First : if this is the wrong forum => move it.
(did a search for "koni" and most results came up from UTH)

This Saturday I installed 4 new Koni Yellow Adjustables with the "old" OEM springs.
5 1/2 hours of work.
The install went well, the stickies helped
Thanks! for all the tips (especially the jack-under-fender-to-lower-suspension worked A+ at the rear)
One thing I DID NOT like (Made in Holland... ) were the brackets at the bottom of the shocks.

They were NOT PARALLEL, it shows in the picture.
And I think that is very important, you may end up cross-threading the bolts with such fine threads when you're pushing the bolt in with the suspension under tension / load lining up the holes.
So my advice : make sure they are parallel before continuing install.
You should be able to screw the bolt in (in the same way you would on the car) with no problem when the shock is still on your workbench.

Anyway...
I also made these at work Friday:

They went on the rears to stay on forever.
The one at the fuel filler side is hard to get at, I have to keep my eye on it not damaging the rubber "harmonica" boot.

Driving:
Started out on full firm
Turned the fronts 1/4 and the rears 1/2 turn open = less firm.
Seems ok.
On tight slow turns I get some understeer, more then I did.
(those roundabouts, you basically take 3/4 of a circle to take a left turn)
IMO that could be because of 4 reasons:
1 - the tires are showing me they dont work very well anymore.
(could be very true: Michelin Pilot Premacy's, a bit soft compound tire I guess)
2 - front allignment is off now due to taking the front upper A-arm bolts out.
(I'm getting UK-spec allignment soon - was waiting for the Koni's)
3 - the setting of the front shocks.
4 - I was going to fast

Other than that :
Not bad at all.

Note:
The old shocks are FIRM to compress!
Much MUCH more then the Koni's.
I could almost balance myself on a front shock (+- 60 kg).
Rebound still felt ok, no oil leaks, still a set of 4 OK shocks after 120050 km.
Markings on them suggest they are as old as the car (MY00), shocks made in 1999.



edit : added the fact I still use my "old" OEM springs.

 

If you can use the adjustment keys you made on the driver side rear without any problems, I will buy a set from you.

 

I've been contemplating this change too. I wasn't sure if the koni's were better than the stock shocks though. I mean they are on a Civic but, might not be in the S2k.

As for the saddle, I'd probably just straighten it with a hammer.

Did you compare the old shocks and the Koni's full stiff? You know you can have the Koni's rebuilt to competition damping specs right?

 

gomarlins3 Posted on Jul 2 2006, 12:57 AM
I think I will make 1 new set, the little bar not on the top but a shorter bar welded at the side to make the whole thing shorter.
I did make them during work time .
As soon as I have the new set I have a "spare set"
Its not much work to make the changes to one of the spares too.


Ek9 Posted on Jul 2 2006, 02:37 AM
I would not recommend doing it that way.
Put one part of the saddle / bracket in a vice and slowly bend it in the direction you want with the leverage of the shock body.
Trail & error fit till the bolt screws in with no hesitation.

Inbound damping is not adjustable on the Koni's.
I was worried I ended up with a wobbely car, but it worked out fine.
Outbound damping makes most of the difference. Full firm Koni's are much firmer then OEM shocks.
They almost stay in when compressed @ full firm and the ride full firm was horrible, bouncing around
For competition dampers - what I've been reading here - you do "need" a full coilover adjustable set to do it properly.

Went for a 80 km drive last "summer top down evening" and came back happy with how the car handled.
A bit stiffer but not oncomfortable and better around longer faster corners, less moving around @ the rear.
There is one particular corner on the highway, a wide left turn with some "waving dips" in it and it went through (175 km/h) much better then with the OEM's.

 

I think you're saying that that compression and rebound aren't adjustable seperately?

The one thing I don't like about my S is it seems "underdamped" particularly in the back so, that's why I'm so interested in this topic.

Competition valving probably isn't needed until you go higher than 550 lbs/in (10kg) on the springs. At least it's that way on the Civic.

 

Ek9 Posted on Jul 2 2006, 03:59 PM
I think I'm saying that on the Koni's I got only the rebound is adjustable
Compression is not adjustable.
Maybe it is affected (a little bit) by a change in rebound?
You may want to read about it here:
http://www.koni.com/_cars/frame.html

Anyway.. IMO the rear rebound damping has improved with the Koni's.

So it is time for you to get that Dutch Top Product for your S2000

 

I know the yellows pretty well since I've been running them in the last 2 cars, Integra-R and Civic. Since the S2K seems to already have good shocks I was mainly wondering if the yellows were better than stock.

You seem to be saying yes so, now it's just a matter of finding the cash.

 

Keep me informed, I would love a set that works.

 

This is the "new redesigned" set.
They work at the left rear.

And they work at the right rear. No problem there if you don't carrie a spare.
It was hard to take a poper picture, they don't touch the spare tire.

You do need a 2,5 mm allen key (M3 bolt) to tighten them.
I may have time next week (as the boss is on a short holiday ) to make a couple.
Anyone else interested?
On the other hand it may very well be possible to use something like these:

They may be available in your local hardwarestore.
As long as the hole through is +- 5,6 mm.
Just an idea.

And I opened front and rear up half a turn.
So now I'm running:
Front : open 1/2 a turn
Rear : open 3/4 of a turn.

 

Nice solution to the adjustment of the gas filler side of the Koni shocks...much better than going at them with a pair of needle nose pliers #$@&*%!!! I would be very interested in purchasing a set of these adapters, please pm me with price and shipping to USA, zip 92620.

Personally, I'm very pleased with the set-up, but I switched out my springs as well (I went with the adjustable Eibach spring set - Ground Control). I really notice the additional compliance at speed on the straights (or highway). And, when cornering hard on uneven surfaces the rear-end stays with you better than the stock set up. For smooth surfaces (like auto cross and tracking) setting the Koni's to max stiffness gets you pretty close to the stock set-up.

I'm looking forward to my new wheel/tire set-up with this suspension: SSR GT-7 (17") and Falken RT-615.