Anyone tried the new Koni FSD struts?

[jakeru]

I have some dyno plots of the rear 986 Koni sports. Not quite as digressive looking as I was hoping to see, but I'll bet they're going to work very nicely. Would be interesting to compare it against a 986 FSD shock dyno plot, if anyone could muster one of those.

(I had to return the first set of Koni sport rears for exchange, due to unbalanced compression valving left to right. Koni made good on it and sent me the new replacements along with individually tested dyno plots.)

I'm not really sure what you're asking about with the bump stops. But these 986 bump stops are rather long/tall and engage early, giving basically a progressive rate spring.

[Pnut]

Dyno plots for suspension?...

I'm lost

[lkchris]

Originally Posted by Pnut

Dyno plots for suspension?...

I'm lost

Even in NASCAR!

Shock Absorber - Shock Dyno - Reading Shocks - Circle Track Magazine

[Pnut]

Originally Posted by lkchris

Even in NASCAR!

Shock Absorber - Shock Dyno - Reading Shocks - Circle Track Magazine

Well I'll be damned. A shock dyno. In all the years I've had an interest in automobiles... that's a first. Does seem a bit of overkill for a road car, but hey, if I can optimize within my budget, why not? I'll hafta look for such "dyno" comparisons of suspension setups I'm interested in once the time comes to replace the factory pieces.

Interestingly, the "Bilstein Oval Track Technical Center" is eight miles up the road from me. Wonder if I can audit a class 'er two?

[911monty]

Originally Posted by lkchris

Even in NASCAR!

Shock Absorber - Shock Dyno - Reading Shocks - Circle Track Magazine

NASCAR!!!! These shocks were developed with the McLaren F1 racing team.

https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/koni_mclarenF1.pdf

[sgt brad]

I just installed them on my 996 with eibach springs and sways. The car is about an inch lower but feels almost the same as before as far as dynamics go. It's as if the struts are slightly softer than stock and the springs progressively firmer. If you want a better ride height, but want the car to ride essentially like stock then I would recommend them. There was no transformation of the car like in my boxster when I switched to biksteins and hr bars and springs. I hope that helped.

[911monty]

Originally Posted by sgt brad

I just installed them on my 996 with eibach springs and sways. The car is about an inch lower but feels almost the same as before as far as dynamics go. It's as if the struts are slightly softer than stock and the springs progressively firmer. If you want a better ride height, but want the car to ride essentially like stock then I would recommend them. There was no transformation of the car like in my boxster when I switched to biksteins and hr bars and springs. I hope that helped.

Thanks! All input is appreciated. What was your decision driver? I see these FSDs are highly thought of on the Renlist. Also your comments tend to mirror the Tire Rack test concerning the slalom, Where they initially thought the car too soft and comfy until they timed them and they outperformed the Sport on the soft setting. I think the explanation was the FSD maintained tire contact much better.

[jakeru]

Here is the shock dyno plot for my two rear 986 Koni sports. (I believe set to minimum rebound setting.)


The purpose of the dyno run (performed by Koni) was to verify that both sides matched before they sent my repalcements. This was the replacement set Koni shipped which I still need to install in the car. The set I initially got and returned were quite uneven in low speed compression damping (even without a shock dyno, it was blatantly obvious to me that one side compressed about 3x as fast as the other given an approximately equal force... which is definitely not the hot ticket as on konis only the rebound adjusts so you'd be stuck with screwed up shock valving and poor handling characteristics!)

I'd be interested to hear what the above plots looks like (in terms of the "kinked" shape, etc) for someone really into suspension tuning who is really up in interpreting these things. (Although comparing against similar Koni FSD plots for the 986 rear, if they could be obtained by anyone else somehow, would be very interesting to see!)

I take my suspension setup seriously as I have an interest in autocross racing and any serious competitor there knows the importance of good shocks. (In stock class, shocks are one of the few things that are allowed to be modified.) I trophied at SCCA Solo nationals a few years ago in a "lowly" VW. (But it was rocking custom-valved, double adjustable Konis front and rear.) I hate to say it but the lowly VW can still run circles around my 986 at lower speeds. (At higher speed, the aerodynamics of course favor the Boxster.) So I've got some more work to do on my fairly high-mileage 986 to bring it up to my performance expectations for what a Porsche should do. (The front suspension rebuild was already a huge improvement, but I'm really looking forward to getting the rear Koni spots on there.) For many years, I've admired watching Boxsters with the mesmerizing and amazingly neutral looking handling dynamics dodging autocross course cones at speed.

[sgt brad]

I went the fsd route because the bilsteins and hr setup on the boxster was too stiff for my wife and lowered the the car too much. I also don't track my car so I was not interested in pss9 and the additional expense. I had Komi sports on my old 914 and had hoped they would be a good choice.

I appear to be a bit of a guinea pig on the 996 as most renlisters running fsd are 993s. My feelings are that the eibach and fsd combo is a little soft. But then again it still rides well and doesn't crash over rough roads. It certainly doesn't handle worse than stock, the ride height looks much better, and my wife still rides with me!