Koni STR.T Dirty Review

[stuntdoogie]

Stunt, any update on your experience and satisfaction levels re STR.T and eibach combo?

Not crazy about it. First im hearing clunking and squeaking noises over bumps. Gonna check and retorq the bolts and check the tierods today. As far as ride on normal speeds it feels great but on high speed the front feels too soft and floaty especially if you hit a sudden dip on the road the front feels like it wants to take of like a jetliner lol. These struts have a soft compression and higher rebound than the oe struts so that may be the reason for the floaty feel. The koni may benefit from pairing them with stiffer linear springs compared to eibachs progressive springs. The eibachs feel like they get softer the faster you go. The ride height has an even or slight reverse rake stance depending the angle you look at it.
Im considering getting swift springs but im afraid of 1. Rubbing with my 205/50/16 tires at a 1.2" front drop
2. Becoming to bouncy because of the high 212lbs spring rate.

If you track at all I would stay far away from these struts. For 100% street and canyon runs they work well. Let me add they absorb bumps, manholes, imperfections well.

 

[caliboy15]

I want this combo mainly because of ride quality, I dont track my car. What do you think is the best springs to use with koni?

 

[stuntdoogie]

I want this combo mainly because of ride quality, I dont track my car. What do you think is the best springs to use with koni?

I couldnt tell you since I haven't experienced other springs. Airjor13 has H&R springs and he doesn't experience the floatyness I am but those are also progressive springs and I have no clue on the spring rate.
Maybe he can chime in on his experience or pm him.

 

[airjor13]

I couldnt tell you since I haven't experienced other springs. Airjor13 has H&R springs and he doesn't experience the floatyness I am but those are also progressive springs and I have no clue on the spring rate.
Maybe he can chime in on his experience or pm him.

Overall I am really happy with my combo H&R plus the Koni Orange. I have not experienced that floating that Stunt is experiencing. The stance is good, the ride for a daily is very good. It handles very decent at legal pace, probably not the first or best choice for track duty but it's perfect for the streets in my opinion. I am curious to see how the shocks mate with the Swift springs or another linear rate spring. I can definitely recommend the H&R + Koni Orange combo. If you want a bit more control and still stick to shock / springs, you can always go with Koni Yellows.

 

[JBO]

Overall I am really happy with my combo H&R plus the Koni Orange. I have not experienced that floating that Stunt is experiencing. The stance is good, the ride for a daily is very good. It handles very decent at legal pace, probably not the first or best choice for track duty but it's perfect for the streets in my opinion. I am curious to see how the shocks mate with the Swift springs or another linear rate spring. I can definitely recommend the H&R + Koni Orange combo. If you want a bit more control and still stick to shock / springs, you can always go with Koni Yellows.

At very low speeds on poor roads, how is the ride on H&R springs? I have heard they are stiffer than the eibachs?

 

[airjor13]

At very low speeds on poor roads, how is the ride on H&R springs? I have heard they are stiffer than the eibachs?

It absorbs low speed bad roads really well, the spring rate is stiffer then Eibach but not significantly

 

[JBO]

thanks for the info, appreciated!

 

[stuntdoogie]

The soft compression of the koni struts is the real reason why they absorb bumps and potholes really well. The stiffer spring prevents bottoming out.

 

[JBO]

The soft compression of the koni struts is the real reason why they absorb bumps and potholes really well. The stiffer spring prevents bottoming out.

So…what about a hybrid setup such as:
- koni street (orange str.t) on the rears only
- mountune or eibach springs all round
- stock front shocks

100% street use

thoughts?

 

[stuntdoogie]

So…what about a hybrid setup such as:
- koni street (orange str.t) on the rears only
- mountune or eibach springs all round
- stock front shocks

100% street use

thoughts?

I was actually thinking of trying this.

 

[slowpokemd]

Overall I am really happy with my combo H&R plus the Koni Orange. I have not experienced that floating that Stunt is experiencing. The stance is good, the ride for a daily is very good. It handles very decent at legal pace, probably not the first or best choice for track duty but it's perfect for the streets in my opinion. I am curious to see how the shocks mate with the Swift springs or another linear rate spring. I can definitely recommend the H&R + Koni Orange combo. If you want a bit more control and still stick to shock / springs, you can always go with Koni Yellows.

I've been thinking of trying the koni/swift setup. I'm not terribly happy with the stock struts with eibachs. For the most part they are great but on seemingly smooth highways, it feels very bumpy, its like small high frequency bounces and this still happens with higher profile 205/45 tires. Maybe that's due to such high compression on the stock struts.

 

[stuntdoogie]

(Koni/Eibach)
Yesterday I rechecked all the bolts and everything is tight. But im still hearing squeaking and clunking noises going over certain imperfections on the road. I notice these noises on quick suspension rebound. Manholes, cracks, wavy pavement. Its very audible and driving me crazy.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Not sure what the cost is for one of the combos mentioned but have to say I am very impressed with the ride even with the race spec springs on the BC coilovers, far better ride and handling than the stock setup. It is a bit harsh over really big bumps but that is a price I am willing to pay as the roads here are generally quite good but even at slower speeds on some pretty rough roads, like to my storage spaces, not that bad. When I have the 205/45/17 PS-3 AS tires on the ride is far worse than the 225/45/15 Rival S and noisier but still better than stock, why I want to go down to 16's for the AS tires and would do 15's but no tires made I want to run.

 

[LilPartyBox]

Installed the Koni/Eibach setup over the weekend. I just want to quickly add my impressions. After 2 days of commuting i can agree this setup is floaty. I just don't have the confidence in the front end i did with the OEM stuff. Also, it's bouncy. Not terrible but definitely noticeable. Nothing that makes me hate it though. I still prefer it over OEM. Very comfy but still sporty. I have yet to install my bracing (2 pt and rear torsion). I'm hoping the 2pt settles the front end a bit more but i'm not expecting miracles.

What i do hate is the noise. The front is quite most of time but it does groan on certain bumps and while rarely, i get a clunk sometimes. The rear is insanely noisy. Just squawks and moans over any bumps. Sometimes it even sounds like a clunk. I checked the shocks and they're tight so it must be the coils touching.

After much googling it seems to be common issue. The cure for many was coil tubes or isolators. Pieces of hard rubber that wrap around the spring coils preventing them from making direct contact with each other. I called up Eibach and they are sending me sets for the front and rear for FREE! Tonight i'm getting the rear up and greasing the springs. If the sound changes at all then the coil tubes will be the fix.

I'll definitely be rechecking my install this weekend before doing the bracing.

And here's how she sits. I'm diggin it so you know i'm gonna find a way to shut it up

 

[airjor13]

I think with the softer spring rates of the Eibach springs probably doesn't help with the coils touching and slapping into each other. I have the H&R springs they hardly make any noise, I did liberally apply marine grease to the rear springs just to be sure!

 

[GreGGo]

Still have mine installed and just ticked over 29k. My H&R springs made noise, but the Eibachs are silent. I also don't experience the floating feeling. Weird.


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[airjor13]

Still have mine installed and just ticked over 29k. My H&R springs made noise, but the Eibachs are silent. I also don't experience the floating feeling. Weird.

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I'm starting to wonder if there was like a different batch of shocks in terms of valving, maybe Koni made a change to go softer sometime into the production run, idk but that could be a reason people are experiencing different rates of damping.

 

[GreGGo]

I'm starting to wonder if there was like a different batch of shocks in terms of valving, maybe Koni made a change to go softer sometime into the production run, idk but that could be a reason people are experiencing different rates of damping.

That's as good of a an explanation as I could come up with. Haha. I bought mine maybe 2 weeks after Joe listed them on the forum.

 

[LilPartyBox]

I don't think I'd go that far. The OP said his front end was loose almost 5 months ago. I just got these and on the test drive I immediately knew what he meant. I would chalk it up to personal preference and driving style. I'm VERY aggressive. I see apexes everywhere lol This setup has lost the hummingbird directional twitch. Comfort is worth it tho

 

[Zenga11]

Thinking about getting these but like to hear more on your thoughts.

I already have Cobb springs, would this be a good combo?
Looking at getting better ride comfort but without giving up performance because I autox this car.