Koni Gold!

[Suprathai]

These arrived at my doorstep yesterday afternoon. Thanks SB!!

Koni FSD

In my little quest for a solution to increased handling with minimal disruption to daily comfort, I did a bit of looking around.

I've tried the following setups already

Stock - Quite good compared to the normal corollas, but still too much body roll and soft

Stock + King Lows - Only had a brief one week encounter, and didn't like the fact that any bumps on the road really unsettled the car

Tein Super Wagon- One word 'STIFF'

Since one of the shocks was leaking and the opposite end was a new shock (covered by insurance), my car was not at all sitting at a nice angle. So its another excuse to spend more money! :D

I narrowed it down to the following few options.

Koni Yellows

Koni Reds

Bilstein B8 Sprint

Monroe GT gas reflex

But the marketing on the Koni FSD's really got to me and I decided to give those a shot instead. Will be installing them on the weekend and hopefully it will be good. I'm tossing between standard springs or king lows. Will have to see if the shock is the same length as the stock ones, if its shorter then I'll go the lows if its the same then standard springs.

Stay Tuned

[levinboy]

These arrived at my doorstep yesterday afternoon. Thanks SB!!

Koni FSD

In my little quest for a solution to increased handling with minimal disruption to daily comfort, I did a bit of looking around.

I've tried the following setups already

Stock - Quite good compared to the normal corollas, but still too much body roll and soft

Stock + King Lows - Only had a brief one week encounter, and didn't like the fact that any bumps on the road really unsettled the car

Tein Super Wagon- One word 'STIFF'

Since one of the shocks was leaking and the opposite end was a new shock (covered by insurance), my car was not at all sitting at a nice angle. So its another excuse to spend more money! :D

I narrowed it down to the following few options.

Koni Yellows

Koni Reds

Bilstein B8 Sprint

Monroe GT gas reflex

But the marketing on the Koni FSD's really got to me and I decided to give those a shot instead. Will be installing them on the weekend and hopefully it will be good. I'm tossing between standard springs or king lows. Will have to see if the shock is the same length as the stock ones, if its shorter then I'll go the lows if its the same then standard springs.

Stay Tuned

Looking forward to see how these go, approx. did they set you back??

[Kevsta]

I remember reading about these, they're suppose to automatically adjust damping levels on the fly as you drive. Looking forward to the review.

btw. when you say Tein was stiff, did you adjust the damping levels lower ? I have them at 14 from max hard, and it rides very very close to stock sportivo comfort. The missus can't even tell the difference.

[Suprathai]

Then the set that i got must of been quite stiff. I had it on the softest setting, which is 16 from full hard. When I had it on full stiff I felt like I was riding on stilts!!

They set me back about $1300 and I thought that they would be a complete strut assembly, looks like i need to do some cutting and drilling on the existing housing to get them on.

[SuperDave]

Do these have the same part numbers as the parts sticky? If not can you post them here, or in the sticky so I can update it.

If you bought the Teins second hand the previous owner may have changed/ordered them with heavier springs. They are meant to come with 3kg/mm springs, which are quite soft, but would be good for daily driving.

[Suprathai]

Do these have the same part numbers as the parts sticky? If not can you post them here, or in the sticky so I can update it.

If you bought the Teins second hand the previous owner may have changed/ordered them with heavier springs. They are meant to come with 3kg/mm springs, which are quite soft, but would be good for daily driving.

Yeah I got the Tein's second hand, and my initial impression even at full soft was that it was stiff. Like track stiff. I'm keeping the Teins once I hit the track and the FSD's are not up for it.

Ever since I drove my brothers Liberty B4 that was the type of handling that I'm trying to acheive. (Bilstein springs and shocks?)

Part n.o for the FSD's are 2100-4068

[SILVABULLIT]

They set me back about $1300 and I thought that they would be a complete strut assembly, looks like i need to do some cutting and drilling on the existing housing to get them on.

Thai I am sorry mate I got told they were a complete assembly and NOT an insert. I checked it twice to make sure and got the same response both times. Hope this isn't a hassle for you. They do look good!!

[doublezero]

I too have the Teins super wagon and they are just comfortably firm. I wouldn't think they could be described as stiff but I wouldn't mind if they were :P

[Suprathai]

Its alright, just means that now I can say 'Its easy man, just go DIY"

lol

Unfortunately I didn't get them in this weekend and my car is sitting on chasis stands. Just need to drive the auto rolla now :(

[Suprathai]

UPDATE: I finally took it for a drive

I ended up fitting king spring lows with the Koni FSDs.

My first impression was a bit scary as the car pretty much felt like stock, so I had doubts as to whether or not this whole 'FSD' thing was a gimmick or not. The missus said that it feels more comfortable then the stock shocks and springs, granted that the stock shocks were on their way out, but still :o

But after taking the first corner at a slight 'brisk' speed, I can confirm that its a nice (big?) step up from stock. With my previous experience with lowered springs and stock shocks were very horrible, the car didn't feel that flat and bumps mid corner really unsettled the car.

With the FSDs the car handles like a dream in comparison, mid corner bumps are just bumps nothing more. The king springs and these shocks matched up quite well, although maybe eibach springs might be a wee bit better.

It feels more controlled then ever, it feels more flat going around the corner then my brothers liberty B4. Which is really saying something from a car that comes with a boxer engine, suspension is tuned by bilstein with a BMW M3 in sight.

But if we are compairing against coilovers, then I would say its a bit of hit and miss. Coilovers had pretty much no body roll and was really flat, but once you starting adding bumps mid corner then the FSD would encourage me to go faster. M

So I say for the vast majority of people out there with a daily driven car, FSD + Lowered springs maybe the way to go.

Overall, I am impressed and really happy with the end result to date. The only problem is getting over the fact that a car that can go pretty fast around corners feels nice and comfy on sydney roads, including parramatta road. Its a really strange feeling indeed.

Will give an update once I'm driving on my own and the roads have dried up a bit more :D

[Suprathai]

UPDATE

I love the car at the moment, for me its the perfect compromise between comfort and handling. Unfortunately I cannot comment on King Springs with the FSD vs the other shocks that koni supplies.

If there is one thing I must comment, then it would be the fact that the rear spring rate may be a little too soft in comparison. The rear doesn't feel like its keeping up with the front, but then again I am compairing them to coilovers. Maybe the super lows at the back might fix the problem, or its time to change tyres :D.

The teins (I may have a higher spring rate though) were great when the road was great, but for everyday streetability then I am happy with what I currently have.

Next mod would be to maybe order a rear underbrace for the sportivo and a seat to stop me from moving around so much.

[SILVABULLIT]

super lows in the back mate!! slightly higher spring rate and will improve it out of sight. also adjust the rear up to be slightly harder than the front.

[taragasaurus]

Hey SB, I opened one of the previous threads about the C-one struts and after some more reading im pretty interested in the Koni GOLD. has anyone done a DIY for the "cutting & drilling" involved with fitting the front iserts on the gold/yellow to the standard strut housing? Im looking to get a pair asap as my car is still on standard shocks & springs with everything else done now (strut brace, sway bar, CAI, muffler, wheels, tyres)

i want to fit the Koni Golds to the whiteline control springs.

[SILVABULLIT]

not hard to do and i think form memory there is a set of directions in the box they come in. PM JC as he has whiteline and koni's yellows. Works well together!!

[daviboy]

i cant download the pics of the konis from ur 1st post.

[Suprathai]

Go to 9thgencorolla.com

they have a write up on how to install koni shocks, and its pretty much what I followed.

What is the spring rate for the rears on the control springs?? cause the rear springs definitely need to be a bit more stiffer to make the car handle like it has coilovers :D

Just careful about going overboard or you will have oversteer problems :D

[J e r e M y]

Hey guys..im looking for quotes for koni`s adjustables n i stumbled upon 2 different set of part no.

can someone confirm with me which ones r for 05 rollas?

Koni adjustable struts front - 8610-1414

Koni adjustable struts rear -80-2844

Koni Front: 8610-1416Sport

Koni Rear: 80-2844Sport

Tqs :P sorry for hijacking hehehehehehe

[FDI]

I know i don't belong really here, but really need thoughts/ideas on these suspension upgrades.

will king spring lows with the Koni FSDs fit on a alfa GT?

not realy looking for lowering but comfort is the problem I am trying to fix up from the stocks.

[kolourhero]

I know i don't belong really here, but really need thoughts/ideas on these suspension upgrades.

will king spring lows with the Koni FSDs fit on a alfa GT?

not realy looking for lowering but comfort is the problem I am trying to fix up from the stocks.

These type of parts arn't universal that fit a huge range of cars of different make/models. Common sense is a corolla part will not fit an Alfa car.

If Koni and King Springs make them for your car then you have a winner.

[Suprathai]

Well as kolourhero has mentioned, If Koni make them for your car then go for it. You will be really impressed with them, if you can team them up with Eibach springs cause they apparantly work better. I'm happy with my setup at the moment though.

[DANZZT231]

I know i don't belong really here, but really need thoughts/ideas on these suspension upgrades.

will king spring lows with the Koni FSDs fit on a alfa GT?

not realy looking for lowering but comfort is the problem I am trying to fix up from the stocks.

Of course they have

http://www.larkspeed.com/index.pl?a=i&...Shock-Absorbers

so ring up koni dealer and tell them.

Edited January 9, 2009 by DANZZT231

[Guni]

Koni Gold, what are they?

I know Koni FSD is the auto damper adjustment shocks. We also need to butcher the stock struts to get some part to fit it was it ????

What are the differences between them both?

Has anyone tried these compare to KYB Excel G shocks?

Thanks :D

:)

[DANZZT231]

Koni Gold = Koni FSD

Its casing is in gold colour.

I'm very keen to feel how this shock absorber is.

[Guni]

How much are they suppose to be for our cars?

[DANZZT231]

No idea.

Koni normal sells for $1000+