How to make a good Koni/GC coilover setup
07-23-2010, 12:39 AM
#1
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How to make a good Koni/GC coilover setup
Rear Struts -
Dyno plot of the rear struts. Very close to each other as is and no need to revalve as they are in the range.
Get about 14" inches of 3/4" heater hose. Cut them into 3.5" sections and slice them down the line.
Stuff them into the gap between the GC adjuster and the strut. This will keep the adjuster from moving around. Its a cheap way to help reduce some of the noise of the rear struts.
Now if you want to go all out buy some 2.5" helper springs and if your really picky you can get some helper spring couplers as well. These are pricey but are really worth it, if you can only get one set use them on the front struts.
The upper perch assembly order of parts. I used this setup for a year and it was pretty good. You can use the stock rear rubber mounts or the NISMO ones, I didn't notice much improvment with the NISMO parts.
The white and metal colored rings are the bearings that go with the Swift springs. They are not needed on the rear suspension as it doesn't turn, they do help when adjusting ride height on the GCs.
Part in between the stock mount and the gold spring hat is a piece of inner tire rubber. I use it to quiet up any metal parts that are rubbing together making noise. Got it from a place that has farm tractor parts, it was like 10 bucks IIRC.
I use them for isolators instead of the stock overpriced paper-like deals. The jury is still out if these work better but I didn't want to buy stock ones.
FYI I didn't use both rubber mounts with the Teins, just the old ones that go on top to keep the bearing packed in tight but still compliant cause its soft rubber. I wouldn't recomend using the NISMO ones as the rubber is to stiff.
Dyno plot of the rear struts. Very close to each other as is and no need to revalve as they are in the range.
Get about 14" inches of 3/4" heater hose. Cut them into 3.5" sections and slice them down the line.
Stuff them into the gap between the GC adjuster and the strut. This will keep the adjuster from moving around. Its a cheap way to help reduce some of the noise of the rear struts.
Now if you want to go all out buy some 2.5" helper springs and if your really picky you can get some helper spring couplers as well. These are pricey but are really worth it, if you can only get one set use them on the front struts.
The upper perch assembly order of parts. I used this setup for a year and it was pretty good. You can use the stock rear rubber mounts or the NISMO ones, I didn't notice much improvment with the NISMO parts.
The white and metal colored rings are the bearings that go with the Swift springs. They are not needed on the rear suspension as it doesn't turn, they do help when adjusting ride height on the GCs.
Part in between the stock mount and the gold spring hat is a piece of inner tire rubber. I use it to quiet up any metal parts that are rubbing together making noise. Got it from a place that has farm tractor parts, it was like 10 bucks IIRC.
I use them for isolators instead of the stock overpriced paper-like deals. The jury is still out if these work better but I didn't want to buy stock ones.
FYI I didn't use both rubber mounts with the Teins, just the old ones that go on top to keep the bearing packed in tight but still compliant cause its soft rubber. I wouldn't recomend using the NISMO ones as the rubber is to stiff.
Last edited by 98SEBlackMax; 07-25-2010 at 11:55 PM.
07-23-2010, 12:49 AM
#2
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Front Struts -
These were the shocks before adjustment. Despite what the org has been saying my Koni yellow fronts could only support up to a 400 pound/inch spring. Even then one of my struts was around 350 pound/inch at the maximum setting due to manufacturing differences. Simply put the struts I had did not have enough rebound for the coil over springs I have.
The fronts were revalved and they were able to get the numbers very close to each other. Now they are more consistant and can supply enough rebound force to support a 350~500 pound/inch spring.
Shortened Koni fronts. You need to drill a hole in the strut housing that is centered to the Koni insert. Then use a step drill to re-drill the hole in the strut housing so the Koni nub fits through the hole.
This is how much you need to cut off the Koni yellows, about 17 mm total length.
Parts for the shortened Konis. I machined down an aluminum spacer to 6 mm thick, it was 10 mm when I started. The bolt is cut short as well, thread length is 14 mm.
FYI I cut the Koni fronts in '08 so thats why the bottom part is painted. After the revalve Proparts ground the cut part flat and repainted the inserts.
These were the shocks before adjustment. Despite what the org has been saying my Koni yellow fronts could only support up to a 400 pound/inch spring. Even then one of my struts was around 350 pound/inch at the maximum setting due to manufacturing differences. Simply put the struts I had did not have enough rebound for the coil over springs I have.
The fronts were revalved and they were able to get the numbers very close to each other. Now they are more consistant and can supply enough rebound force to support a 350~500 pound/inch spring.
Shortened Koni fronts. You need to drill a hole in the strut housing that is centered to the Koni insert. Then use a step drill to re-drill the hole in the strut housing so the Koni nub fits through the hole.
This is how much you need to cut off the Koni yellows, about 17 mm total length.
Parts for the shortened Konis. I machined down an aluminum spacer to 6 mm thick, it was 10 mm when I started. The bolt is cut short as well, thread length is 14 mm.
FYI I cut the Koni fronts in '08 so thats why the bottom part is painted. After the revalve Proparts ground the cut part flat and repainted the inserts.
Last edited by 98SEBlackMax; 07-30-2010 at 12:43 PM.
07-25-2010, 06:44 PM
#4
Joe, next time you tear apart the rear suspension, go ahead and install those bearings.
As the spring compresses, it actually wants to twist as well. i.e. there's, say 4.5 turns on the spring at full height, but at coil bind, it's run to about 5 turns.
If it can't turn, the spring basically expands in diameter to make it happen.
the bearings installed on the rears will eliminate some binding in the suspension and free it up a bit more.
Just something to think about. informative post so far!
Oh.. what I did with the Konis on my car was to press the adjuster sleeves over a rubber sleeve that was about 0.05 larger than the gap. I had to use the press to do it, but it definitely works and there's never any noises.
Another way would be to seal off the bottom with an o-ring or something, then pour a small amount of urethane into the gap. shim it on 3 sides with something to make sure the shock is centered, then let it cure.
As the spring compresses, it actually wants to twist as well. i.e. there's, say 4.5 turns on the spring at full height, but at coil bind, it's run to about 5 turns.
If it can't turn, the spring basically expands in diameter to make it happen.
the bearings installed on the rears will eliminate some binding in the suspension and free it up a bit more.
Just something to think about. informative post so far!
Oh.. what I did with the Konis on my car was to press the adjuster sleeves over a rubber sleeve that was about 0.05 larger than the gap. I had to use the press to do it, but it definitely works and there's never any noises.
Another way would be to seal off the bottom with an o-ring or something, then pour a small amount of urethane into the gap. shim it on 3 sides with something to make sure the shock is centered, then let it cure.
07-25-2010, 09:53 PM
#5
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Joe, next time you tear apart the rear suspension, go ahead and install those bearings.
As the spring compresses, it actually wants to twist as well. i.e. there's, say 4.5 turns on the spring at full height, but at coil bind, it's run to about 5 turns.
If it can't turn, the spring basically expands in diameter to make it happen.
the bearings installed on the rears will eliminate some binding in the suspension and free it up a bit more.
Just something to think about. informative post so far!
Oh.. what I did with the Konis on my car was to press the adjuster sleeves over a rubber sleeve that was about 0.05 larger than the gap. I had to use the press to do it, but it definitely works and there's never any noises.
Another way would be to seal off the bottom with an o-ring or something, then pour a small amount of urethane into the gap. shim it on 3 sides with something to make sure the shock is centered, then let it cure.
As the spring compresses, it actually wants to twist as well. i.e. there's, say 4.5 turns on the spring at full height, but at coil bind, it's run to about 5 turns.
If it can't turn, the spring basically expands in diameter to make it happen.
the bearings installed on the rears will eliminate some binding in the suspension and free it up a bit more.
Just something to think about. informative post so far!
Oh.. what I did with the Konis on my car was to press the adjuster sleeves over a rubber sleeve that was about 0.05 larger than the gap. I had to use the press to do it, but it definitely works and there's never any noises.
Another way would be to seal off the bottom with an o-ring or something, then pour a small amount of urethane into the gap. shim it on 3 sides with something to make sure the shock is centered, then let it cure.
On the front of the car I used Torrington needle rotational bearings and the stock plastic strut bearings. It is really easy to adjust the height of the GCs now.
I was thinking about pouring polyurethane into the rear strut/GC adjuster gap but I want to be able to remove them in the future.
The sliced up rubber hoses had to be tapped in with a small pry bar and hammer so they are a tight fit. I did not experience any noises with them over the year and a half when I used the hoses.
08-09-2010, 12:49 PM
#6
i found when i had front insert issues theres a light bit of wiggle room in the housing. (given these were JSutter's and Morpheus' and a high numerous amount of miles) a lot of jiggling insert noise. a really thin piece of sheet metal about the thickness of a soda can wall folded in half works to keep the insert nice a snug. or you can just weld it onto the housing.
And don't you dare touch that adj **** unless you know what'll happen.
08-09-2010, 06:53 PM
#8
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Now when I dial in a different rebound setting on the front struts it makes a huge difference. Before the front just jiggled over every big bump even at the maximum setting, the shock dyno showed the reason why.
I just got the car running around 7 am this morning after basically being up all weekend. With all the other changes made and the rough half a$$ alignment I did in the garage I did not notice how good the ride quality was until 5~10 minutes of driving.
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