Review - KONI Adjustable Sport Shocks
Page 2 - The KONI Adjustable Sport ShocksFor little more than the cost of MOPAR-replacement Touring Package shocks, I discovered I could get a set of KONI adjustable sport shocks. Now, if you've never heard of KONI, you either aren't into cars or you've been living under a rock. They are one of the most reknowned shock manufacturers in the world. They supply shocks to many professional racing teams in many different racing organizations, exotic and high-performance European car manufacturers, and they have an excellent reputation for high-quality, high-performance products. And now, apparently, they make shocks and struts for the PT Cruiser. Intrigued, I called KONI North America and asked about their shocks for the Cruiser.
I learned that when KONI designs a set of sport shocks for a car, they are designed to be the perfect compromise between comfort and performance at their base settings. From there, you can dial in an almost infinite degree of added firmness.
That "infinite adjustability", as explained by the KONI rep, has a dual purpose. The most obvious is that the shocks can be adjusted for additional firmness to suit the drivers needs or desires. The less recognized use is that it also protects against loss of performance over time. Like all car parts, shocks wear with time and use, degrading the performance and reducing the effectiveness of the shock to control the car's motion. When this occurs, adjusting the setting to a firmer one recaptures the lost composure. This ability allows one set of shocks to give improved performance that lasts for the life of the vehicle.
While they cost a little more up front than some other brands, do the math. Once you add the cost of buying new shocks one or two more times over the life of the vehicle, plus the cost of having them installed at a garage, the KONI's are a smart buy. Plus, if you're handy with tools, installing them yourself isn't that difficult and you can save yourself even more.
They arrived at my house the same day as - coincidentally - the new Nokian Hakkepellita WR tires I'd ordered for winter. It was like a PT Cruiser Christmas at our house.
The shocks for the back were in one box, and the front strut inserts were in another along with all the necessary hardware, the (super-cool) adjusting knob, instructions, and some cool "KONI Improved" decals.
The KONI instructions use pictograms (think comic books) rather than written directions because they sells shocks all over the world and as the old adage goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." They're very easy to understand.
One of the most interesting aspects of the KONI setup is that the front struts are actually "inserts" that slide into the original equipment strut bodies. After the strut removal, the bottoms are drilled for a securing bolt and the tops are cut off with a hacksaw so that the innards can be removed and replaced by the KONI inserts. While it sounds like a lot of difficult work, it's really quite easy and eliminates the cost of extra strut bodies. The rear shocks are simply an unbolt-and-replace affair. The whole project took me a Saturday.
Once on, I made sure they were adjusted down to the lowest (least firm) setting and took the Cruiser for a drive.
» Continue to Page 3, Driving Impressions
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