HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni's!!!

[Kurt 97 GTS]

HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I am going to be adding Eibach's and adjusting my stock Koni's this weekend and was hoping to get some imput on the adjustment of the shocks. I know that many go with max dampening up front (fully compressed then back off maybe 1/4 turn?) but was curious as to the rear shock adjustment. Should I back this off max dampening maybe 1/2 or more of a turn?

Your help and suggestions on what to do is greatly appreciated!!

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I have had the fronts on full stiff ever since I knew you could do this, rears to 1/2 to 3/4 stiff. If you autocross, you'll enjoy the 3/4 setting, if you road race, it's going to make you pay a little more attention in bumpy curves.

Maybe someone can add comments; I had these settings with the OEM springs and liked the front-rear balance of the shock settings, then modified the OEM Konis to accept threaded sleeves and aftermarket springs. I had 450 front, 650 rear, now have 550 front, 800 rear, both times still found the full/three-quarter shock setting about right. (I know, cheap way out, and I really should try the good shocks. Sometimes ignorance is bliss...)

 

[HOLD TYTE]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I've had the Eibach's installed and the shocks adjusted 1 and 1/4 turn at all 4 corners for about 2 months now. The car has only been on the street. Huge difference in the way the car turns in, handles, and especially the way the rear follows.. much better than stock.. There is a little more bounce in the ride but not gut busting at all. Good Luck..

 

[jrkermode]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Mine are adjusted 1/4 less than full hard (front and rear). On the street, it is a little annoying. On the track it is, still too soft in the rear.

 

[Kurt 97 GTS]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Thanks guys, this is helping. Can anyone confirm that there is a total of 1 3/4 turns from min damp to max damp?

 

[GR8_ASP]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

1/2 back and 3/4 front with Eibachs. I can'r rememeber how many turns. I just turned it lock to lock and halved for the rear and turned back a quarter in front. Seemed to work well.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

The Koni Motorsports.pdf I got somewhere online says model 8240 are 3 to 5 half turns. I seem to remember 5 half turns, or 2.5 full turns.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/tech.pdf

 

[Kurt 97 GTS]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Tom, thanks for the website info!!

 

[jcaspar1]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I originally adjusted my Konis to 1 1/4 at all four corners but it was a bit stiff for the street. Went to 1 turn at the rear and it seems better. Stock springs

 

[Paul S Lacey]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I would go with jcaspar1 set the back softer than the front on bumpy turns the rear end get squirrely.

I settles for 1 1/4 front and 1 rear seems good on the track and the road.

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I have mine 1/4 turn back off full on the rears and 1/2 turn back off full on the fronts. The lesser setting on the front suits my driving style and helps reduce understeer. Would like to have turned the rears up more, but on full on / hard they hardly move!

Tom with the higher spring rate, do you find the OE konis are still OK, ie the stiffer springs are not too much for them? I have OE GTS springs still (very bumpy roads I have to drive on), I have thought about upgrading the rear anti-roll bar?

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Nadine,
I looked into front and rear bars but ended up changing the springs. Relative to other cars, Viper sway bars are hugely expensive, and rear bars don't seem to exist at all. In fact, I found the subcontractor who make the "brand" front sway bars... I looked into having bars made but couldn't justify the cost because it was less expensive to go with springs.

I find the OEM shocks handle stiffer springs acceptably well. I can't say that with complete authority, since I have never used "high performance" shocks that would have been designed with stiffer springs in mind. These OEM shocks are fixed compression, and the adjustment is changing only rebound; hipo shocks would change both, either together or independently. But I can find Gen 1 shocks on eBay for $20 pair, so it was worth doing a little machining to see how it would turn out. I posted a step-by-step article Nov 2002, but here's the end result:

If you can find a friendly machine shop, they could do all four shocks in a day easily. The threaded sleeve, nut, spring hat can be found as a set from race parts suppliers for about $60. Be sure to get the spring hat with the diaper pin and the hole for the tie wrap to prevent a short, stiff spring (that might be totally unloaded if flying over curbs) from coming loose. A set of four springs is $400 to $600?

The OEM springs are said to be 250 front, 450 rear (and since the leverage of the control arms is different, this doesn't mean the rear is stiffer than the front.) The 450/650 combination is quite nice, still very street friendly, less prone to bumpy-road-rear-end-dancing than the early ACR. My current 550/800 is probably over the top if you have moderate bumpy conditions. I chased the springs rates for a while, and here's a summary of the non-winged car "data set" I used:

OEM-----------250/450
Roe------------325/550
ACR (early)--400/750
Woodhouse--450/650
ACR (later)----500/1100 but many went to 500/800
me------------550/800
Verges-------600/800

Anyway, for me it was under $600 total, some time in front of the lathe, and besides being able to set up the car, I can also lower the car.

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Thanks Tom, for once again sharing your knowledge and wisdom with us. I'm very glad I asked now, you're abilities are an asset to Viper nation.

 

[GTS Jeff]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

For those that set all shocks at the same turn in, you are probably way off as I just had my shocks dynoed. And to give you an example, I had to set one at 3/4 turn and the other just over 1-1/8 turn to have them equal. The adjustments get progressively bigger as you turn in. It wasn't much to have them dynoed ($100 for all 4) and now I know that they are as matched as possible. The shop said had I just set them all equal I would have been way off. (full size picture in the media section)

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/tech.pdf

If as Tom indicated we have the 8240s which have a total adjustment of 5
half turns how are those of you doing quarter turns? Some have indicated they are doing 1.5 on front and 1.25 on rear and others are doing 1.25 front and rear. Do you hear clicks at each adjustment interval and does it equal a quarter turn or a half turn? If you are doing 1.5 on front how many half or quarter turns are you backing off(counter-clockwise) from full max setting(all the way clockwise)?

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/tech.pdf

If as Tom indicated we have the 8240s which have a total adjustment of 5
half turns how are those of you doing quarter turns? Some have indicated they are doing 1.5 on front and 1.25 on rear and others are doing 1.25 front and rear. Do you hear clicks at each adjustment interval and does it equal a quarter turn or a half turn? If you are doing 1.5 on front how many half or quarter turns are you backing off(counter-clockwise) from full max setting(all the way clockwise)?

Any help please?

 

[Jerry Dobson]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

5 turns? Do we have the same shocks? From lock to lock I have 1 3/4 turns total.

You must depress the shock fully and engage at the base, it will be set at min....while depressing, turn the shock tower and you will feel it stop shy of 2 turns. You will not feel any clicks. Watch how much slower it now returns to fully extended.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

No, there are no clicks, it just feels like you are tightening something. At "0" turns and at "2.5" turns you'll feel the stops, but the middle is simply an increase in friction as you turn it (as I recall...)

It's no big deal to go full counterclockwise, mark the position, then full clock wise and mark the position. Then adjust how you wish.

Nadine's style is proof enough that everyone has their favorite. Mere mortals, however, might prefer to have the front stay in front and not have the rear come around too easily, so setting the fronts stiffer than rears is typical.

OEM setting is full soft; at full stiff you will have occasional skipping over bumps. (Note: unless you have genes like Nadine, you will not want the rear skipping over bumps.)

As above, I have the fronts full stiff, and you'll feel like the front end swings left and right in quite a snappy fashion! Kind of like having good throttle response. The rears set at 2.5 half turns keeps up nicely. At stiffer than that, you'll be either "neutral" or easily be able to have the rear end lead the dance. It's all driver preference.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

No, there are no clicks, it just feels like you are tightening something. At "0" turns and at "2.5" turns you'll feel the stops, but the middle is simply an increase in friction as you turn it (as I recall...)

It's no big deal to go full counterclockwise, mark the position, then full clock wise and mark the position. Then adjust how you wish.

Nadine's style is proof enough that everyone has their favorite. Mere mortals, however, might prefer to have the front stay in front and not have the rear come around too easily, so setting the fronts stiffer than rears is typical.

OEM setting is full soft; at full stiff you will have occasional skipping over bumps. (Note: unless you have genes like Nadine, you will not want the rear skipping over bumps.)

As above, I have the fronts full stiff, and you'll feel like the front end swings left and right in quite a snappy fashion! Kind of like having good throttle response. The rears set at 2.5 half turns keeps up nicely. At stiffer than that, you'll be either "neutral" or easily be able to have the rear end lead the dance. It's all driver preference.

Tom, thanks for the detail. I'm unfortunately a mere mortal and prefer a little under-steer versus snap over-steer so I'll be setting the fronts firmer than the rears. However, I have one clarifying question which concerns your following comments: "The rears set at 2.5 half turns keeps up nicely. At stiffer than that, you'll be either "neutral" or easily be able to have the rear end lead the dance." If the maximum firm setting is 2.5 turns how can you go firmer than that? Also, as you have the front at 2.5(max. firm) what do you have your rears set at? Thanks.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I knew I should have written this differently. I wrote "2.5 half turns" not 2.5 turns, trying to show the rears are set half as stiff as the front. Keep asking questions, us mere mortals have to help each other out.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Thanks Tom...I should have read what was written.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Well...here is my detailed experience regarding the adjustment of my Konis in conjunction with the Eibach install completed today. First of all, each of my OEM Konis were set different from the factory. Won't detail each one, however, I'm pissed they were not the same and am glad I set them myself today and now know they are balanced. My Konis are 8240s as Tom indicated above. On the Koni link Tom provided above it states that the adjustment range is about 5 half(180 degrees) turns. However, each one of my 4 Konis had exactly 3.75 half turns of adjustment from 0(zero)full minimum to 3.75 full firm. I set my fronts to 3 half turns and the rears to 2.5 half turns. It rained today in Dallas for the first time in about 50 days(figures since my Viper was out) and the roads were pretty slick due to the release of oils/grease/dirt from the roads mixed with the water so I could not put the hammer down or take turns as fast as I would have liked to to test my setup. However, it feels really good, firmer but not too firm(rear end danced a little bit more over a couple of highway woopdedoos at speed but did not break loose. Tracks great on a couple of 90 degree turns I managed to get in during a break in the rain at about 35 mph with the rear end following nicely without breaking traction. Felt neutral at both ends and no body roll at all. Like being on rails! I like it and wish I had done it a long time ago considering the F'd up original factory settings I've been driving with since '98(only 10K miles though). Regarding the Eibachs I love the lower stance and smaller wheel well gap. Did the 4-wheel alignment also which is an absolute requirement as the settings were definitely changed due to the spring change. Can't wait for my new Forgeline SX3s from JonB!

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Hey. If they go 3.75 half turns you must have the wrong kind and you have to send them to me... never mind, you're Gen 2. Oh well.

If there's a next time, you can always go stiffer in front. Somehow only your hands notice that, while your seat mostly notices the rear. (Maybe that's redundant.)

 

[GTS Jeff]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

"First of all, each of my OEM Konis were set different from the factory. Won't detail each one, however, I'm pissed they were not the same and am glad I set them myself today "

They were set different so they would be equal, setting them the same will make them uneven. I don't know why no one will spend the 25 bucks a shock to dyno to have a better ride. And to give you an example, I had to set one at 3/4 turn and the other just over 1-1/8 turn to have them equal. The adjustments get progressively bigger as you turn in. It wasn't much to have them dynoed ($100 for all 4)

]shock dyno[/url] [/image]

 

[93Cobra]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I think its hard to tell someone what the best settings are since everyones driving style or feel is different. But I am sure there is one setting over another that must feel better for most.

I have owned 4 Vipers and they have all felt and handled diferrent. Dodge probably just installed them with whatever settings they were on.

 

[GTS Jeff]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I am not trying to tell anyone what to set there shocks at I am pointing out the fact to have them equal left to right you will most likely need to dyno them. Haveing them balanced left to right is a big thing if you care about handling.

 

[93Cobra]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

I am not trying to tell anyone what to set there shocks at I am pointing out the fact to have them equal left to right you will most likely need to dyno them. Haveing them balanced left to right is a big thing if you care about handling.

I agree

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

This thread is getting me really excited about finishing my Aldan shock install so that I can just turn the little knob to another number for adjustment instead of all the fuss above! Thanks

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: HELP - Those who have adjusted stock Koni\'s!!!

Hey. If they go 3.75 half turns you must have the wrong kind and you have to send them to me... never mind, you're Gen 2. Oh well.

If there's a next time, you can always go stiffer in front. Somehow only your hands notice that, while your seat mostly notices the rear. (Maybe that's redundant.)

Tom, my comments were concerning the Koni site and the information they have on the 8240s regarding adjustment range. 8240s are 8240s whether they are on a Gen I or a Gen II. BTW, as I indicated above, I did go firmer in the front.