[Photodave]

OK here's a slightly surpising situation I found myself in.

Ordered a Koni STR-T kit for my JTD mjet 20v saloon in October. After MUCH chasing and messing about I ended up cancelling the order in December, just before Christmas.

Then the kit turned up. Koni's mess-up apparently. The place i bought it from has given me the option of paying and keeping or returning it but it's not quite as straightforward as you might think as I am currently out of work...I can stick it on a credit card with no interest for 12 months and handle it that way if i wish, though.

My concern is that it reckons to lower the car 40mm both ends. Whilst the back could certainly use it i'm not sure if this is wise at the front? Granted my lower arms need replacing and there's probably some "sag" in the existing, Lusso spec, springs but am i gonna have sump "issues"?

Has anyone fitted koni str-t kits or the -40mm koni sport springs to a JTD car and can they give any info regarding final ride height?

any input much appreciated! Just trying to work out whether i'll love it or I should save my money!

 

[airwave88]

I personally find the front of the 2.4 20v way too low for the not-perfect roads here. Not to mention the current weather - when driving in the path of the previous vehicles on a non-cleaned road, I often hear the lower cover / oil sump plowing the snow.
But again, it's just a personal opinion - I'm using my car as my daily commuting vehicle, so I'd choose increased ride height over a bit of extra performance / road handling. People will probably now ask why I bought this car and if I weren't better in a Land Rover - after a Fiat Croma and a Lancia Kappa, I thought I'd try some Italian flavor again.

 

[rigsby]

i fitted the koni sport kit (-40mm) to a v6 and visually there was no change, i have no probs with speed bumps or grounding

 

[Photodave]

thanks both!

Airwave88, mine's been the same in the snow - i can hear the "ridges" between tyre tracks rubbing on the undertray. Derbyshire has pretty poor road surfaces on the whole as well, with high crowns and lots of compressions and potholes.

However if i get the same result as Rigsby and the ride height doesn't change significantly then I'll probably be better off as it won't ground out with the better shocks on. The 2.4 diesel kit is also the V6 kit so I guess the engines are similar weights?....

Plus i would expect a sharper turn in too (yes?), which is my main handling gripe currently. One other complaint of the standard Lusso setup is that when i load the boot to go camping with the family, the tyres catch the wheel arch liners going over Hardknott Pass in the Lake District! I presume it handles loads better with the stronger springs?

AFAIK the STR-T kit is a Sport kit with non-adjustable dampers so if anyone else has experience of either then I'd be keen to hear it!

 

[ALFA TUNER]

Personally for the difference in cost between the two kits i would opt for the sports one without hesitation,as there is no comparison.

 

[Photodave]

Ah well if I could afford it I would!

It is, if I understand correctly, a Sport kit with the dampers "fixed" on the first setting.

AND I have the STR-T kit "in my hands" and really just need to know how low the car will be with it on and whether i'll have any grounding issues? It cost £345 by the way - a fair bit less than the Sport kit!

 

[156Chris]

the -40mm is from "standard" however you probably have the sportspack suspension which is -25mm from standard, therefore it will drop it by another 15mm ... I've got the eibach pro kit springs which lower it by 30mm from standard, and I do get problems grounding over those "half" speed bumps (if you know what I mean)

 

[Photodave]

thanks Chris,

Not sure i've got "sportpack" though. Shocks are VERY poor and the back sits quite high..

It's a strange setup as far as I can tell. On motorways it's excellent. Really comfortable. And in general driving it feels quite firm. But as soon as you try and press on a bit it gets a bit vague on turn-in and really "wallows" over bumpy stuff. I've watched it in a rear view mirror from another car when my wife was driving it behind me one day and the front really does wallow quite a bit. After my old 145QV which handled brilliantly it's quite disappointing but I did kind of expect that really - heavy diesel lump in a "family" car.

But then, bizarrely, I went over Snake Pass in it a few months back and stuffed a hopeful chap in a kitted up 09 plate Audi A4 TDi Outpulled and outcornered him!

I was a little concerned about "half" speed bumps. I can go over those with one wheel if needed though. I'm more concerned about the "compressions" you come across on little roads in Derbyshire, Cumbria, Snowdonia etc (locations for my preferred pastime!). I often come across high crowns on narrowish roads too but it only seems to be an issue when the front "dives"......

hmm what to do..what to do....

 

[Photodave]

Hmm OK i've been out and done some ROUGH measuring. This is on the OE, Lusso spec, suspension it left the factory with, now having covered 53,000 miles.

On the front wheel, it's about 360mm from wheel centre to lip of wheel arch. Top of tyre tread to lip of arch is about 50mm. Is that low or normal?

 

[Photodave]

well, i've picked the kit up from my mate's house, the car passed it's MOT today with no issues and the snow is starting to melt. I just need to work out if the Koni springs are gonna put it too low and should I just return the kit OR is it gonna be wonderful after the crappy Lusso suspension?

i've attached a pic of how the car currently sits - i presume that's not on any kind of sports suspension currently?....(sorry the pics aren't better - phone's camera on QVGA res!)

 

[Pascs]

I think 360mm is a bit lower than the standard but not Sport Pack low, lets say normal is 370mm, sport pack is 350mm and Eibach -30mm is 340mm. The rear would be a bit higher.

When I fitted the Eibach's there was a bit of a drop at the front and a big drop at the rear, generally I'm happy with the ride height but wouldnt want to go any lower, Koni springs might be different though. If you fit the kit make sure you fit all the rubber insulators below the springs as this will give about 5mm extra height.

If you find the car too low you could always use your existing springs with the Koni dampers, I have standard springs and Bilstein dampers on my other V6 and it feels a lot better than standard without being too hard.

 

[Stori]

Actually for normal day to day use just replacing the dampers with Koni Sport 'adjustables' or Bilstein equivalent sis often the best bet. That way you control the suspension but do not loose ride height. Alfa seem to have had a habit of fitting stiff springs and soft dampers which is the reason the supension works on smooth roads but bounces around on rougher roads.

 

[Photodave]

thanks both! I'll see how low it looks on the Koni springs and switch it to the standards if that's too low, I think. I'm inclined to agree that it probably just needs better dampers! I presume the piston rods are long enough for the standard springs then?

thanks again!

 

[gazza82]

Actually for normal day to day use just replacing the dampers with Koni Sport 'adjustables' or Bilstein equivalent sis often the best bet.

That's ok unless the dampers are shortened .. some Bilstein's for example have shorter damper rods to cope with the shorter springs. Putting them on standard springs might put them under tension to start with.

 

[stellaman]

Come and stick them on my car seeing as though your not busy and we'll see what they are like :lol::lol::cheese:

 

[Mike2909]

Why spend money on the car if your out of work and I take it have no extra money at the moment?
The car has passed its MOT with no issues. Just leave it as it is for now and send the kit back - (at there expense - they messed up).
A good friend of mine has fitted 2 of the STR -Kits to cars and both have had issues.One to a V6 (same kit as your 20V) blew both front shock seals and the front collapsed and the rear left on a twinnie SW bent the rod on the second day and banged like a hooker.

There is a reason for the lower price of that kit.

 

[Photodave]

Mike - that's probably sound advice and thanks for the feedback on the quality issues. Maybe i'll send it back and look for shock options when i'm employed again....

Nick ('me bro) - get a heavier engine and maybe they'll work alright You sorted that fffffrrrrrench thing out yet?

 

[Photodave]

OK decision made - it's being collected by the courier tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your input. I guess it's better to save the money and put up with the iffy ride and handling for now!

 

[stellaman]

Haha, the Alfa is the only thing that hasnt let me down this cold period!!! Bloody Renault piece of ****. Have changed everything i can now and it still cuts out while your driving. If it doesnt start today i'm doing a Basil Fawlty and hammering it with a tree branch!!!
Best move to send the shocks back, you can always get them again when you get a job.....doley:lol::lol::lol: