Koni Sport / Koni SA

[Apps]

Ok, I have H&R sports in the car. It is a daily driver. The ride frequencies are about the maximum I want for a daily (similar to NSX and Mclaren F1 by chance) so no get coilovers talk in here. I'm looking for a damper that will work with these rates. My experience with Bilstein Sports at these rates is unacceptable. Far too much rebound damping in the Bilsteins...

I have contacted GC, and VAC about the issue and they have off the shelf Koni's they can provide but I have gotten no indication of how close the valving will be.

So what to do? Should I send the Bilsteins back for re-valving (65 per damper plus shipping)? Should I buy Koni SA's or Sports and hope the damping range will be close?

Velocity vs. force for any of the dampers mentioned would be welcomed. Experience with anything related to this setup would also be welcomed.

Thanks for your help.

[jlevie]

Bilstien sports are about right for H&R race springs and are really too much for H&R Sport springs. Koni SA shocks, set to 1 to 1-1/2 turns from full soft should be about right.

[jasonsnoddy]

i have a pair of koni SA fronts, 280 shipped. fyi ha.

[Wh33lhop]

It has been my experience that Konis tend to have noticeably less high-speed/initial damping than Bilsteins. If you are looking for better ride in addition to adjustable rebound I would look no further.

Incidentally, the F1 and NSX, while they handled alright out of the box, were not really that stiffly sprung stock. In fact amongst people who have actually driven them, the F1 was not known as much of a handler.

[Apps]

All, thanks for the info. Koni SA was the way I was leaning anyway after looking at a few scale-less velocity plots across the interwebs.

It has been my experience that Konis tend to have noticeably less high-speed/initial damping than Bilsteins. If you are looking for better ride in addition to adjustable rebound I would look no further.

Incidentally, the F1 and NSX, while they handled alright out of the box, were not really that stiffly sprung stock. In fact amongst people who have actually driven them, the F1 was not known as much of a handler.

This is true but there is a reason even the "sporty" street cars have these low ride rates. You won't see any OE doing anything different for a true street car. The Mclaren was amazing for the focus of suspension on keeping the compliances along distinctly oriented axis'. It does generate quite a bit of roll before reaching the limit though...

Handling is a very subjective term...It seems like what your talking about (and what most on this forum discuss) is gain and delay. To an OE there are many more concerns for handling in various steering responses (torque reaction, torque buildup, frequency sensitive torque, steady state gain, delay, etc...). So for sure the Mclaren wouldn't stand up to a gain and delay battle with any coilover'd e30 with high rates but then that's only a small portion of the "handling" scope of the vehicle.

What the NSX and F1 have that the e30 will never have is a much better polar moment (for turn-in), SLA setups that deliver much larger camber gains, lower CG, and wider track...which all add up to large benefits for handling and importantly weight transfer and the understeer gradient.

I'm out to make my car comparable as a daily...no race car for the road for me.

Thanks again for the input...and feel free to add more if you'd like.

[Victell]

What shocks did you decide on and how do you like them?

Also do you have a 325 or 318?

[taiden]

Koni dampers are essentially the best dampers you can buy in any price range. Some will argue this fact, many will lose the argument.

My civic with 450/450 rates and Koni sports rode better than when it was on stock springs and GR2s.

Koni's method of spring control is to use adjustable rebound and very light dampening. That means that bumps are not so harsh.