Koni Cut a Struts into Bilstein Sport Struts?

[OK-944]

Anyone here know if I can do a Koni "Cut a Strut" (Koni insert) conversion of my 87NA's OEM (factory option 474) Bilstein Sport Struts?

[9FF]

The M474 were Koni sports struts not Bilstein and yes you can fit the Koni cut inserts.

Better still sell your M474’s to someone who wants to rebuild and upgrade them to double adjustable and with part of the money buy some late used strut housings for your Koni cut insert mod.

[OK-944]

Nope...definitely Bilsteins - or at least as listed on the options list supplied with the car (I have the complete history...including all repair and purchase documents, manuals, etc.).

Perhaps if an "M" prefix were present (which its not)...that this would indicate Koni's?

(gotta love these moving targets!)

At any rate...my search for possibilities continues - hopefully for something that will give me a "smooth" ride - but the clock is also ticking!

[Jfrahm]

I understand the hacksaw Konis will be a lot stiffer than OEM Sachs. I suggest finding a good used set of Sachs and trying those.

That assumes you want to fix something like "coffee on the headliner after hitting a pothole"
I had Bilsteins in my 2003 Audi S8 and they were awful over potholes in town. OEM Sachs non-sport are much better for that issue.

Of course now the ride is more bouncy, less dampened. Is that a "smooth ride"? Not really. But preferable for that car for me.

[OK-944]

What I am trying to mitigate is the teeth chattering experience of riding on gravelly roads - which there are lots of here in Vt. and which I otherwise enjoy.

All indications have been pointing to a Sachs (non-sport) setup...and, as I'd mentioned in another (related) thread - Steve at 944online has started to modify a number of Sachs strut cores to accept Sachs inserts...and at this point this looks like the way I'll go.

After I do the installation...my next challenge, as I no longer will have my current struts onto which I have scribed alignment witness lines - will be to find someone (as has been pointed out) competent enough to do a decent alignment.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by OK-944

Nope...definitely Bilsteins - or at least as listed on the options list supplied with the car (I have the complete history...including all repair and purchase documents, manuals, etc.).

Perhaps if an "M" prefix were present (which its not)...that this would indicate Koni's?

(gotta love these moving targets!)..

I imagine the options list supplied with the car is wrong. Option code M474 is definitely Sport Koni dampers according to the factory manual, they are single (rebound) adjustable Konis #951.343.031.06 & 951.343.032.06

Is your car US spec? Maybe the RoW cars were different idk.

[OK-944]

Yup...they are indeed Koni's!

All of the car's included documentation was wrong, so I actually checked the struts themselves (they were out in my freezing garage - and I got lazy and looked at documents instead).

My apologies...and lesson learned!

[Rasta Monsta]

Send them to Koni for rebuild?

[OK-944]

As mentioned...I'm aiming for a "smooth, yet firm" ride - hoping to reduce "teeth chattering" on dirt/gravel/bumps - but with a decent handling/cornering feel. While I do enjoy our local twisties, I will never track this car...nor do I make it a habit to run up to redline (in fact I rarely go above 4500 rpms).

Also as mentioned...Steve at 944online is making up some Sachs struts, with Sachs inserts - and this is the way I'll be going, even with the knowledge that, owning an 87NA does limit my options in terms of getting a "perfect" match via. rear shocks...as it appears that equivalent Sachs rear shocks are no longer available.

Right now I'm looking at going with either Bilstein B-6's for rear shocks (a bit stiffer than Boge's, but softer than Koni's), or, on the softer end (don't laugh) KYB's. I actually ran KYB's front and rear on an 85.5 awhile back - and for my uses they were OK. As for the possibility that KYB's would not last nearly as long as anything from Bilstein...this does not really concern me for the rears as they (KYB's) are so inexpensive, and very quick/easy to change out.

As for my current Koni's - my thought is to hang onto these, eventually get them rebuilt - and then A/B these with whatever setup I end up going with in the meantime. My reasoning for this is that I haven't owned my current 87 that long...and its been up on my lift for the past 18 months as I rebuild/rehab it. As the Koni's were pretty old to start with...I'd like the chance, at some point, to feel for myself how a fresh set of Koni's feels/drives. Make sense?

[jjeffries]

As the late Bob Ross, painting instructor on PBS used to say, “You can do anything you want, because you have an artistic license ... you earned it when you opened your first tube of paint.”

I’d also think a set of green Bilstein’s in the back would match Sachs strut inserts up front OK. Others here may know better.

Best, John