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Thread: CSK Koni adjustments

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Posts: 1-10 of 17
2014-09-20 02:53:34
#1
CSK Koni adjustments
I have been searching,and searching,and reading,and reading...but all the info seems to be scattered and spotty regarding adjustment of Koni
I am getting ready to install my new suspension on my B13 SER
So I am hoping you guys running CSK setups will haelp me out as well as others in the future.

My setup(for my B13 ser) is B13 hyperco with Koni Reds in custom housings at all 4 corners.
As most of you know,you must remove the spring to adjust the reds...so I am looking to find a good starting point or setup secret that may save me from disassembling my suspension a bunch of times.

I do know that the rear was set a little stiffer than front on my last setup like this,but cant remember how many "turns" they were set to.

Thanks for any and all input on this
2014-09-20 11:55:00
#2
I have run two different cars with Koni reds and hypercoils, and I had the cars at the same time, so I would drive one one day and the other the next. The first was for sporty street driving, and I set the Konis at 1/4 turn off dead soft. The other car was more for track use with less consideration of comfort on the street, and I set these struts at a full turn off dead soft. There was a noticeable difference in how the cars felt on the road. I found these settings to be consistent with my taste and expectations for their respective applications. The car with the stiffer setting was more responsive on the track but still tractable on the road. I hope that these insights help you pick the setting that you will use.
2014-09-21 02:54:16
#3
Originally Posted by billc
I have run two different cars with Koni reds and hypercoils, and I had the cars at the same time, so I would drive one one day and the other the next. The first was for sporty street driving, and I set the Konis at 1/4 turn off dead soft. The other car was more for track use with less consideration of comfort on the street, and I set these struts at a full turn off dead soft. There was a noticeable difference in how the cars felt on the road. I found these settings to be consistent with my taste and expectations for their respective applications. The car with the stiffer setting was more responsive on the track but still tractable on the road. I hope that these insights help you pick the setting that you will use.


wow,my other set on my nx streetcar was definately on the stiff side I guess.It rode great with the front somewhere around a full turn and the rear at like 1.5 turns from soft
I swear that I have seen some folks say almost full stiff rear and slightly less front(for track settings) My previous mentioned settings above were on a daily with occasional track and they ride fine for my taste.Not bouncy,or uncomfortable

So you are saying they can handle the hypercoils on that soft of a setting? Hmm Maybe I should try the softer approach on this car to see how it works.
Thanks for the info,....so did you set and front and rear the same...not a little stiffer on the rear?
My fronts have a little over 1.75 turns available....and the rears are like 2.25 available.
I am thinking 1/2 turn from soft front,and full turn from soft rear to start with???
I have a factory front and progress rear bars
Last edited by eggman on 2014-09-21 at 05-21-29.
2014-09-21 11:04:48
#4
I'm no expert on dampers, but I think that the idea is to use the smallest amount of damping that will control your springs and prevent multiple oscillations. If you use more damping than necessary, the car may feel real tight and responsive, but you are going to lose traction over uneven surfaces.

I'm pretty sure that the settings that I used for my street car are consistent with what Steve Foltz (98sr20ve) used to recommend when he was installing the inserts in housings for forum members. I just increased the damping on my "track" car to tighten it up. When I say "track" car I'm talking about a car that saw a couple lapping days a year and otherwise was on the street.

I understand the instinct to go a little tighter in the rear, but you want to be careful not to lose compliance on bumpy surfaces.

A lot of this comes down to personal preference, which kind of makes it hard because it's such a PITA to change the settings of Koni reds.

I hope this helps a little. If there is anybody near you with a similar setup that could give you a test drive, that would be a big help.

Bill
2014-09-21 16:15:47
#5
OK so if I did want to keep them the same front and rear,how does that work,when the fronts go 1.75 turns and the rears go 2.25 turns ?
Do the rears actually have more damping avaialable or is it based on percentage?
I know I am splitting hairs here ,but I just want to gain as much knowledge about this as I can
Thanks again
2014-09-21 16:34:51
#6
Short answer: I don't know.

I was looking at the Koni instructions for adjustment last night and they tend to work off dead soft and to suggest that you should make changes in increments of half a turn, perhaps implying that less than half a turn doesn't make an appreciable difference.

Since you are thinking that you want to lean toward stiffer in the rear, maybe it makes sense to go a little more off dead soft in the rear to make up for the extra range of adjustment. I'd recommend also that you double check that that difference on the number of turns front compared to rear is actually there. Koni says: never force the strut when making these adjustments.

Don't torture yourself too much. In 6 months this will all be forgotten and you will love the way that your car rides.

Bill

Originally Posted by eggman
OK so if I did want to keep them the same front and rear,how does that work,when the fronts go 1.75 turns and the rears go 2.25 turns ?
Do the rears actually have more damping avaialable or is it based on percentage?
I know I am splitting hairs here ,but I just want to gain as much knowledge about this as I can
Thanks again
2014-09-21 16:47:49
#7
Originally Posted by billc
Short answer: I don't know.

I was looking at the Koni instructions for adjustment last night and they tend to work off dead soft and to suggest that you should make changes in increments of half a turn, perhaps implying that less than half a turn doesn't make an appreciable difference.

Since you are thinking that you want to lean toward stiffer in the rear, maybe it makes sense to go a little more off dead soft in the rear to make up for the extra range of adjustment. I'd recommend also that you double check that that difference on the number of turns front compared to rear is actually there. Koni says: never force the strut when making these adjustments.

Don't torture yourself too much. In 6 months this will all be forgotten and you will love the way that your car rides.

Bill

Originally Posted by eggman
OK so if I did want to keep them the same front and rear,how does that work,when the fronts go 1.75 turns and the rears go 2.25 turns ?
Do the rears actually have more damping avaialable or is it based on percentage?
I know I am splitting hairs here ,but I just want to gain as much knowledge about this as I can
Thanks again


I actually just removed the old setup (identical setup) from the nx I sold and plan to put it on the replacement egg soon.
I always loved that setup thats why I got another NEW setup like it for my B13 restoration....I think I will wait to reinstall the old ones until after I see how the new setup rides being softer....I never had any complaints before with the old setup on an nx or B13 ...but maybe it just gonna get better from here
Even with my old setup as it was...it was a major improvement from hyperco agx it replaced ....especially over uneven,bumpy surfaces
2014-09-21 22:26:22
#8
I just bought a B13 that has Koni reds in stock non-shortened housings, on stock springs, and plan on swapping my Hyperco's over to it. Are either of you running them shortened?

C
2014-09-22 01:56:19
#9
Originally Posted by Chriscar
I just bought a B13 that has Koni reds in stock non-shortened housings, on stock springs, and plan on swapping my Hyperco's over to it. Are either of you running them shortened?

C

Yes mine are both shortened setups done by Motivational.I cheated and bought them instead of building them.
The first set was used(put them on my nx)...and I just happenned to stumble on a NEW set just like them that someone had in storage for quite a few years still wrapped in plastic!!!
Bought those and some new Hypercos to go on my B13 since it was being somewhat restored.
2014-09-22 13:39:37
#10
You didn't happen to take a picture of them before they went on the car, did you?
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