I run mine at a 1/4 turn from full stiff in the back, and a 1/2 turn from full stiff in the front, although I was gonna try full stiff all around this weekend to see how it does or if it changes the feel at all. I have had the same observation as Matt, the more damping I add, the better these shocks seem to feel. Basham runs his alot softer, but I dont like the way his car feels with them like that personally.

 

The warning I've always read was "never try to turn beyond the upper and lower adjustment range". I'm really doubtful that they'd sell a shock then tell you "we give you this range but, you can't use it". I run full stiff on the front of my civic and have for at least a year.

The comments here have helped me make a decision though, I'm going to give the yellows a try on my S2K. Has anyone gotten them revalved with race valving or are you all running off the shelf valving?

How is the Yellow suspension travel compared to the travel of the stock shocks?

 

I'm with EK9 on the whole adjustment range thing. I think something got lost in the translation there.

I had a lot more rubbing of the front tires against the fenders with the Konis. Their compression dampening is so soft that you'll actually have to change your driving lines over familiar speed bumps and driveways if you DD the car... and this was at stock height with 225s! I know there was one guy who had his konis revalved but this was before my time. I started auto-xing a couple months before I bought my S2000 in late 2003.

 

That's interesting. It sounds as if, with the koni's I really ought to get Ground Controls at the same time and up my spring rate some. I've been toying with the idea of 500 front and back because that's just about what the KW3's have under them and the stock Koni's can handle that rate.

 

Yes! Koni designed the shocks with the notion that people would be using aftermarket springs with higher than stock rates.

 

I have JRZ singles and would have to agree with the theory that running the rear stiffer helps with the drama out back, It took me a while to figure this out and Matt and Jason Collett told me this but it went against the norm.

 

Regarding full-stiff (and perhaps full-soft), I was advised by KW not to run my V3s at max and min if I recall correctly regarding rebound.

 

i dont mean to discount anyone's empirical experience on where to initially set your valving, however i found this blurb a bit interesting from koni's US operations chief guy, lee grimes. some of it may be out of context, but take what you want.

"The softest setting on a Koni is the baseline point for our valving that we feel gives the car the proper mix of ride, handling and balance for a stock car. It has no frame of reference to stock dampers at all. As a generality, normally it will build between some and quite a bit more force both in rebound and compression in differing amounts than the stock shock. Periodically but rarely when we feel that the stock shocks might actually make too much force (like too much high speed bump damping on the rear of an S2000 or C5 and C6 Corvette thus compromising grip), the Konis migh actually be a little bit softer in some parts of the piston speed range than the stock shocks. Generally, most stock shocks are limited in capability because the manufacturer had to do a lot of cost cutting so it is uncommon that you see a stock shock with much low speed damping or a degressive curve. So the minimum setting on a Koni is our baseline for handling, balance and ride and rarely will have any intended relation to a stock valving. The adjustment range goes up from there."

personally, i think it doesnt matter where you start it out at. its like throwing a dart for the first time, youre not going to hit the bullseye the first time. i do understand that rear driverside is a pain to get to because of the gas fill pipe, but i would expect to get used to it. its all part of tuning, and to your personal taste and driving style.

and on the "full stiff" discussion, i remember lee saying something like its not advisable to put it full stiff or even full soft. just 1/8" off the full setting just because. cant remember exactly why, just helps the mechanical bits.