Koni Active Shocks

[Danmg202]

@Danmg202 hey Dan did you talk to Steeda again? In my experience they go above and beyond to make things right.
What type of bump stops are you using with the Ultralights?

I'm using their blue adjustable bump stops. I ran their old style mounts with them on ford performance dampers and the same springs with no issues. I was hoping to just buy a 10mm 1.1 thread pitch reducer nut for my old mounts but they don't seem to be available any more.
I'm guessing the spacers are just ever so slightly making contact inside the bearing. Before getting out my grinder and shaving a hair off a spacer I decided to see if there wasn't an issue caused by the bump stop or anything else making noise.

I installed the actives with stock mounts they were silent but the ride quality noticeably suffered, more bouncy and vauge(felt good on the steeda mounts actually) . It's hard to pin down if it was due to the nature of stock mounts or limited travel. Was hoping the j&m on the bottom holes would answer that for me.

Just had my first kid last week, was just trying to smooth things up a tad in backseat, wasn't looking for a nightmare. Probably should talk to Steeda again but if the issue is resolved with more travel on different mounts I don't know what they would even do for me.

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[Danmg202]

I talked with Steeda, going to try fresh spacers top and bottom for the mounts and a softer bump stop than the blue adjustable ones.

 

[GT 550]

Hey Dan congrats . Makes sense that you're keen to get it sorted.

Actives do seem to be very bumpstop sensitive. Koni recommends the more progressive foam rubber Eibach bumpstops with anything lower than stock. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[Danmg202]

Hey Dan congrats . Makes sense that you're keen to get it sorted.

Actives do seem to be very bumpstop sensitive. Koni recommends the more progressive foam rubber Eibach bumpstops with anything lower than stock. Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks we'll report back soon.

 

[GT 550]

Rears are in, albeit stock ride height and boots/dampers, no noise. Fronts to follow and soon thereafter BMR min lowering springs with Eibach pro kit bumpstops.

The Eibach bumpstops look smaller in diameter than the stockers, does anyone know if they fit the stock dust boots?

 

[TheMegalodon]

Rears are in, albeit stock ride height and boots/dampers, no noise. Fronts to follow and soon thereafter BMR min lowering springs with Eibach pro kit bumpstops.

The Eibach bumpstops look smaller in diameter than the stockers, does anyone know if they fit the stock dust boots?

They fit perfect. I’m using them. Same diameter, just 2.76” uncut unlike stock at 3”. And Eibach’s have a lower durometer so they compress more; you won’t have to cut them.

Again if coronavirus wasn’t making it a challenge to leave your home, I would be riding without noise and issue if I could install those
J&M mounts - maybe they’ll live up to my expectations. I’m almost positive it’s the stock mounts that have failed. The noise came slowly but surely over time. And the rear shocks still feel and ride well on the BMRs so I don’t believe they’re making the noise.

 

[TheMegalodon]

J&M shock mounts finally installed! Used the lower mounting holes after cutting off the sheet metal alignment pins.

Consensus: been for 4 different cruises to enjoy the car and feel these new mounts out and I’m pretty happy. The have some minor noise over repeated broken pavement but it’s imperceptible with music or windows down, even with the rear seats down. Overall I appreciate the additional bump travel that allows the Konis to work properly. The bearing performance is solid, ride is a little better with a firm stable feel and rear grip/handling is planted.

The gap is only there because suspension is at full droop. Had to raise the lower control arm/spring perch with a jack to mount the shock on the lower mounting holes. No issues with install of the mounts.

I plan to look for some dust caps for the top of the mounts because I can’t have winter grit and shit getting in the bearing and ruining everything.

 

[GT 550]

Well done Ryan for persisting mine should be done within a week

 

[Stone 54]

J&M shock mounts finally installed! Used the lower mounting holes after cutting off the sheet metal alignment pins.

Consensus: been for 4 different cruises to enjoy the car and feel these new mounts out and I’m pretty happy. The have some minor noise over repeated broken pavement but it’s imperceptible with music or windows down, even with the rear seats down. Overall I appreciate the additional bump travel that allows the Konis to work properly. The bearing performance is solid, ride is a little better with a firm stable feel and rear grip/handling is planted.

The gap is only there because suspension is at full droop. Had to raise the lower control arm/spring perch with a jack to mount the shock on the lower mounting holes. No issues with install of the mounts.

I plan to look for some dust caps for the top of the mounts because I can’t have winter grit and shit getting in the bearing and ruining everything.

Good job Ryan, you did it!

 

[TheMegalodon]

Well done Ryan for persisting mine should be done within a week

Get the install done over the weekend? Hope it went/goes well. Let us know your thoughts once they’re in.

 

[GT 550]

@TheMegalodon mine were in but are back out, one was bad so now I need to go through the tedious warranty process. How are yours going, still happy?

 

[TheMegalodon]

@TheMegalodon mine were in but are back out, one was bad so now I need to go through the tedious warranty process. How are yours going, still happy?

What was bad? The Koni shocks?

I still have a strange unsettled noise from the back over rough patched pavement. It’s hard to explain so I’m going to try to record a video. I need to get the car up in the air and figure it out. At this point I have no idea what’s causing the noise but I’m not happy. I feel like a broken record.

Really regret getting these Koni shocks because I don’t believe they offer the damping needed for this car. Should have found a better paired setup and done more reading before purchasing last fall. For what I’ve paid figuring this shit out, I could have bought a nice set of custom coilovers even.

 

[GT 550]

Yep one of the shocks, makes a rattling/knocking noise. Switched it side to side, changed top mounts over, moved from side to side again, noise follows the shock. Put stock gear back in and no noise.

That's frustrating. Is it still there with stock dampers?

 

[TheMegalodon]

Yep one of the shocks, makes a rattling/knocking noise. Switched it side to side, changed top mounts over, moved from side to side again, noise follows the shock. Put stock gear back in and no noise.

That's frustrating. Is it still there with stock dampers?

Wow really? That’s awful.

Regrettably I tossed the stock shocks so I can’t even test it. I feel stupid for doing so but trusted this new setup would be fine. I have a hard time believing it’s the springs so it may be the shocks. No noise in single hard bumps, expansion joints or dips but broken pavement is noisy. Seems like the car rides well enough over the rough stuff so that’s why I’m confused. I just wonder if the initial 1500 kms on the cut ford bump stops with a finger width of travel did anything to them.

I read that Viking shocks make noise but I didn’t expect these Koni Actives would. Never again do I buy an unproven part based on marketing BS. If I had waited just a bit longer I could be riding on Bilsteins without issue (likely).

 

[shogun32]

2 days with the Steeda version in my EB and it's a big ol' thumbs down from me. Rebound is lacking at both ends but the front is particularly poor. I don't have any kind of noise though. Bump absorption seems reasonable (compression) but I think Koni just needs to be written off - they clearly do not know how to do damping correctly.

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