re: Koni vs. Bilstein

[jkerouac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

re: Koni vs. Bilstein

There is a near 1 to 1 correlation between which you use and which you 
will extoll.
     Seems a lot of track guys go for  custom valved Bilsteins.  I'm not 
a track guy.
My choice is Koni, has been for years.
     Whether an 02, E30, E28, or now an E36, BMW street and autocross 
suspensions always pushed in the front suspension when I used Bilsteins.
     When switching to Koni, the front end came to life, more reactive 
than I could get from Bilsteins on any model.
Also, with Koni, it is a low pressure design.  Bilsteins, as well as the 
oem Boge, are high pressure design.  Thus there is an upward pressure, 
effectively a springing force, which sets the suspension possibly 5mm 
higher than with the low pressure Koni.  In stock classes, this is one 
of many little things that can contribute to a winning car.
     On Koni, I won autocrosses.  With Bilstein, my times were never as 
quick.  And Autocross is possibly the best way to learn what does and 
doesn't work when tuning a street suspension.  When I switched my old 
DSP car from Bilsteins to Koni, it transformed a car that was already 
fast, to a car that on any given day could beat any car in the class (if 
of course properly driven)
     Durability:
I've blown out a Koni, I've blown out a Bilstein.  If not equal in 
quality, their plusses and minuses even out.
Some hacks crank their Koni's all the way down thinking it will handle 
'better'.  Nope.  Best way however to get a Koni to fail.
On the E36 //M3, with stock legal springs, my rears are set one turn 
from full soft.  On the front, about a half turn.
Factory OEM shocks hold up well but soften gradually over time.  At 50k 
miles some softening might be noticeable on cars driven hard.   I recall 
a high incidence of factory 540i struts failing a few years back.  Other 
than that, its unlikely a factory strut will leave you going bouncy 
bouncy.  Not a statement I can make about Bilsteins.
Installation:
     The only extra labor to install Koni struts in the //M3 is a series 
of hacksaw cuts around the top of the strut tube.  That lets you remove 
the guts.  Then drill several holes in the bottom of the strut tube, 
working up to the 10mm size needed for the retaining bolt.
     _Use Red Loctite and a Torque Wrench when fastening that bolt.
repeat:
     _Use Red Loctite and a Torque Wrench when fastening that bolt.

Whichever brand of strut you choose:
1.   as long as you have everything disassembled, install the factory 
crash bolt that mounts the tube to the axle assemble.  Install this bolt 
first, then the two lower bolts.  Measureably, you get a 3/4 to 1 degree 
negative camber increase.  Some have expressed concern that that bolt 
will slip in its slot over time.  If you:
     _Use Red Loctite and a Torque Wrench when fastening that bolt.
     _Use Red Loctite and a Torque Wrench when fastening that bolt.
then the bolt will stay as secure as any other critical bolt in the 
suspension.
2.  When tightening the upper strut mounts in place, push inward as hard 
as you can so the studs are fully inward in the holes.  This may give 
~another tenth of a degree negative camber than  leaving the studs 
centered in the holes.  Every little bit helps.

Enjoy,
'jk

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