hupp

Internally adjustable Konis were installed on the front corners of my shark by the PO - very harsh ride. As of now, if I drove over a cigarrette I could probably determine if it was a light or menthol.

I've searched for some Koni info and found some good tips on settings, but how do I make the adjustment?

Carl Fausett

The instructions say to remove the Koni from the car, clamp the top in a vise, push the housing up to the top all the way (compress the shock fully), and turn the housing left or right to open/close the valve.

The process of R&Ring the shock from the 928 is enough to stop most guys from doing it.

HOWEVER! We developed a tool that allows you to adjust your Koni Reds WHILE THEY ARE IN THE CAR in about 4 minutes per side.

here it is: http://www.928motorsports.com/parts/shocktool.html

There are even pics on that page of using the tool to adjust Koni's on a 928.

Vilhuer

Scott, where did you find the info about adjustments? Might come handy if my pile of parts is ever back together.

GlenL

www.koni-na.com

has instructions

hupp

Also do a forum search on "Konis". You'll find some discussion on settings from your fellow Rennlisters.

gruffalo

hey, I have adjustable konis too, and the rears are to hard, I need more rear traction, so I would like to try to adjust them too. Me too, me too!

The tool needed is just a very long 6mm hex?

mm

Jim bailey - 928 International

Be aware that you can only change the rebound rate the compression rate (valving) is FIXED so when you hit the cigarette and the wheel moves up the shock is being compressed THAT WILL NOT CHANGE. What you can adjust is how quickly the shock extends as you pass over the cigarette and the wheel drops back down to the pavement. Too tight on rebound and under extremely heavy braking and an uneven road surface it is possible for the front end to "ratchet" down as the shock compresses further and further on each bump. The "harshness" of the Koni is probably the stiff valving of the compression and is the primary reason we do not recommend using Koni shocks on a street car, too many such comments.

Bill Ball

I bought and used Carl's tool. IT DOES THE JOB on the car just as advertised (Thank you, Carl). I understand Jim's comments about ratcheting down and would expect it to be true if the shocks were set hard (rebound). In your case you'd like to dial them down on rebound, so if anything, you will be reducing that possibility.

My complaint when I replaced the original sport shocks with Konis was that at the middle rebound setting the Konis were too soft and I was bottoming out and pogoing on bumpy backroads I frequent. I set mine full hard with Carl's tool and this problem went away. My hypothesis is that with soft rebound and compression, the shock oscillates over a wider range when it encounters bumps. Tightening down the rebound interrupts the oscillation. OK, makes far less sense that what Jim said, but I just have not encountered the ratchet down problem, whereas I used to bottom and pogo down the road before.

Regardless, Carl's tool does the trick.

BC

I could also imagine that ratcheting would have to do with the spring rate?

Bill Ball

Yes, REAL long with a nice rubber coated T-handle and a way to replace the bit if it craps out. Like this:
928 Motorsports Shock Tool

GlenL

I'm not sure the "ratcheting" phenomenon is real. The spring will continue to push the body back up. The rebound is adjustable so it can be matched to spring stiffness.

Bill Ball

In fact, that is the factor many people have cited to explain my entire oddball Koni experience.

My 89 has the sport suspension option which I truly loved over the backroads but found not so nice and controllled in open road racing (speeds over 130). Swapped out the shocks, thinking they must be dead at 95k miles and 15 years, to the correct red Konis set mid, retaining my original springs. The car became a cadillac-like boat in the twisties. Overall WAY too soft. I had no problems in ORR, where compliance may be more useful, but everybody who bounced the rear of my car with the new Konis could not believe how little damping there appeared to be. BOING, BOING - both directions. The suspension with the car at rest acted as if the shocks were broken, but its hard to explain all 4 being that way from day one. Anyway, I bought Carl's tool, set the Konis full hard and am pleased that the car seems to ride much better over all, although I haven't done an ORR yet. Weird.

Jim bailey - 928 International

What it feels like under very heavy braking DOT race tires is the front end compresses under weight transfer then compresses on the first bump uneven track surface ,compresses more on the second ,more on the third then THUD the front frame rail tie down point hits the track just before the corner .......but your right it may not be real and no it probably would not happen on the street. Part of the point is harsh shocks heavy valving may or may not make the car actually handle better, corner faster they may just make it "feel like a sports car" because your teeth rattle Reality is the old very brown 1980 probably needed some stiffer springs !

Vilhuer

Have heard ratcheting mentioned elsewhere too with too tight Koni's. On used set I bought it's possible to adjust them so hard they will not return at all and can't made to move by hand. Springs would obviously push them back but they would fight it. Since it's possible to adjust them while in mounted in car these problems can be easily rectified.

Bill Ball

When I adjusted my Konis full hard while on the car using Carl's tool, the piston initially stayed down in the cam-lock position. Once I prodded it a little, it rebounded back but very slowly. I think this is a low-pressure gas shock, so this seems OK. Up in the travel range that it will see once rebolted, the full hard rebound definitely resists extension, but it does still rebound. If it doesn't rebound at all, I'm not sure how you would adjust them full hard on the car.