis are designed for stock spring rates and have too little compression and too much rebound. They are "faster" at autox because they are actually designed to compress to the bump very easily with stock springs, and then, due to the high rebound, stay on them throughout the duration of the corner to effectively give you ∞ spring rates. The intent behind the design was to give a preformance edge for CS without getting bumped into CSP.
On a koni shock, going from full soft to any other setting makes the suspension harsh to harsher without any noticable performance benefits.
The only reason they are even popular is because they are just another bit of "m.net gospel" that the rest of us have to try to erase from conventional wisdom. You had members on that site promoting them for over ten years, it wasnt until JasonC SBB and "Shake" started really going through the efforts of finding out what's bet for the miata until the market exploded with different options that blow the Koni out of the water.
Hell, I dont think one reputable aftermarket miata parts store even still sells konis. youll typically see illuminas or bilstiens for an ots shock.
They see my konis, they hatin', trying to catch me ridin' bumpstops:
#17
Honestly I don't hate Koni's and they have been very good on my Celica's and my MR2's.
Saying that I have not in any way have found a way to get them to work on the miata for like 5 years now. I could prolly get them valved to what I want...but by that point I might as well just get me something nicer.
Saying that I have not in any way have found a way to get them to work on the miata for like 5 years now. I could prolly get them valved to what I want...but by that point I might as well just get me something nicer.