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Thread: Recomendations for Koni SA Shock Settings?

  1. #1
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    Recomendations for Koni SA Shock Settings?

    As most of you know (from this thread - TCKline, VAC Motorsports, or Ground Control Coilovers? ), I ended up going with the Koni SA Sport shocks/struts (front and rear).

    What I was primarily wondering now was - what are your suggestions as to the setting for the rear shocks (since I'm going to have to adjust them before installing them, vs the fronts which I can change whenever I want).

    One member mentioned the rears being set at "1 turn from full stiff", is this more or less the consensus? I don't mind too harsh a ride whatsoever, if the car handles that much better.

    ~Matt Segal

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    what springs u got? i have HR and i find that my car likes the medium setting for street and full stiff for track.
    Norman

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    H&R Sport.

    Notice how I said the backs are not externally adjustable...so I need definite setting...as in...it can't be changed once installed, only the fronts can.

    ~Matt Segal

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    mine is the same, u have to drop the shock to reset it, i left mine at 1.75 to 2 turns(3/4 stiff) in the rear, 1.25 in front for street(med); i found that any softer will make the car bounce over bumps instead of absorbing it.
    Norman

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    Now those turn amounts are turning from full soft towards stiff? (Starting at soft -> stiff)

    ~Matt Segal

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    yup, about 2.5 turns is the total range. i have mine front half way and rear about 3/4 stiff. But the beauty is u can experiement with it to see which setting u like, even at full stiff, it's not as stiff as bilsteins. TCKline told me when i bought it to set them at full soft first and then experiment from there
    Norman

  7. #7
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    But every time you adjust the back ones, don't you have to realign them?

    ~Matt Segal

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    Def's Avatar
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    I run 1 full turn from soft for the street on my rears. I have stock E36 M3 springs all around. I'd imagine you should be looking at more like 1.25-1.5 turns from soft with H&R sports and wanting good handling when you push it as well. You will feel undulations and whatnot in the pavement more, but the ride will not be harsh at all the way it is with worn out shocks. Large bumps are still easily absorbed.

    I have ext. adjustable rear Koni's BTW and I was running a little less than 1.5 turns from full soft in the rear today at a n00b autocross school. Got a little wheelspin on this bad bump in the course due to an overdamped condition in the rear, but other than that the car felt awesome(1 turn from full soft up front, not sure if I could have used more here, but I wanted the least amount of understeer possible, so I only bumped it a little).

    I run(from full soft)-

    Street:
    3/4 turns frt
    1 turn rear

    Autocross:
    1 turn frt
    ~1.4-1.5 turn rear

    2 turns is full stiff BTW.

  9. #9
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    Originally posted by segal3
    But every time you adjust the back ones, don't you have to realign them?

    ~Matt Segal
    dont believe so
    Norman

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    Are you completely removing the shock or simply raising it on a lift?

    ~Matt Segal

  11. #11
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    yeh, u have to physically twist it to make it softer/stiffer, GC sells a shock mount that makes the procedure easier, after mine was set at 3/4 stiff, i havent touched it since, when i got my setup, the externals werent available:
    Norman

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    I haven't looked under a 7-series, so I don't exactly know how the suspension is put together. But, unless the shock serves to actually locate the rear wheel, you should be able to r&r it without having to realign the car. On the E36s, the rear wheel is kept in position with the trailing arm, and the upper and lower control arms, so you can r&r the shock without affecting alignment...

    My rule of thumb is that if:

    a. You can remove the shock and the car still sits in the same position.
    b. There aren't any alignment adjusters on the shock itself

    then you can r&r the shock without affecting the alignment.

    Jim

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    Well, here's the setup on my rear suspension...

    I think the whole thing has to be removed and realigned, yes?



    ~Matt Segal

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    Def's Avatar
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    Originally posted by segal3
    Well, here's the setup on my rear suspension...

    I think the whole thing has to be removed and realigned, yes?



    ~Matt Segal
    It looks like it doesn't locate the rear wheel(with only one rear bolt), but with a spring over the strut you are probably not going to want to be adjusting it too many times.

    I suggest 1.25 turns from full soft and call it a day and work on improving your driving more than looking to shock settings to help you out.

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    I just put a set of Koni SA Sports all around with H&R sport springs. Initially I set it to 1 turn from full soft. After driving for 2 days I feel the rear setting is not stiff enough. I'm going to try 1.5 turn next. The front feels about right for street driving. I don't think adjustment can be made without removing the shock from the car. There is bump stop, etc, not to mention spring on your car.

    Cheers,

    -Fred
    98' M3/4 (sold)
    90' M3

  16. #16
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    Originally posted by Def
    I suggest 1.25 turns from full soft and call it a day and work on improving your driving more than looking to shock settings to help you out.
    That's odd considering I've spent my entire autox career so far running on blown shocks. I'd very much like the shocks and suspension that I just purchased to help me out thank you very much.



    ~Matt Segal

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    Matt-

    I may be stating the obvious here. But, I'm not sure there's much of a corelation between E36s and your 7. I think most who've replied are E36 types.

    Have you tried posing this question on the 7 Series forum?

    I have H&R springs and Koni SAs on my '97 M3/2. I can tell you that for a nice street setup I'd run about 1 turn from full soft. But, the track setup is about 1/2 turn from full stiff. Somehow, I never seem to get back to the nice street setup :-)

    If you can only do this one time, I'd do like Jim said and adjust them about in the middle of their range of adjustment.

    Jay

    From wannabe to has been in a few short years..... the older I get, the faster I was

  18. #18
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    Originally posted by LUNI2NZ
    Matt-

    I may be stating the obvious here. But, I'm not sure there's much of a corelation between E36s and your 7. I think most who've replied are E36 types.

    Have you tried posing this question on the 7 Series forum?
    However, since they are not the same shocks, i.e. the shocks I am purchasing are intended to be used on a 7 Series, and the shocks they have purchased are intended to be used on their cars, I believe that the settings should be relative in their effects.

    Other 7 Series that autocross? Here?

    ~Matt Segal

  19. #19
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    True, the shocks. But, the H&R Sport springs for the 7 may be very different in added spring rate compared to the E36. A medium adjustment on your shock may produce a different effect than a medium adjustment on my setup.

    The H&R thinking for an E36 "sport" spring might be more aggressive than a sport spring for the 7s.

    I'm not saying you're wrong. Just bringing up other points.

    There are one or two moderators that "hotrod" the 7. Not sure if they auto-x.

    Jay

    From wannabe to has been in a few short years..... the older I get, the faster I was

  20. #20
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    Right, which is why I was trying to determine the "aggressive" and "medium" ranges on an E36 so I can adjust accordingly to suit my car.

    No worries - no disagreement intended or observed.

    Simeon...and? (Umnitza has a 7 I know, but he's no longer a mod, and I didn't think he tracked/autox'ed it)

    ~Matt Segal

  21. #21
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    Originally posted by segal3
    Simeon...and? (Umnitza has a 7 I know, but he's no longer a mod, and I didn't think he tracked/autox'ed it)

    ~Matt Segal
    I can't remember. Seems to me I've read posts about someone prepping their 7 for the One Lap of America. Might have beem Simeon, not sure. Also, could have been on another forum/list.

    Jay

  22. #22
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    Yea, Simeon ran in One Lap last year, and he's planning for next year as well.

    He's running ProTrac custom double adjustable coilovers w/ external nitrogen resevoirs on the shocks

    A little expensive

    Anyway - I let my mechanic know to adjust them to ~1.5 turns from soft (~1 turn from full stiff) in the rears, and the fronts I can mess with.

    Thanks you guys for the help.

    ~Matt Segal

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