KONI FRONT SHOCKS

Shocks, Springs, Brakes, Frame, Body Work, etc

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CIGARETTEDFL
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KONI FRONT SHOCKS

Post by CIGARETTEDFL »

hi guys, wondering if anyone bracket racing with a stock style front suspension has tried using koni's spa1 front shocks?
I just bought a set and replaced my 3 way adj comp engineering shocks.
They sure seem soft on rebound compared to the 3 ways. and dosent seem like a lot of difference where they are adjusted. I havent ran down the track yet to test.
anyone have inputs on these koni's?
thanks
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speedtalk
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Post by speedtalk »

I made the same switch a while back
http://projectautos.com/69-camaro/8-racing_project.html

On my car it wasn't even close - the Koni's were better everywhere, especially at letting the nose settle in high gear.

If the rebound is soft, just adjust them. All the way tight for me, and they are just about locked.

Maybe you meant compression? That I don't think adjusts. They do seem soft on compression, but that's where they shine in high gear.

Just my experience.
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Post by CIGARETTEDFL »

Thanks Don for the input, I have been having problems hooking as of late with the high temps. One thing I noticed when I took off the old 3 ways, that the left shock was very difficult to extend in the 90-10 setting. Hmmmm. anyway will try the konis out this weekend at US131, see if I can stand it on the back bumper.
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Post by CIGARETTEDFL »

DON, ran the car this weekend with amazing results in consistancy. I love the weight transfer and settling down of the nose at half track. car ran 10.0569, 10.0569, 10.0547 with short times of 1.410, 1.410, 1.407
I couldnt be more impressed with those Koni shocks
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Post by speedtalk »

Can't beat that. I think there's two full turns of adjustment, where are yours set?
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Post by CIGARETTEDFL »

I have mine set, as a starting point, two full turns clockwise, which I belive is full soft on rebound.
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Post by speedtalk »

I also have mine set at full loose - not sure which direction that is.
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Post by BillyShope »

To obtain more equal rear tire loading during launch with a RWD beam axle car, I would suggest that you adjust the right front shock to have a much higher shock coefficient (stiffer) in rebound (extension) than the left front shock. This allows the left front to rise "quicker" than the right front and provide cross-loading of the right rear, thus counteracting the effect of driveshaft torque.
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Post by CIGARETTEDFL »

I would think you hit on a good point, however if the car is leaving straight would you still do that?
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Post by BillyShope »

Definitely! A car can "leave straight" and still be carrying a significant difference in rear tire loadings. And, the maximum performance from a tire pair is always achieved with equal tire loadings. Just ask the roundy-round racers.
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Post by speedtalk »

BillyShope wrote:A car can "leave straight" and still be carrying a significant difference in rear tire loadings.
I think that's right. I just haven't got that far in testing.
Last edited by speedtalk on Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by BillyShope »

I think you post at that "other" forum, Don, so you know what I'm going to suggest in the way of a test to "prove" that rear tire loading is equal during launch:

Pull, to the rear, on a horizontal chain that is attached centrally and at about the CG height, while the transmission is in Park, first, or reverse, and note the change in wheel loadings at wheel scales positioned under the front wheels. (Do not apply the brakes and do not place scales under the rear wheels.) If the load is removed equally from the left and right front tires, the weight transfer must then be going to the rear wheels equally. So, if you start out with equal rear tire loading, it will remain equal.

Unfortunately, this test is of absolutely no value when it comes to examining the effectiveness of the little shock absorber trick I proposed. It's only of value when it comes to determining how much preload you need or when checking out the effectiveness of rear suspension asymmetry or the use of a higher rate right front spring than left front.

(If you have done nothing to counteract driveshaft torque, more load will come off the left front than the right front.)
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Post by speedtalk »

This is really low tech, but I like to watch which way a car turns in the water box to determine preload needs.
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Post by katman »

speedtalk wrote:This is really low tech, but I like to watch which way a car turns in the water box to determine preload needs.
Can you go into more detail, please?
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Post by speedtalk »

Standing behind a car during the burnout, if the rear goes left, odds are the front will go right off the starting line. In this case, more preload on the right may help.
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