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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

515.0. "KONI suspensions" by EMC2::PELLATT () Mon Mar 20 1989 07:53

    Does anyone have addresses and telephone numbers for KONI dealers
    around the South-East of England ?
    
    Any comments on KONIs ( from first-hand experience ? ) would also
    be welcome.
    
    Thanks in advance, 
    
    Dave
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515.7Bouncy bouncyIOSG::MARSHALLArgle Bargle IVMon Jun 18 1990 15:5422
I'll add this as a reply here rather than create a new topic...

Which is the most significant in affecting the hard/softness of ride:
the spring or the shock absorber?

I want a ride that's smooth but firm, hard without being a bone-shaker,
definitely not soft or squishy, and with minimum body roll.

Obviously harder springs will reduce body roll (how "hard" are 354 lb ft
springs?), and thus give a harder ride.  But to what extent do the shocks
affect the hardness of ride, in addition to their primary purpose of damping
oscillations?

How much variation in ride do adjustable shocks give?  How much dearer than
non-adjustable shocks are they?

The suspension set-up is cortina at front, and triumph coil-overs with
trailing arms at the back.

As the front springs can't be adjusted, I need to get it right first time!

Scott
515.9ANNECY::MATTHEWSM+M Enterprises. Thats the CATCHTue Jun 19 1990 08:538
    Hard springs in a lightweight car tends to lead to the thing
    bouncing around all over the place. The strength of the spring
    must be matched to car weight, but I have no idea of how.

    Anti roll bars do seem like the best way to keep the car flat
    and to keep the ride acceptable.

  Mark
515.10"Bouncy, bouncy!"OVAL::MACMILLANRSo many roads, so little timeTue Jun 19 1990 10:477
    
    Hard springs don't make a light car bouncy - lack of suitable shock
    absorbers will make it bouncy.  If you don't absorb the rebound with
    the shock absorbers then you're going to bounce down the road no matter
    how heavy the car or soft the springs.
    
    Rob
515.11ANNECY::MATTHEWSM+M Enterprises. Thats the CATCHTue Jun 19 1990 18:0913
    re: .10

    For "bounce" in .9, read "hop". The car will hop all over the
    road, not bounce. The basic point is that the wheels don't stay
    on the ground too well when you hit a bump. I had first hand 
    experience of this with my Moggy 1000 van. When I converted it
    into a pickup, there was almost no weight at the back end. With the
    standard van rear springs, taking corners on a bumpy road was real
    fun ... it hopped all over the place. Also, the dampers did nothing
    to prevent this because the springs hardly moved at all, so there was
    very little for them to do ...

   Mark
515.12AnswerGIDDAY::HOOPERCustomer Service (Hardware), SydneyWed Jun 20 1990 13:216
     I have adjustable Koni's fitted to the front of my Ford family limo.
    They are adjustable from soft, (about the same as the standard Ford
    shockers, before they gave up the ghost at 15000 km, to HARD,
    uncomfortably solid. Actually, if left on the hard setting, I think
    that the mounting points would give way pretty quickly.
    Regards, Ray
515.13So, to summarise...IOSG::MARSHALLArgle Bargle IVWed Jun 20 1990 14:498
From the suggestions given, this seems a sensible policy:

- don't worry too much about the hardness of the springs.  Because of the (lack
  of) weight of the car, better to err on the side of softness.
- get adjustable shocks, and use them to get the hardness fo ride right.
- fit an anti-roll bar (if only one, at the front?)

Scott
515.15Forgive my ignorance, but...IOSG::MARSHALLArgle Bargle IVWed Jun 20 1990 17:303
... how do you make a piece of bent bar "adjustable"?

Scott
515.16OVAL::MACMILLANRSo many roads, so little timeWed Jun 20 1990 17:491
    adjust the posiotion that it fixes to the suspension arm ???
515.18OK.IOSG::MARSHALLArgle Bargle IVWed Jun 20 1990 18:243
Where can it be seen?

Scott
515.19See me for address!IOSG::MITCHELLElaineThu Jun 21 1990 11:172
    
    Most evenings and weekends in Burghfield Common!
515.20I don't like KONIsNCEIS1::CHEVAUXPatrick Chevaux, Nice, 828-6995Tue Jun 26 1990 16:5818
    I'm not too enthusiastic about KONI's for road use. I currently
    have 4 KONI's on the MVS VENTURI and
    
    - they are NOT adjustable (although KONI can open them and change
      the parameters for up and down movements)
    - they are very hard when cold and
    - too soft when warm                          
    
    We have tried several things to improve this with no result. MVS
    have actually switched to BILSTEIN or DE CARBON which are much better. 
    I've had BILSTEINs on several PORSCHE 911s in the past and I've
    always been very pleased with them.
      
    Now I've had KONIs on a RENAULT 8 GORDINI a long time ago and I
    was pleased with them.
    
    Probably a problem with weight. The VENTURI and the 911 are heavily
    loaded on the rear axle.
515.21KONI's for the G40FLYWAY::SLUIJMERSMMark Sluijmers DTN 760-3458Wed Dec 08 1993 13:3911
    I tried to call Demon Tweeks today but the phone number seems to have
    changed.
    
    Could anybody out there give me the new phone/fax number.
    
    What is the approx. cost for KONI's for the Volkswagen Polo G40.
    
    Thanks in advance
    
    Mark
    
515.22Demon TweeksWARNUT::ALLENIt works better if you screw it in..Thu Dec 09 1993 11:2914
Mark

Demon Tweeks moved a while back. Their new address is

Demon Tweeks
Hugmore Lane
Llan-y-Pwll
Wrexham
Clwyd
LL13 9YE
Wales

Tel -(0)978-664466
Fax -(0)978-664467