Koni or Bilsteins???
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Good question. I'm somewhat partial to Konis. But, do you know if the Bilstein outfit still has a tour of its facility and mfr. process down in Poway, CA? Seems like a good thing to do prior to making a decision, if you can.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 139
Likes: 1
From: El Paso TX
That's sort of like asking: Caviar or fois gras? Different flavors, but both are wonderful in their own way. You didn't mention if you had the Z51 or the stock suspension. The Bilsteins are all high pressure gas charged like the stock Sachs and are a good replacement for the Z51 shocks. I personally don't know how they would work with the softer springs of the standard suspension. I would suspect that the Koni FSDs would make a nice compromise for that suspension. They seem to have enough range to work with both the Z51 and the base suspension. They are low pressure gas, however, so the ride height will drop between a quarter and a half inch after they break in. You will either have to raise the front end back to its previous height or get it re-aligned for the new ride height. A good alignment after any suspension component change is really the way to go anyway.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,858
Likes: 107
From: God's Country, ID
Koni FSD's, Z51 sways/leafs, with proper allignment and corner weighting. 
You're located in the OC. Talk to AL at LAPD. He is very knowledgable at setting up the suspension on these cars.
You're located in the OC. Talk to AL at LAPD. He is very knowledgable at setting up the suspension on these cars.
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Lubbock Texas
Just put a set of KONI FSDs on and all I can say is WOW!!!!!
I have not run it through all the ringers but the few test applications I always ran on my stock Z51 parts in comparison make me a believer in the KONIs. The ride is like night an day as far as comfort and absorbing the road imperfections. I would assert that it lowers the car right off the bat by at least 3/4" since I had to jack the brake rotors up just to get them on and my jack had to be forced out with normally having 3/4" clearance to the puck, and it scraps alot more than it did. I live in Lubbock with tons of drainage dips, since it is so flat here, so it is worse than average I am sure. Mine have been on for a week with less than 100 miles on them so they may sit lower later, but I doubt it, the springs are still the same Z51s. Anyone else notince the car hugging lower in long really tight turns with the KONIs??
Gas charged shocks suck as far as I am concerned. I have Bilstiens on my 4runner and it still hops around on bumps, although not as much. They are better shocks for a C6 than stock I am sure but these KONIs are cool!
I have not run it through all the ringers but the few test applications I always ran on my stock Z51 parts in comparison make me a believer in the KONIs. The ride is like night an day as far as comfort and absorbing the road imperfections. I would assert that it lowers the car right off the bat by at least 3/4" since I had to jack the brake rotors up just to get them on and my jack had to be forced out with normally having 3/4" clearance to the puck, and it scraps alot more than it did. I live in Lubbock with tons of drainage dips, since it is so flat here, so it is worse than average I am sure. Mine have been on for a week with less than 100 miles on them so they may sit lower later, but I doubt it, the springs are still the same Z51s. Anyone else notince the car hugging lower in long really tight turns with the KONIs??
Gas charged shocks suck as far as I am concerned. I have Bilstiens on my 4runner and it still hops around on bumps, although not as much. They are better shocks for a C6 than stock I am sure but these KONIs are cool!
Last edited by sofgl; Mar 30, 2007 at 07:43 PM.
