Koni Yellows (adjustable) or Bilstein B6s

[Scootny]

I am sure this has been asked before, but I missed it so I'd love your thoughts folks. I'm keeping the stock springs as I can't afford to lose any clearance in the greater NY area. Wish someone made progressive springs that didn't drop the car. Thanks!

 

[XR650R]

Has anybody tried both and can compare them?

 

[Scotman2]

The stock springs are not the problem. The stock dampers are pretty harsh. I had Koni Sports on both stock and then on Eibach sportline coils. Either is ok.
The Bilstein B6 is not adjustable and not really comparable to the Koni Sports.
The B6 is probably closer to the Koni STR-T in ride and handling. I have recently installed the B6's on a project hatchback Fiesta that I am working on. But haven't been able to drive it very hard yet. But the Bilsteins on the stock coils seem to provide a very controlled ride. They have a larger diameter piston than the Koni STR-T.
I consider them closer to what we might describe as a heavy duty damper.

 

[Scootny]

The stock springs are not the problem. The stock dampers are pretty harsh. I had Koni Sports on both stock and then on Eibach sportline coils. Either is ok.
The Bilstein B6 is not adjustable and not really comparable to the Koni Sports.
The B6 is probably closer to the Koni STR-T in ride and handling. I have recently installed the B6's on a project hatchback Fiesta that I am working on. But haven't been able to drive it very hard yet. But the Bilsteins on the stock coils seem to provide a very controlled ride. They have a larger diameter piston than the Koni STR-T.
I consider them closer to what we might describe as a heavy duty damper. View attachment 43708 View attachment 43709

So would you say that the Koni sports give a better performance in the ride and handling compromise?

 

[Mikey456]

There have been threads on this subject before. It seems like forum members like the B6’s. I imagine if you want adjustability go with the Koni yellows. Adjustability would be a good thing if you are going to autocross the car. I have not heard good reviews of the Koni Orange shocks. Some saying they are too soft.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I am sure this has been asked before, but I missed it so I'd love your thoughts folks. I'm keeping the stock springs as I can't afford to lose any clearance in the greater NY area. Wish someone made progressive springs that didn't drop the car. Thanks!

HA! I wish that someone made LINEAR, higher rate, springs which retain factory ride height, to work with aftermarket struts and dampers.

 

[M-Sport fan]

If you never plan to autocross or open track the car (I would go with the rebound adjustable Koni YELLOW Sports if you did), I personally think that the B6es are a stronger option for rough, bombed-out roads, or if you ever plan to take it on rough(er) gravel forestry roads anywhere.

That being said, unless you habitually head into the western counties, and the city, regularly, the east end is not too bad, road condition wise, for the most part (from what I remember from being there all of the time in the summer, in the past).

 

[Geebs]

I have the B6's with stock springs and I was hoping to improve ride quality while keeping the stock height. I have said in the past that I feel like I wasted my money since there is perceptively no difference in ride quality at all (at least as far as I can tell). Someone did mention that it still was a good upgrade since the Bilsteins are much beefier and better made and I think m-sport fan makes a great point above. Like any mod it is up to each person to decide if it's worth it or not. I've worked on my own vehicles for years and this was the first time I've compressed springs and done a full replacement of struts/shocks, I had a great time doing it so in that respect maybe it WAS worth it....

 

[Typical Tom]

I had stock shocks on H&R Super Sports and recently switched over to Koni Yellows. It really smoothed up the ride and the car felt more responsive. Overall I'm happy with them. Have nothing aftermarket to compare them to though.

 

[Scootny]

Thanks all. I had the Konis on my SVT Focus and the were great. More comfortable ride and tighter control. Since I'm not getting any negatives on the Mellow Yellow adjustables in this forum I think I'll go that route.

 

[Scotman2]

I had stock shocks on H&R Super Sports and recently switched over to Koni Yellows. It really smoothed up the ride and the car felt more responsive. Overall I'm happy with them. Have nothing aftermarket to compare them to though.

That is what is refered to as a "silent gain". They are capable of both improved (smoother) ride quality and more controlled handling. Which i would describe as less pitching under braking and more controlled weight transfer in cornering. Im not a dynamic engineer but i have worked with several of them.

 

[Scotman2]

I have the B6's with stock springs and I was hoping to improve ride quality while keeping the stock height. I have said in the past that I feel like I wasted my money since there is perceptively no difference in ride quality at all (at least as far as I can tell). Someone did mention that it still was a good upgrade since the Bilsteins are much beefier and better made and I think m-sport fan makes a great point above. Like any mod it is up to each person to decide if it's worth it or not. I've worked on my own vehicles for years and this was the first time I've compressed springs and done a full replacement of struts/shocks, I had a great time doing it so in that respect maybe it WAS worth it....

My impression of the Bilstein B6 is that it would be a stellar player on cars like BMW M5 and v8 Ford Mustangs. Those dampers seem built to hold up in heavier cars that are very powerful. Just my impression.

 

[Scotman2]

I had stock shocks on H&R Super Sports and recently switched over to Koni Yellows. It really smoothed up the ride and the car felt more responsive. Overall I'm happy with them. Have nothing aftermarket to compare them to though.

Bilstien B8 is a direct alternative to the Koni sport damper. It is the only mass market performance damper i have never tried. I plan to get a set of the B8 for my next Mustang GT. Im just curious about how they will behave.

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

I've had both Konis and B6s on the rear, and I liked the Bilsteins because they were nicely valved from the factory. The Konis were ok, but it was hard to adjust them with any precision because of the pain in the ass adjustment process.

 

[Scootny]

I've had both Konis and B6s on the rear, and I liked the Bilsteins because they were nicely valved from the factory. The Konis were ok, but it was hard to adjust them with any precision because of the pain in the ass adjustment process.

Yeah, that plastic cap and no detents. Just a continuously rotating rod and the manufacturers guideline of half turn "increments". That being said, I went full soft on my SVT Focus and they were excellent, with an improved ride on a car that had a good ride quality to start for a hot hatch, and markedly better control, (though I did have one get a bent rod, makes me wonder about the beefier Bilstein a bit). For the occasional autocross or a track day I'll probably endure the hassle of stiffening up a half or a full turn to see how it goes.

 

[ronmcdon]

HA! I wish that someone made LINEAR, higher rate, springs which retain factory ride height, to work with aftermarket struts and dampers.

closest thing to that would be the Meister Zeta coilovers for around 1k and maybe a set of custom linear Swifts with taller 200mm springs for 250-300ish. Fortune 500s have a similar feature but I believe they have gone up in price quite a bit. Sure they perform awesome but not sure it's worth the premium over the Zetas for non track driven car.

Agreed Koni Yellows with linear taller springs would be great but not sure theres much of a market for stock factory height linear springs. Have a Koni yellow and Swift R spring combo on my daily beater civic and like that setup too.

 

[M-Sport fan]

closest thing to that would be the Meister Zeta coilovers for around 1k and maybe a set of custom linear Swifts with taller 200mm springs for 250-300ish. Fortune 500s have a similar feature but I believe they have gone up in price quite a bit. Sure they perform awesome but not sure it's worth the premium over the Zetas for non track driven car.

I would go with the FA 500s/510s and their taller spring offerings IF I knew for sure that they could handle, and SURVIVE, the huge (and incessant) hits they would have to endure on gravel rally stages while working those events.

I described my uses to their techs, and they told me that NO, they could not be confident that their coil over setups could handle that abuse and survive, being oriented towards track and/or street use.

The car breaking stuff one runs into on those rough forestry roads is a 'wee bit' <-LOL more destructive than ANY type/amount of curbing one would ever drive over on the roughest of road race courses.

Agreed Koni Yellows with linear taller springs would be great but not sure there's much of a market for stock factory height linear springs.

There must be ZERO, NADA, NONE, market for these, save for myself, and a couple of others, since NO ONE AT ALL offers these.
(I KNOW, I've scoured the earth for them!)

 

[ronmcdon]

Would the Koni yellow actually be able to take the abuse from rallying?

As much as Im not the biggest fans of subarus would love to get ahold of a GC8 impreza and make that a project rally car. Would imagine there's more rally aftermarket support for that.
Team Illuminata has a cool Audi Quattro coupe build I enjoy checking out
https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/quattro-rally-build

Only rally suspension I see for our cars is the Yellowspeed and have not gotten the best feedback from them. I have a lot of empathy for you as its like me trying to get, not watered down good French restaurant in Los Angeles.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Would the Koni yellow actually be able to take the abuse from rallying?

As much as I'm not the biggest fans of Subarus would love to get ahold of a GC8 Impreza and make that a project rally car. Would imagine there's more rally aftermarket support for that.
Team Illuminata has a cool Audi Quattro coupe build I enjoy checking out
https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/quattro-rally-build

Only rally suspension I see for our cars is the Yellowspeed and have not gotten the best feedback from them. I have a lot of empathy for you as its like me trying to get, not watered down good French restaurant in Los Angeles.

The Koni yellow might be able to handle the way I would use them, if I were really careful where I put the wheels on the stage roads.
But I trust the Bilstein B6es much more for this given their stronger (albeit still not Bilstein 'motorsport' rally damper strong/diameter grade) piston shafts than the Konis.

NO WAY would I trust them to actually COMPETE against the clock on these bombed-out gravel stage roads/forestry roads.

Scoobies actually have too many (seems like HUNDREDS!) full-on rally suspension choices/options.
Everything from decent $1200.00 setups to top of the line, $12K+ Ohlins systems and the like.

We have the Yellowspeeds, not sure about their cost (IF you trust them!), the Panda modded for rallying Silvers Neomax for ~$1600.00 (again, if you trust Panda to actually deliver them after paying for them ahead of time), the Flatout Suspension which seems to be a darling of the SCCA Rallycross crowd for ~$3K, same cost as the not rebound or compression adjustable, M-Sport R1 Bilstein kit (which do use the big/strong 'motorsport' pistons/shafts).

Then there is the pinnacle for our app, the M-Sport Poland, R2 Reiger 3 way damping adjustable, remote reservoir, gravel and tarmac spec available, coil over setup.
Yeah, about $8.5K to almost $10K, depending on options/spares.
(Maybe down to $4.5K for a decent rebuilt used set.)

THAT IS IT!

This is perplexing, given how popular these cars are for rallying worldwide, as well as here, and that yes, albeit fact that the Scoobies are still the #1 weapon of choice for US domestic rallying, they are not on the world stage at all anymore (WRC classes, Euro and rest of world national rallies), whereas OUR rides ARE.

 

[ronmcdon]

Aha I knew you were a multi-millionaire to be perusing 10k suspension setups!

I think it's one of those things where theres a limited market for. With the WRX it's just been around for so long (can't believe they've been here in NA for 20 years now) and the aftermarket has had such a huge following.
It really would be the most economical way to get into rallycross and the GC8 would be the lightest, maybe most playful compared to the newer soobaroos.
With lancer evolutions, yes pretty much the same deal with very expensive coilover setups from ohlins and reiger which probably need regular rebuilds. Makes non-competitive hpde look like a poor man's sport.