I recently installed Koni Sports on my 1988 IROC. As some of you know from other posts, I autocross this car and am always looking for improvements. Based on input from other autocross drivers (some from this forum), I decided that the next change would be shocks. When I replaced the shocks, it was obvious that these were the original shocks. They were in very bad shape, from a dampening/rebound perspective. I could compress them with my hands without alot of effort. I suppose this should be expected from shocks that are nearly 14 years old.

Both the front and rear shocks (struts, whatever) are adjustable. The fronts are adjustable by attaching a **** (supplied with the front shock) to a tab on the top of the shock. The rears are also adjustable from the top, but the top mount must be removed and the top of the shock needs to be rotated to achieve the adjustments. Note that the shocks came in the full soft position and I have left them in the full soft position based on what others have told me they have done with these shocks. Until I get some seat time with them and learn how to deal with them, I plan to leave them in this position.

The car is quite stiff. On the road it is not necessarily pleasant to drive, especially on the roads in western Pennsylvania. However, I am getting used to the stiffer ride (and am waiting for all of the new rattles to appear).

In autocrossing, the car now has very little lean. This is true in braking, accelerating and turning. This will require me to adjust my driving style.

Under acceleration, I get less weight shifting to the rear wheels. This has meant that I cannot hammer the accelerator quite as hard as I had done in the past. With the old shocks, I could hammer it and rear shocks would compress and give a little more weight to the rear wheels, helping traction. I now have to be more progressive with the accelerator. In my autocross events over the weekend, I never got to a point that I was happy with the progression I was applying while exiting turns. I need more seat time.

The same is true (in opposite) under braking, though it does not seem quite as severe. Without the weight shift to the front wheels, I have noticed under heavy braking more of a tendency to lockup the front wheel than before. Adjusting my braking to accommodate this seems easier than the adjustment in progressive use of the accelerator. The beneficial side effect has been that I brake a little earlier now - I think I was a little late anyway and this has forced me to think about it a little sooner.

I guess I need to stop counting on "loading up" the front end on my entry into turns and "loading up" the rear as I feed the throttle on exits. I need to get smoother.

Overall, I think that they are an improvement. I just have to learn to better take advantage of them. Since most of the 'regulars' didn't attend the two events that we had this weekend, it is hard to gauge if I was able to take advantage of the new shocks. I didn't place any better than normal. However, only one regular guy showed up and he was on race tires while I was on street tires. I run in a 'one-off' club where you must run street tires to be considered stock (race tires get sent off to a PAX class). This next event will be where I can judge how much the shocks improved the car and how well I am able to take advantage of them.

I really can't imagine being able to take advantage of these shocks in many street situations other than taking the odd tailgater deep into an exit ramp to watch him squirm...

I thought some of you fellow autocrossers would be interested. Anyone else have these? Anyone else go for Bilsteins instead?

 

I went for the bilsteins. only because I didn't want to be F-in with adjusting **** all day long. knowing me, I'd be playing with the adjustments too much.

I didn't auto-x much this season, but I did take phase 2 and phase 3. both instructors liked the car. one said it slaloms better than a 4th gen with koni's. That was on corded kumho's

If I put hoosiers and a posi in it, it should run national times with a driver.

 

I know what you mean about the adjustments. I had two guys tell me two opposite things that I should be doing after they watched me run. I decided to leave 'em alone until I know how to put them to good use.

Stage 2 and Stage 3 - I assume that this is a progression at an autocross school?

Too bad you're out on Long Island. A bunch of us Chevy guys from the clubs I run are planning on meeting at Nelson's Ledges (Ohio) for an open track day on Oct 12th. I love to get some third gen participation at these track days.