Thread: Koni Shock absorbers

Originally Posted by rick130

Damien, I'd just buy the one that fits in terms of open/closed lengths and end fittings, then get the foot valve and rebound spring (and adjuster nut ??) changed to the 110 Raid ones here.


All those listed are for trucks/trailers and miles too stiff for what we need.

I found some 11.5" to 12.5" stroke versions last night in eye/eye and pin/pin for US$158.00.
Proven Products used to only charge around $80 to rebuild/revalve last time I asked Jeff (when I was buying parts) Admittedly that was quite a few years ago now.

Any chance you can point me in the direction of those shocks? Are they a 90?

Originally Posted by Dougal

Any idea what weight and spring rates they have been designed around?

Nope, only that they are for the front of a G-Wagen.

Originally Posted by Vern

Any chance you can point me in the direction of those shocks? Are they a 90?

Ring Jeff at proven products and ask how much to re-valve a 90 to the right valving first.


Pin/pin 90-5055-SP2, 27.09"open, 15.71" closed, 11.38" travel, https://sdparts.com/details/koni-sho...kon90-5055-sp2

Pin/pin 90-2589, 30.75"open, 18.23"closed, 12.52"travel, https://sdparts.com/details/koni-sho...ers/kon90-2589

eye/eye 90-2588, 31.85"open, 19.45"closed, 12.4" travel, https://sdparts.com/details/koni-sho...ers/kon90-2588

Thanks Rick130 and Uninformed for all that info. It's timely for me having to replace my now worn out shocks.

The perplexing issue for us mere mortals venturing out of the manufacturer recommendation is how to reconcile the various available open and closed lengths (ignoring the travel for the moment) for a certain application. In my situation I plan to fit the Gwyn Lewis challenge kit using Koni Raids in lieu of the OME sold by GL. How do you work out the open/closed length to work with the factory bump stops and the new mounting location used by GL (or any other kit for that matter). Is there a simple (there never is) way of calculating the best O/C length for a given situation?

In search of wisdom, cheers MLD

This is the method I use
It's not definitive but handy for comparison
Measure middle of bumpstop to middle of pad both sides and average
Measure in between shock mounts
Middle of pin in standard chassis mount (eye bush)to inside on pin mount(pin mount bush)
Take bumpstop clearance from shock clearance allow your bumpstop compression 30mm
That gives your compressed length
Before you fit shocks make sure you fully extend them and run a texta around the body, do the same fully compressed then measure half way and do the same
Again
The most accurate way is to remove spring and shock then cycle and measure but that's alotta work.....
Dc

By the way after you import the truck Konis ( because top performance or proven will tear you a new one) then get either of them to revalve for your specific LR(still tearing) its probably cheaper to use fox/king smoothies/resis or armada extreme resis(nice bling adjuster by the way!)
Maybe Rick would experiment in his part time retirement??
Dc

Originally Posted by modman

By the way after you import the truck Konis ( because top performance or proven will tear you a new one) then get either of them to revalve for your specific LR(still tearing) its probably cheaper to use fox/king smoothies/resis or armada extreme resis(nice bling adjuster by the way!)
Maybe Rick would experiment in his part time retirement??
Dc

Work out what you need and buy through Proven's or Toperformance
Problem solved !

I've always bought my Koni's through Proven's, Serg got his 88 Series rears from Toperformance.

The big advantage with the twin tubes is a better open/closed length than the mono-tubes, and more so since Bilstein have done away with the weld-top option on their 9100 Series.
All the aluminium end mount/cap mono-tubes are looooong.

And what's this part time retirement BS Dave?

I wish, but I can't find a woman who'll keep me in the manner I want to become accustomed to !

IMHO the maximum permissible closed length is the important specification for choosing what shockie will fit. The open length is of academic interest.

The closed length and the construction/design of the shockie determine what open length (and travel) can be obtained. For a particular shockie, the open length will be, what it will be, after selection based upon closed length.

Some designs will allow more travel than others, but be aware, unless more expensive design is employed a few mm more may be at the expense of durability, etc. For example having a remote reservoir will free up some internal space inside the body of a shockie to allow longer travel, but they are more expensive and the reservoir has to be mounted somehow (extra travel is not the only advantage of the remote reservoir).

Since you have already decided on the rest of your suspension, if I were you I would:

Position the GL upper shockie mount on one side, so you have something to measure to/from.

With the suspension spring removed on that side, use a jack to articulate the axle so it is against the bump stop.

Measure the distance between the GL upper shockie mount and the lower mount on the axle.

Subtract an allowance for compression of the bump stop.

The closed length of your new shockies need to be less than that measurement.

Then check the open length specification of a shockie having a suitable closed length.

While the axle is in the articulated position (used for the closed length measurement) Measure the open length on the other side as a check to see if you have the axle articulated enough. If not the closed length may shorten up when the axles articulates further.

If the upper shockie mount was to be made to suit a chosen shockie, then I would have used a different approach.