Modifying Koni shock rubber bumpers

[limble]

My car was lowered and the shocks seem to be bottoming out.
I took these two stops or rubber bumpers out and intend to cut them. Question is which one and how much?

[limble]

Bump

[limble]

"Hello? Hello? Anybody home?" -Biff Tannen

[Zeke]

The ones I've seen are 3-ringed. I cut off a ring at the big end, or one third total. Worked for me in 2 cars. The taper is the cushion. You don't want to lose too much of the cushion if they hit. On other types on other cars, again, I remove material from the base if possible to retain some to the cushion value of the pointy end.

[75Carrera]

My car is lowered and I'm preparing to install a set of Koni Specials (front and rear) along with replacing all the suspension bushings. Since Koni doesn't make a Sport Shock for Koni struts housings I assume I'll need to cut the stops down a bit too. Who has experience with Koni and cutting stops (necessary/not necessary/how much to cut)? Is it necessary to cut both front and rear?

[Peterfrans]

You can fit koni sport inserts in a koni strut, but then you will need a special nut to fit the top of the strut. Mine are in the mail, so if needed I can take a pic when they arrive.

I would be hesitant to cut the rubber and risk that the shock might bottom out

[911ctS]

It looks as though you have a Koni "snubber" (top one) and some other sort of rubber bump stop that has already been trimmed down (bottom one). If you want to increase travel I would suggest leaving out the rubber one and just using the snubber. Just be sure that you dont let the Koni inserts ever totally bottom out, this will destroy the valving inside.

Peter is correct. The sport inserts need a fine threaded nut to hold the insert into the strut housing. In my experiences the sport inserts came with this nut, but that may depend on which supplier you get them from.


The Biff Tannen comment was great! LOL

[limble]

Peterfrans- The pictures above are from the rear shocks.
911ctS- The rubber has not been trimmed down as far as I can tell. I might try leaving it out.

[Elombard]

I took a ring off mine (the fronts) and it helped. Never thought about the rears, Iwonder if it is bottoming on the rubber. Need to check that.

When you say Koni Sports do you guys mean the yellows or??It seems like I have seen Konis for other cars that are shorter to work better for lowered cars.

[75Carrera]

The Sports are Yellow. I was told the Sports are best for lowered cars. Then I found I couldn't buy a Koni strut insert for my Koni strut housings! So I went with the Specials front and rear only because my wrench told me to go with a matched set. I respect his 40 years of experience and really had no choice other than Koni Specials ($510) or KYB's (at a third the price). I couldn't find anyone who would stand up for the KYB and Bilstein doesn't make a strut insert for the Koni housing. What strut housings do you have?

[shanghai_todd]

By removing or trimming these rubber busings how much can you expect to lower the car in the front and back?

[75Carrera]

Cutting the stops won't lower the car. It will give your shocks more travel without bottoming out under normal conditions.