ND Koni settings

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BillK336
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Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

ND Koni settings

Post by BillK336 »

On my '16 Club, with "the Easy Button" (Koni Sports, GWR 300/200 springs and bumpstops) and stock sways, I've finally cranked the Konis up to a full turn from soft all around. I started at 1/2f-1/4r, and gradually crept up to 1f-1r. They're now much more comfy on the road; the last change, from 3/4 up to 1 in the rear, making a remarkable difference. Tires, FWIW, are Conti ECS, 225/45/17.
What Koni settings are others running?

Way back when, when I installed Koni Sports on my first '97 with stock springs, 1/2 all around seemed good on the street, and cranking up to 1f, 3/4r for the occasional AX.
Granted, my NA's spring rates were about half what I now have on my ND, but back then, the mostly-common-knowledge was that more than 1 to 1.5 turn from soft was a Bad Idea as far as shock life. Is that still true? How much is safe?
2020 JBM Sport MT, GWR RaceTT, Conti DWS, Cobalt FSTB, Voodoo, Cravenspeed, and mx5things bits…
RIP '16 MG Club GWR, Race TT, Versatune, RS Springs & Konis, Conti ECS, TRM FF10, AA & AIO, etc...
'97's SOLD...
Brian
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Re: ND Koni settings

Post by Brian »

The tighter you valve them the more you work the valving but I would not worry about that, it's part of the joy of Koni shocks that you slowly dial them more stiffer as they age to keep the same performance blend of ride/comfort/handling that you prefer. Much depends on that tire choice because you are working with the effective spring rate of the tire and in this case you have one of the softest sidewall performance tires that exists (which is why the Conti is pounds less weight than most choices in same performance category). To best match that relatively soft Conti side wall flex you will likely want the Koni relatively soft, where you have them now at just one turn from soft is about right and my wife's 2017 has the same setting and same tires.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
BillK336
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

Re: ND Koni settings

Post by BillK336 »

If one full turn is relatively soft, what's the limit?
IIRC, theres no hard stop on the stiff end, and things go bad; unless that's not true anymore.
2020 JBM Sport MT, GWR RaceTT, Conti DWS, Cobalt FSTB, Voodoo, Cravenspeed, and mx5things bits…
RIP '16 MG Club GWR, Race TT, Versatune, RS Springs & Konis, Conti ECS, TRM FF10, AA & AIO, etc...
'97's SOLD...
Brian
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Re: ND Koni settings

Post by Brian »

There is no limit, it's all relative. For autocross days we dial the OHLINS in my car full stiff or near full stiff. Same with Koni, experiment with them a quarter turn stiffer front, then a quarter turn softer, see what you like. Front and rear settings do NOT need to match. Have some fun playing with the settings until you get the mix that works best for you. Many folks dial them softer for longer road trip weekends, tighter for autocross and canyon drive days, there is no 'right' or 'wrong' setting, it's all personal preference depending on what you are doing.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
BillK336
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

Re: ND Koni settings

Post by BillK336 »

So cranking them all the way hard won't damage the shocks?
2020 JBM Sport MT, GWR RaceTT, Conti DWS, Cobalt FSTB, Voodoo, Cravenspeed, and mx5things bits…
RIP '16 MG Club GWR, Race TT, Versatune, RS Springs & Konis, Conti ECS, TRM FF10, AA & AIO, etc...
'97's SOLD...
Brian
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Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:44 am
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Re: ND Koni settings

Post by Brian »

I don't like any shock full tight for long, it does wear faster, but thousands of Miata SCCA guys are doing it every weekend at SCCA events for decades! In the big scheme of things the guy that has them half a turn from stiff every day from new is not going to wear them out much faster than the guy who has them 1.5 full turns from stiff.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
BillK336
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

Re: ND Koni settings

Post by BillK336 »

I wouldn't run full stiff either. But it's good to know I can crank them up, find the hard stop, recird whatever that number of turns is, then set them a bit back from there. Without the internals coming apart just by turning the knob too much.
2020 JBM Sport MT, GWR RaceTT, Conti DWS, Cobalt FSTB, Voodoo, Cravenspeed, and mx5things bits…
RIP '16 MG Club GWR, Race TT, Versatune, RS Springs & Konis, Conti ECS, TRM FF10, AA & AIO, etc...
'97's SOLD...
BillK336
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

Re: ND Koni settings

Post by BillK336 »

Now up to 1.5f/1.25r from soft, probably will stay there for a while.
I've never tried to find where full stiff is.
BTW, the RS 300/200 springs are also made by Progress, correct?
2020 JBM Sport MT, GWR RaceTT, Conti DWS, Cobalt FSTB, Voodoo, Cravenspeed, and mx5things bits…
RIP '16 MG Club GWR, Race TT, Versatune, RS Springs & Konis, Conti ECS, TRM FF10, AA & AIO, etc...
'97's SOLD...
Brian
Site Admin
Posts: 11307
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:44 am
Location: San Diego CA
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Re: ND Koni settings

Post by Brian »

BillK336 wrote:Now up to 1.5f/1.25r from soft, probably will stay there for a while.
I've never tried to find where full stiff is.
BTW, the RS 300/200 springs are also made by Progress, correct?

That's right, Progress makes our RoadsterSport 300/200 springs. I only use full stiff on autocross days.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
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