KONI shock adjustments

Hi All

I am embarking on a step-by-step refurbishment of the suspension on my '77 Spider. The bushings, etc all look petrified, so are due for replacement, along with cleaning and painting all suspension components.

First step was to replace the shock absorbers - the originals turned to toilet plungers many thousands of miles ago. I have replaced them with KONI Classic adjustable shocks, front and rear.

As these are adjustable shocks, I was curious to know if any other AO members had installed similar shocks on their cars, and if so, what nominal adjustment setting they used. I know that the adjustment is a matter of personal preference, but I'd like to know a nominal setting that might be suitable prior to installation. Thanks...

When I had Koni Reds I had the rears set at full soft and the fronts set at 1/2to 3/4 firrm. I later switch to the Koni Yellows for the track use of the car and I have those set the same as I had the Koni Red's.

Hi , Koni yellows fitted allround to my berlina i haven't the faintest idea re ajustments etc
After a rear spring change there still is a slight lean to drivers side
(please ignor avitar on this one thats a purposeful power lean ) anyone educate me on this or do i leave well alone ??

I've got Koni Classics on my Spider 1750 1970. I was not aware that they are adjustable.
I checked Koni.com, it seemes that only the rear ones are adjustable.
Koni: KONl Finder
Otherwise Msiert is right both in teory and other Alfisti Classici opinions. 105 series Alfas naturly overstears in power-on bends.
Erik

It appears both front and rears are adjustable - the fronts have a white plastic disc on the shock shaft that must be removed, so that adjustment can be done, then must be replaced. Rears have a rubber buffer around the shaft, ditto, must be removed before adjustment and then replaced prior to installation.
I'll try the suggested set-up and see how we get on. Thanks one and all..

After decades of using Koni reds on 105s, I've found that full soft on the rear and 1/2 - 1 full turn up on the front suits my driving style (and the wife's comfort level). Range of adjustment is about 5 half turns. For a while, I ran the fronts at full hard until the left front damper tower broke away from the chassis.

Fancy seeing you here, Murray!

Originally Posted by papajam

Fancy seeing you here, Murray!

Hi papajam,

Yep, Cool site.......... Big Foot turned me on to it.

With externally adjustable Konis the best set up method is to find a speed hump in a street ...should not be too hard these days and with the settings set to soft, drive over the speed hump at normal speed hump speed and see if the suspension bounces after you have just gone over the speed hump. If the front bounces then adjust...and retry.
You can do the 1/4 or 1/2 or even 1 turn at this stage depending on whether the car bounces a lot or little. Adjust until the front just travels over the speed hump with out any bounce. Then adjust the rears. More often or not the rears will be set to soft but you may have to adjust. The reason the fronts will often need adjusting from new is that they are usually made for a car with no allowance for rengine weight. The soft setting should suit the lightest engine.
Now with the best ride/handling compromise setting determined you may wish to go for slighly sportier if you like. However the ride will dertiorate quickely if harder damper settings used.


NB Konis are really only adjustable for wear.... If you want truely adjustable ones then something like Spax adjustables is the way to go...unfortunaltely not for modern Alfa Romeos. Spax can be softened or stiffened from a cental setting depending on the road surface and the type of driving you do. I have used them on "classic" Alfa Romeos and prefer them to Koni.

Thanks for all the input, chaps.
To tell the truth, I wanted to buy original equip non-adjustable Boge shocks, but supplier could not get them for weeks, and offered me the Koni's at a reduced price instead. I am not a hard-core handling freak, just want to improve the ride quality on the car, as the original shocks were knackered - (they were really just a collection of parts flying in close formation, vs. properly working components !)
Shocks are presently installed with one turn from firm setting, both front and rear - drove the car extensively this past weekend, and the ride quality is greatly improved, but I did notice a slight tendency towards understeer in some of the curves, which wasn't there before. Otherwise, feels OK to my undeducated butt...
I can understand the logic of having a firmer setting up front due to mass of engine, tho'...