Koni Insert Info

[GV27]

Thought you guys might be interested in the Koni street catalog. The catalog has cool stuff like diagrams and information about the WRX inserts, as well as the rest of the line. Interestingly, it says the WRX inserts are rebuildable. It also says they have services available like custom valving and conversion to double-adjustable. I've already enquired about what services like that cost. I'll let you know when I get the answer.

www.koni-na.com

http://www.koni-na.com/pdfcatalogs/KONI2000StUpdt.pdf

[Big Sky WRX]

Koni + double adjustable = very nice!

The only thing I don't car about Koni (or KYB) is that they don't utilize a inverted design- interestingly KYB makes the v7 struts so they obviously have the capability to do it.

My ultimate strut- 40mm piston, inverted and double adjustable.

Chris could you put that order in for me?

Mike

[GV27]

Sure. How much you think those'd run? About $100 a strut? $150?

[GV27]

Something like this, perhaps?



It's an insert - should be really easy to install.

http://www.koni.com/_racing/_damper_...2817/2817.html

[Big Sky WRX]

Shouldn't be much over $100 should it . Easy install, little tig weld here and there .

Actually I need to write Leda, I think they did have some double adjustable struts for the WRX (same spring seats), I'm also pretty sure they were fairly beefy.

Big Sky

[Big Sky WRX]

here they be:

[GV27]

I dunno.....those shafts don't look 40mm inverted.....

Back on topic, I got an email from Koni answering some questions I had. The catalog kept talking about mating them with lowering springs, hence the first question. Gordon Benson was the guy from Koni answering my questions.

a) I'm planning to run them with uprated Subaru STi springs that leave the car
at the same height as stock rather than lowering the car. Will this cause me
any problems?

You may need to firm up the insert slightly to work with the firmer springs but otherwise it will not be a problem.

b) What are the damping rates? How do they compare to stock?

It's unfortuately not easy to say that the Sports that we have are X% firmer than the factory units. That because, unlike a spring rate which is fairly linear (F=kx) a damping rate is a curve that can be tuned to give the ride and handling that we're looking for. The Sports will be generally firmer than the factory units but are still designed to give the car a good ride as well.

c) What is the piston size?

29mm.

d) I saw on your site that you can do several custom conversions - one of
them being to convert them to double-adjustable. Is this possible on the
WRX insert? How much does a service like that cost (ballpark)?

We can not do that with a insert like that for the WRX. The reason being is that the way the insert is mounted (bolt through bottom) does not leave us with anywhere to put the compression adjuster. We can convert the complete housing into a Koni DA unit though for $530/each. Please note that Cobb Tuning also has us do this for them.

There are also the 8611 inserts available as well but fabrication must be done by the owner to make the housing a non-sealed unit. Also, I believe the housing is too small in diameter for these inserts. Dimensions and more information on this can be found on our website in the motorsports catalog at
www.koni-na.com/catalog.html

If you have any other questions, please let me know. Thanks.

Gordon

I sent him another e-mail regarding adjustment and their rebuild service. I'll post that when I get it.

Chris

[GV27]

More emailed answers from Gordon @ Koni (answers in blue again):

e) The catalog says that the inserts are rebuildable. How much is
the rebuilding service? Is there a core exchange program?

To rebuild an insert is $140/each but this should really only be done if the insert is being revalved since the inserts are still readily available. There is currently a 6 week turnaround here which is actually about normal from January to about October. There isn't a core exchange program for rebuilds. For warranty (www.koni-na.com/warranty), we can replace units in advance though.

f) How many steps of adjustment are there? Or is it infinite?

There are about two turns of adjustment in the inserts (if I recall correctly). It is infinite to the point that you can go anywhere within the range of adjustment. That said, you're really not going to feel any huge differences in anything under about a quarter turn.

(that's comparable to 9-positions, boys and girls)

g) The catalog says that full "firm" is typically about twice as stiff as
full "soft". Would this be about right for the WRX?

It's close enough. I don't have the numbers in front of me currently but the full range is quite large. When we've done comparisons between other adjustable shocks out there, our range is much much larger (3-4 times as much). If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks.

So rebuilds aren't cheap, but you can get them custom-valved at the same time. NICE! He doesn't specify, but I know that when you get motorcycle suspension rebuilt, they'll put in different valving for little or nothing - the valves are often replaced as part of the rebuild anyway.

[Big Sky WRX]

Good info. Looks like the Koni's are a little beefier than oe 22 vs 29mm, damping sounds like it would work well for the STi offerings.

[GV27]

Part Numbers:

Front Pair: 8610-1351 Sport

Rear Pair: 8610-1408 Sport

[Big Sky WRX]

Did you order a set to go w/ your RA springs?

Big Sky

[thechickencow]

Originally posted by Big Sky WRX
Did you order a set to go w/ your RA springs?

Big Sky

I'm tempted. These would be VERY nice for autox I think.

[GV27]

Originally posted by Big Sky WRX
Did you order a set to go w/ your RA springs?

Big Sky

Yupper! My daddy bought the front pair for me for my birthday. I had some she-money to buy the rears. They just arrived today! I'm hoping to install them this Saturday. Not sure how long it will take - the insert process is a bit of a wildcard.

[Big Sky WRX]

Lucky you. I read a very good tutorial somewhere (it was kind of an offbeat location unfortuantely), that helps a bunch doesn't it .

Mike

[GV27]

In the tech reference sticky! It's actually for an Eclipse but it's the same. I'm just not sure how long the hacking and drilling will take.