Koni Yellow / Stock Shocks

[joshritger]

I was reinstalling my stock rear shocks today and noticed that the koni yellow that I was taking off were about an inch longer than the stock ones. Has anybody noticed this? I am just curious since I have had all sorts of handling issues with my koni yellow on the rear of my car, well not so much handling, but ride quality and noise issues. I still have the koni on the front and like them there, but I couldn't get them balanced decent on the rear. Take a look at the pics and let me know what ya think.

Josh

 

[cali_axela]

They're not really longer when installed... there's just as much shock travel as with the stockers -- it just looks like the Yellows will have more preload. Nothing wrong with that..

 

[joshritger]

Thanks for the input, the other question I have is whether or not anybody else has run the Koni Yellow with stock springs. I am very dissatisfied with the ride quality, especially the rear of the car. I would like to know if anybody else has had this issue. Also if they have changed springs what their impression was of the ride after the springs were changed.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[halo0]

What kind of ride quality problem did you have with the Koni's? Did you try adjusting the softness?

 

[joshritger]

The ride is very harsh, it seems to skip over the road alot. I feel it both in the front and back. I am beginning to wonder if my racingbeat swaybars are the culprit. I have adjusted both the front and the rear many times. I have tried many different combinations. I got sick of adjusting the rear and that is why I put the stock ones back in the rear. The ride is slightly less harsh, but still not what I expected. I put the swaybars in at the same time as the shocks so I am not really sure which is the problem.

 

[halo0]

I've got the koni's in with my prokit and have them set on half soft. For the most part I think they ride fine, but I do get the "skipping" feeling sometimes when there are lots of small bumps in just the right pattern like on one of the roads I drive on often. I would tend to think that would be due to overdamping, i.e. the dampers set too hard for the given spring rate. I've yet to try to adjust mine because it's really only that one specific road where it happens and everywhere else they are fine. I assume you tried the "full soft" setting?

The yellows are their "Sport" shock and they are really designed to be used with lowering springs, so it's possible that even the softest setting is not soft enough for the stock springs.

 

[joshritger]

That is what I am hoping. I had originally ordered the koni fsd but they were back ordered 3+ months when I ordered them so I got the yellow instead. I originally intended on getting the racingbeat springs to go with the setup, but didn't have the money at the time. I may still get the springs when I get more money.

 

[halo0]

Yeah as long as your stock shocks are working there's probably little to no benefit to using the yellows. But once you get the lowering springs you will be loving the handling.

 

[wildfrisco]

That is what I am hoping. I had originally ordered the koni fsd but they were back ordered 3+ months when I ordered them so I got the yellow instead. I originally intended on getting the racingbeat springs to go with the setup, but didn't have the money at the time. I may still get the springs when I get more money.

My Koni FSD's are the best mod on my car by far. Stock ride quality but better handling. Less body roll, nose dive, less unsettled over large bumps @high speeds, etc. Using stock springs. In the last 13 years every car (mostly Hondas and Acuras) I've ridden in with Koni Yellows had unacceptable ride quality.