Hat's off to Koni NA

So this past weekend (thur-Sun), wife and I drove out to Jersey to visit our two nephews for a couple days. Facetime is great, but real "in person time" is better. Drove the Super Kia back on stock springs, stock front struts and Koni Sport rear shocks.

Now, the ride before on stock was somewhat... umm... disturbing. Rear axle tramp on mid-corner bumps, harsh ride and just terrible control in general. Lee Grimes helped me test fit the Veloster rears on it last spring, but then I ended up on the coilovers all summer long.

What a hugenormous difference. I know Steve mentioned how much better rear shocks on his Elantra made it drive but holy crap. Ride softened up without being bouncy, was controlled and just plain pleasant. No axle tramp, hop or jittery-ness what so ever. high speed corners are no longer a white knuckle experience. Just completely transformed the car. Seriously, nice job Koni. If I wasn't a fan-boi before, well you just made me one.

The fronts were getting confused at times with some of the rougher Jersey roadways. The worst was the onramp from the GSP to I-287. Now I need to find some used Veloster struts to shove a pair of fronts into it.

We have Koni sports on both the MR2 and Integra. I lerve them. When I was still running stock springs on the MR2 the ride was great. Not quite as forgiving now with the aftermarket springs.

I had found some Bilsteins for the front of the Forte, but after this weekend, I'm going to find a way to get some Koni's up front.

They completely transformed the camaro. Rode well even on the aftermarket springs.

I have a similar experience with my 328i. It rode well on factory shocks and struts, and with Blisteins, you can feel how much better the dampening is. I'm sticking with factory springs.

My 91 Camaro is next.

I put Konis on everything I own, and I'm never disappointed.

Yeah, I'm eying a set for the RAV4 now.

Lee Grimes is the man!

I also have Konis on the E36 M3 and have been totally satisfied with them.

Koni sports on the 924s with eibach springs up frount and weltmister torque rods in the back. The best upgrade to the car ever!!!!

I even have a set on my wagon.

Ive always been a bilstein "fanboy" got them on 3 cars at the moment but last year we put a set of koni sports and eibach springs in a plain jane 03 civic and oh my god it transformed that car, my first drive converted me for life

Oh and Lee is top shelf. Forgot to mention he helped me with some tuning and setup of my car.

I've got 85000 miles on my 2011 Accord.

Would konis and stock springs be good? The eibachs add another $225. Worth it for a DD sales car at 25,000 miles a year?

It will transform the car.

dean1484 wrote: It will transform the car.

It's an Accord. Let's not get too crazy.....

It must be nice to own a car for which they are still made. I desperately wish they would periodically do small runs for older stuff which has been discontinued. I have four cars I would buy Konis for if they were available, but they've been NLA for 15 years.

Datsun310Guy wrote:

dean1484 wrote: It will transform the car.

It's an Accord. Let's not get too crazy.....

I'd go Bilstein. I love them on my Accord.

But if you can make the Koni FSD's from a TSX work(they should), I'd go that route. Lots of parts sharing between the TSX/Accord/TL.

JamesMcD wrote: It must be nice to own a car for which they are still made. I desperately wish they would periodically do small runs for older stuff which has been discontinued. I have four cars I would buy Konis for if they were available, but they've been NLA for 15 years.

I have heard that they stop making them for the older cars when the tooling go make them wears out, and it would cost $100k+ to do another run. There just isn't enough demand to be worth it to spend that much for a small run of omni or Alfa 164 struts.

You can never go wrong with koni's or mr bill stein.

JamesMcD wrote: It must be nice to own a car for which they are still made. I desperately wish they would periodically do small runs for older stuff which has been discontinued. I have four cars I would buy Konis for if they were available, but they've been NLA for 15 years.

TECHNICALLY.... Koni makes nothing for hte Forte. I still can't get Koni fronts because in Hyundai's infinite wisdom decided to make different strut housings for the same chassis. But parts sharing between vehicles on the same platform helps. Just like I'll be swapping front brakes to those of the Optima SX Turbo. Give me 12.6" rotors (over 11.8) and opens the door for infinite pad options like Hawk, EBC, etc. I'll just never be able to run a 16" wheel.

You guys might want to look a BC Racing. High quality made in Taiwan so good pricing. Suitable for street or mild competition. Adjustable for stiffness as well as height.

This reminds me I need a set of front shocks for my TR6. I have Koni single adjustable on my current TR6, and they are great. The only knock is that they need to be removed from the car (in that application) to adjust. Spax have an easier adjustment, but I believe Koni makes a much better shock.

wspohn wrote: You guys might want to look a BC Racing. High quality made in Taiwan so good pricing. Suitable for street or mild competition. Adjustable for stiffness as well as height.

Do not want coilovers in the salt belt for winter work. Ever.

Bobzilla wrote:

wspohn wrote: You guys might want to look a BC Racing. High quality made in Taiwan so good pricing. Suitable for street or mild competition. Adjustable for stiffness as well as height.

Do not want coilovers in the salt belt for winter work. Ever.

Presumably because of exposed piston shafts? But you can always use a plastic upper shroud to keep splash off them (some come with that anyway).

In reply to wspohn:

From my experience, no. Its because of the threaded coil over.