Was looking at the Koni single and double adjustable shocks, the double adjustables are, well, double the price. I was curious as to what the differnce is between the shocks........control over rebound and compression? What does the single adj allow you to adjust? What is the benifits and/or drawbacks of a set up like this?

I'm buliding the car for higher speeds. I currently have some DMS springs on it, the car dropped at least an inch and a half. The rates on them are 325-630 on the front and 95 160 in the rear. I'm assuming that info would be relevant in my final shock selection.

 

The SA's permit adjustment of the dampening rate only. The DA's permit of both dampening and rebound independently.

I have been through the "research" of shocks. The problem with doing shock research is that NO ONE other than Penske advertises their dampening and rebound rates and you've got to call each supplier to find these out. I personally have been amazed that people who get into the details of everything else on the car are willing to buy things that they have no idea what they really are. Most people to be willing to accept someone's judgement without knowing the hard numbers.

An alternative to off-the-shelf shocks are custom-valved shocks. I' pretty sure that custom-valved Bilsteins will cost less than the Koni DA's and you will get something that is tuned to your application and needs. stranoparts.com does this sort of custom work.

 

Custom are way less than DAs, no contest.

Koni singles allow for rebound adjustment only, doubles allow for rebound AND compression (bump), which would be usefully for high speed events, but most people are satisfied with singles.

If you know exactly what spring your going to run and it will likely not change, then I'd go for Bilsteins, although you have to wait awhile.

I may sell my doubles, I'm still on the fence with the idea.

 

Dr. Mudge is correct. I got the dampening/rebound backwards...

 

*OR*

Get a set of used Koni SA's, and have them rebuilt/revalved by Koni to match your springs and corner weights... Cost is more than revalved Bilsteins, but you have adjustability on your side.

Wish I had money for revalved Da's, LOL

That's what I'm trying for next year

 

Say you were going to get some revalved Bilsteins.........do you just tell them what spring rate you have and then they valve it (don't like that idea much) or do you figure out what valving you want and they build it for you?
So how do you determine what kind of compression and rebound you want on the shocks if it's a deal where you tell them what you want?

 

You will specify your intended spring rates and application (autox, road race, mixture of the 2, etc). From there, you would likely get a suggested shock specification. From there, you could decide that this was OK or ask for something else...

At least that is what I think would be the case. IMO, it sounds like you are at the point that you should get on the phone and talk to someone that sells custom-valved shocks and see where the conversation takes you.

 

The type of driving you do along with spring rate is what decides the valving job, the linearity probably along with the compression, the rebound may be more straight forward. Talk to someone who does it though to get the skinny.

 

If you just do 1 type of racing then SA's are more than up to the job, save yourself some money and buy them. I do both racing schools/ track days, and high speed ORR events . There is a big differance in dampening requirements between 30-130 mph road courses, and 165 + mph ORR events. If you do both then a DA is probably going to be your best choice.