SCCA Solo C Street Discussion

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by Arigh

Degassing konis for more camber? So you end up with less damping AND your shocks are going to start having issues with cavitation??

Sounds like an amazing idea for a marginal amount of camber.

A+, would laugh again.

A difference in gas pressure is just one of the factors that can result in a different ride height, it's also been a common technique in autocross to get around the rules limitations.

And I'm not even saying degassed, but lower than OEM or a comparable Bilstein. That's my speculation, FYI.

Also, I PM'd Lee Grimes from Koni on another board and he said that the struts were intended to be replicas of OEM on all external measurements that matter. If they measure out incorrectly, it would be the first time it has happened and he would like to know so that they can get engineering involved.

So unless someone has some hard numbers that say otherwise, can we drop this? I'll still measure when I install mine, but I think we can trust Koni over a bunch of speculation and non-evidence.

[ksconekiller]

Alright, dammit. I'm going outside to take dimensions on mine right now. Results to come...

[Laloosh]

Originally Posted by ksconekiller

The Koni full replacements allow too much camber up front. If you are using the full Koni struts along with the smaller camber bolts maxed out, you will have an illegal amount of front camber. I'd say over 2.5 degrees is easily possible. I personally wouldn't have a problem with someone using the replacements as long as they keep the camber where it's possible with OEM struts (1.5 or less).

So I dug this up from a couple pages back. Is this something you tried and confirmed or is this theory?

[ksconekiller]

Okay, here we go. Here's my Koni strut. Note the round (not slotted) holes.


I took the dimensions I thought were relevant to this conversation on both the OEM strut and the Koni. OEM listed first, then Koni. All measurements in millimeters taken with a digital caliper.

Bottom of spring perch to middle of top knuckle hole: 111.61/111.48
Top knuckle hole diameter: 16.28/16.32
Lower knuckle hole diameter: 13.97/14.02
Shock body to inboard edge of top hole: 20.25/20.32
Shock body to outboard edge of lower hole: 40.82/40.88

These should be the dimensions that could affect camber. As you can see, they are all ridiculously close (probably within manufacturing tolerances). I'm not an engineer, but I'd say they would qualify as being the same as far as production is concerned.

I won't be driving the car for a couple of days, so I will leave it apart in case anyone thinks of another measurement that needs to be taken.

[ksconekiller]

Originally Posted by Laloosh

So I dug this up from a couple pages back. Is this something you tried and confirmed or is this theory?

That was based on comments I had seen throughout the community. Sorry, I should have been more clear about it. As noted just above, mine measured out like stock, and I got the same camber with the Konis as with OEM.

[DylanFRS]

So the people getting 2+ deg are going to have to start sharing their secrets...

[ksconekiller]

No kidding. I would love to find a way to legally get more.

[ChrisV]

Nice work ksconekiller. Now we can put it to rest.

I just need my front struts to come in now so I can

I'll post my alignment numbers when I get it, but it may still settle a bit afterwards because I'm going to be putting on the TRD springs at the same time.

[solort]

Originally Posted by Arigh

Degassing konis for more camber? So you end up with less damping AND your shocks are going to start having issues with cavitation??

Sounds like an amazing idea for a marginal amount of camber.

A+, would laugh again.

Compression and rebound have nothing to do with whether the struts are gassed or degassed. The valving does that. The gassed stock Koni Sports will always rise back to their original max length on rebound. Degassed will stay in the same position until they are compressed or stretched.

[markw]

Originally Posted by solort

Compression and rebound have nothing to do with whether the struts are gassed or degassed. The valving does that. The gassed stock Koni Sports will always rise back to their original max length on rebound. Degassed will stay in the same position until they are compressed or stretched.

Degassed, they'll cavitate, and valving is designed for fluid. You remove the charge from a shock, it will definitely effect compression and dampening.

Now that the holes look to be within stock part dimensions, I'm going to go crank mine up to 2.5 degrees.

Mark

[ksconekiller]

Are you serious? Do you have the full struts and are able to get more camber? Or are you just playing off what's been said here lately? If you can get more, I'd sure like to know how it's physically possible.

[markw]

Originally Posted by ksconekiller

Are you serious? Do you have the full struts and are able to get more camber? Or are you just playing off what's been said here lately? If you can get more, I'd sure like to know how it's physically possible.

Bone stock Koni's just like the one you pictured. Camber is right at 2 degrees. When I took it in for alignment after installing them, the shop had the initial at like 2.6 on one side and 2.3 on the other. I have the factory camber correction bolts in the upper hole, and I tightened them with a jack under the hub compressing the spring, then tightened the two bolts at the spindle, and then the top 3 bolts. I told them to pull it back to 2 degrees as I "daily drive" it.

Mark

[Cueman]

Originally Posted by markw

Bone stock Koni's just like the one you pictured. Camber is right at 2 degrees. When I took it in for alignment after installing them, the shop had the initial at like 2.6 on one side and 2.3 on the other. I have the factory camber correction bolts in the upper hole, and I tightened them with a jack under the hub compressing the spring, then tightened the two bolts at the spindle, and then the top 3 bolts. I told them to pull it back to 2 degrees as I "daily drive" it.

Mark

Hrmm... if one more person would like to share the same experience... I'd like to order some Koni's...

[solort]

Originally Posted by markw

Bone stock Koni's just like the one you pictured. Camber is right at 2 degrees. When I took it in for alignment after installing them, the shop had the initial at like 2.6 on one side and 2.3 on the other. I have the factory camber correction bolts in the upper hole, and I tightened them with a jack under the hub compressing the spring, then tightened the two bolts at the spindle, and then the top 3 bolts. I told them to pull it back to 2 degrees as I "daily drive" it.

Mark

So is the crash bolt approved for the top or bottom hole of the 2 strut alignment holes?