Konis installed, Fun, Fun, Fun!

[1ptturbo]

Installed konis yesterday, awesome! Full firm on the front and 1/2 turn from firm on the rear. Not your grandmothers ride that is for sure. A little bumpy on the freway, but I don't care and if the wife does not like it well, guess what! In the twisties it is fabulous!

Just to let you know before installing them pump them up and down to balance them out. If there is gas trapped in the shock when you push all the way down it will slowly rise and then jump up, push them down until they no longer jump up. This goes for any shock!

I wish the rear camber was "easily" adjustable. Front camber -.8 deg. Front total toe .2 deg. Rear camber 0 Rear toe .28, Need to shim the rear spindles the right side actually has very slight + camber. I recommend -1 deg.


FYI, I have eibach springs and bars.

[RallyDRock]

i tried a firmer setting in the rear at first and the freeway hop was annoying.
I LOVE my konis, they were worth every penny, enjoi

[1ptturbo]

quote:Originally posted by RallyDRock

i tried a firmer setting in the rear at first and the freeway hop was annoying.
I LOVE my konis, they were worth every penny, enjoi

Where did you end up setting yours? I will tell you, we could really use a LSD to help with cornering or coming off the corner so you spin the tire!

[nozzano22]

Shimming the rear was not that bad. Mine has drum brakes in the rear so the worst part about it was putting the shoes and assorted springs back together. Other than that, the wheel comes off, the drum brake comes off, then the brake parts, then the hub. I inserted the shim and put it all back together.

My front end shop sold me the shim and gave me the one page print out to show how to align it on the hub and where to notch it out for the studs.

Not too bad if you do it, I can also send you the pages from the manual to help just let me know. You will need one big socket, 30mm? and a breaker bar, there is one nut in there that is tight!

Mike

[RallyDRock]

[/quote]Where did you end up setting yours? I will tell you, we could really use a LSD to help with cornering or coming off the corner so you spin the tire!

[/quote]
went full soft up front and then turned 1.5 times to firm.
rears are 1 turn off of full soft.
i think it would differ depending on the springs. the adjustment is for rebound only.

my right rear bearing is starting to growl a bit so when i replace the spindle i will ass a small shim to give me a touch of neg. camber in the rear. even now it feels good and my tire wear has been even but i know ther is more to be had.

you are right about the LSD. contemplating installing the Phantom grip pinion locker when i do my clutch early next year.

[1ptturbo]

Nozzano22,
Did you shim the rear after your alignment? Let me just say that when you align a vehicle the front tires are aligned off the rears. You need to align the rear and then the front. If you changed you rear alignment then your front alignment is way off and how do you know where your rear toe is at now? When you shim the rear spindles you need to shim for camber and toe at the same time and camber has an effect on the toe angle. Maybe I just misunderstood you? LMK

[kromans]

quote:Originally posted by 1ptturbo

Installed konis yesterday, awesome! Full firm on the front and 1/2 turn from firm on the rear. Not your grandmothers ride that is for sure. A little bumpy on the freway, but I don't care and if the wife does not like it well, guess what! In the twisties it is fabulous!

Just to let you know before installing them pump them up and down to balance them out. If there is gas trapped in the shock when you push all the way down it will slowly rise and then jump up, push them down until they no longer jump up. This goes for any shock!

I wish the rear camber was "easily" adjustable. Front camber -.8 deg. Front total toe .2 deg. Rear camber 0 Rear toe .28, Need to shim the rear spindles the right side actually has very slight + camber. I recommend -1 deg.


FYI, I have eibach springs and bars.

I know the feeling. Riding on rails. Have the Koni's set all around @ first notch.Eibach's front & rear sways w/pro kit springs. BTG strut bar and Conti-Extreme's 215-50-17.Waiting on S1.

[purple04]

[quote Let me just say that when you align a vehicle the front tires are aligned off the rears. You need to align the rear and then the front. [/quote]
While true that alignment is all four and that they must be aligned to each other, the front alignment (toe, caster, camber) is not changed by a camber change in the back, or any properly set rear toe. The rear must be even and centered in relation to the body and the front, but if it's correct now, changing the camber (to say, -.5) on both sides won't require changing the front to compensate. A GOOD alignment and SAI check will make sure everything is properly working. Alignments are a 'get what you pay for' deal. The cheap coupon place has a low paid guy who hooks it up, runs the numbers and sets the toe. A good place should have a guy who interpets the numbers, listens to the customer and gets the alignment where the local conditions (more/less road crown), vehicle mods (different wheels/tires, shocke/springs and/or lowering) and customer driving habits all reach the best compromise. A bunch of camber and toe OUT is best for autocross. A bunch of caster with less camber and toe in is best for straight line commuting.

[Mr.2U]

Thanks for the heads up on the koni install,
ive got a rear set coming,
going to start with a set of BTG rear springs
and konis, to get the car level, and under
better control.

then maybe the sway bar set .

[1ptturbo]

quote:Originally posted by purple04

[quote Let me just say that when you align a vehicle the front tires are aligned off the rears. You need to align the rear and then the front.

While true that alignment is all four and that they must be aligned to each other, the front alignment (toe, caster, camber) is not changed by a camber change in the back, or any properly set rear toe. The rear must be even and centered in relation to the body and the front, but if it's correct now, changing the camber (to say, -.5) on both sides won't require changing the front to compensate. A GOOD alignment and SAI check will make sure everything is properly working.
[/quote]
You say it won't change the toe but then you say you should go have it rechecked? I thought you said it would change nothing?
It would be very hard not to change the rear toe angle when adjusting rear camber, especially when using shims! Maybe and I mean maybe you could get away with it if you have zero rear toe in/out. If you have either toe in or out you WILL change the rear toe when you adjust for camber and in turn change the front alignment. I do this every day so I feel pretty confident in my position.
Rear toe in actually helps in cornering so I am not sure where you got your info?