Koni Front Strut Adjustable Setting? Starting Point

[MitchaPaLoOza88]

For anyone running the Konis in the front what’s a good recommended starting adjustment for setting them at?

 

Im running a stock suspension setup on a 1602 but I’ll have bilstein sports in the rear.  Looking for a street ride but a tad stiffer.

 

i was thinking turning the strut to its stiffest setting (marked it) then I backed it off three turns.

[irdave]

I might go the other way- and turn them to the minimum setting and dial in if it feels wallowy... that's all the way clockwise.

 

Sorry- the wife had just walked in.  I've always found that I can feel everything better by having it soft and getting it moving then slowing to down to what I want.  So you're going to have to feel it, looking for a feeling of balance.  It's hard to describe over a keyboard, but I'd dial it all the way soft and drive down a test piece of road that's typical of where you'll be driving the car.  Then add a half a turn of damping (ccw.)  Do the same test road at the same pace.  Then add another half a turn, on and on, until it's just too stiff.  Then back it off to where it feels good- maybe passes the wife test.

 

Feel free to ping me.

Edited May 10, 2020 by irdave

[Son of Marty]

You have bilstein sports on the rear so IMHO you'll need to start  stiff then dial them back as needed. A 02 that is under shocked in the front is scary to say the least.

[M3M3]

Stock springs?   You have the wrong shocks in the back. Way too stiff for the soft spring rate.

 

First thing I would do is get better springs on the car.  Damper settings and rates need to match the springs they are controlling.   The spring controls the car.  The damper controls the spring.

 

Set front konis to match  soft front springs.... Full soft.

 

Stiff dampers should not be used to compensate for soft springs.

[d.hitchcock]

I think M2M3 is right, too. With stock springs you should h ave HDs, not Sports, due to spring length and shock travel.

But to answer your question ...

I have Konis in front and billie sports in back. I had to replace front Bilstein sports and couldn't find anything suitable, so went with Konis.

I have a bunch of experience with adjustable shocks in autocross on other BMWs, so I know how important correct shock adjustment can be!

I asked Ireland Engineering for their advice, and was told 2/3s of full stiff should be about right. The car drives and handles fantastic. Turn in is pretty crisp and the car carves sweepers.

Edited May 10, 2020 by d.hitchcock

[MitchaPaLoOza88]

Sorry to be a suspension noob, its one of the few upgrades that relies heavily on experience. 

 

Thank you, I will try setting it to the 2/3s. Good to know for the bilstein sports. I don't have the rears yet, I just heard a few good reviews of bilsteins in the rear with konis up front.

 

Im thinking now I should change gears and do Bilstein HD's and then Stage 1 springs from IE (rear). My goal is just a tighter street ride.

[d.hitchcock]

One thing you want to get right is pairing the dampers with the springs.

The only reason I mixed Konis & Billies was because a Bilstein strut dismantled iself and I needed something asap.

In the future, I hope to swap out to full Koni setup on both ends of the car.

Edited May 10, 2020 by d.hitchcock

[TobyB]

Quote

 

Im running a stock suspension setup on a 1602 but I’ll have bilstein sports in the rear.

 

 

Don't do that.  Just, don't.  The Bilstein curves are very different to the Koni, and you WILL become dynamically

unstable on the right kind of pavement.  I wrecked a race car doing that.  Don't do that!

 

I agree with MarshallM2D2- find a less- soft spring.  Even the ST springs will help, and not compress a vertebrae.

 

Quote

Billie HDs are designed for full-length springs. If you go to lowering springs, you want Billie sports.

 

Not for the 2002.  HD and Sport 2002 shocks and struts are the same length.  The damping is different.  The length is the same.

 

t

 

[d.hitchcock]

Hey, thank you for the info, TobyB! Sounds like you know by first-hand experience. Cheers!

Note that I am editing my previous post for accuracy, based on your information.