Koni Adjustables Now In

["Southerlin, Russell S" <russell.s.southerlin@lmco.com>]

Mike and All

>      Russ,
>      Thanks very much for the update. I would be interested in hearing
> more 
>      details on how the car handles with just new front shocks. 
Got the rears in yesterday afternoon (Koni adjustables - red, set at 60%
from full soft - with stock springs).  With just the fronts in the
firmmer ride was very noticable but there was still some
rocking/wallowing motion on the highway.  There was a slight increase in
harshness over sharp edges but nothing near "teeth rattling" IMO.  With
both fronts and rears the ride is much more controlled with no noticable
wallowing on the highway.  There was a little more increase in harshness
over sharp edges but  still nothing close to "teeth rattling" - very
acceptable IMO.  I might reduce my tire pressures a little and see how
it changes - I am running 35-36 psi with Yokahama Avid H4 all seasons. 

		This is an 
>    attractive option to me from both cost and time! Also, when I
> perform 
>      the crude bounce test the front is a lot less damped than the
> rear. 
>      I'm seriously considering just doing the fronts for now and then
> doing 
>      the rears when I do the springs.
> 
I think it depends on the condition of the shocks.  My fronts were
leaking oil and the driver side had little or no rebound damping left.
My rears were original shocks (147K miles) and were also leaking but not
as bad. They had a little compression damping but almost no rebound.  I
think it is hard to tell what shape your shocks are in unless they are
removed from the car and even then pulling them out and pushing them in
by hand is not very real test.  If you think your rears are in good
shape you should be O.K. doing the fronts now and the rear later.
>      
>      I appreciate the updates and would bemost interested to hear how
> long 
>      and hard it is to do the rears?
> 
The fronts are definitely quicker than the rears.  It took me 1.5 hours
for the fronts and 2 hours for the rears.  Although I had to spend about
30 minutes getting the oil out of the front strut housings by stuffing a
rag down the hole with a long stick.  Neither one is a difficult job.  I
have done strut inserts on other cars (84 4KQ two sets) and the 5KQ is
by far much easier since you don't have to pull out the strut assy.
Dave Conner gave me a good tip on the rears to install the bottom bolt
first and then by pushing down on the suspension assy the top can be put
in place.  The rears will require a spring compression tool and you have
to keep the top plate orientated to shock bottom.  I did have trouble
tightening the top bolt (shock damper rod bolt) on the rears as the way
the rubber isolator is shaped you can't get acess to the bolt with a
open end wrench so that you can hold the rod.   I ended up using a air
impact on it even though the Koni instructions warn against using air
tools to tighten.  Not sure how other people are doing this.
>      
> 
>      
>      p.s. Did you do the strut bearings? I did these on my ur-q, Audi 
>      wanted $125 CDN each! I actually bought them from AM Cars in the
> UK 
>      for $250 CDN for the set of four.
> 
I did not replace the bearing or any bushings YET.  I have inspected the
bushings and they seem O.K. but I thought I would do the shocks first
and then see how it handles.  So far I don't think the bushings need
replacement - the car feels real tight.  I don't think the Colorado
climate is as hard on bushings as some eastern climates.

Russ
875KCSTQ
Littleton, CO