Koni sport dampers review

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neil_f
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Koni sport dampers review

Post by neil_f » Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:57 pm

I know there's quite a debate regarding suspension for the rs4 and what to do when the drc system needs replaced . Popular choice is generally coilovers but I decided to go down the route of "normal" dampers to retain the original ride height . After searching the good old world wide web I decided to purchase the koni sport dampers. These have been fitted with the original rs4 springs and I've retained the standard anti roll bars. Car is used as daily family transport as well.
First thoughts when I picked the car up from the garage was the car felt more comfortable when driving it normally which was a pleasant suprise. Having now had the chance to drive it a bit harder on some more challenging and bumpy roads I'm impressed with how this setup feels. I feared, after reading many reviews online, that it would want to understeer more unless I changed the roll bars but so far this doesn't appear to be the case ( haven't tried it on wet roads yet). Car stills has that slight oversteer feel when hard on the power out of corners or if you lift abruptly mid bend - similar to how it felt with the original drc. There is a really bumpy, tight, twisty country road near me that I use as a good test for car/motorbike suspension setups that I've yet to try it on. I've driven it with the drc which handled it really well so hoping the koni's can deal with it as efficiently.
I know suspension setup can be a very personal choice, and I will add that I haven't driven an rs4 with coilovers to compare but overall this is a very cost effective (£605) setup that retains (if not improving) the ride comfort and as a road or fast road setup is every bit as good as the drc. I'd imagine on track it might feel soft compared to coilovers (they are adjustable so could be made stiffer but would need to be removed from the car to adjust them) but I don't intend to do trackdays. Would highly recommend them!

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by rs user » Fri Jul 20, 2018 10:09 pm

i have sold mine now but its the way i wish i had went tbh-b14 on max height was too low for me,pretty firm too-but unless on very poor surface the firm ride was fine even for old bones like mine-best thing about the koni/bilstein shock only swap is you can leave the std rear springs in place which is the worst bit of fitting the coilover kits imho-for adjustment if the rod is at the top of the fronts i would drill a neat hole to adjust,its reinforced by the triangular alloy strut top anyway..

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by neil_f » Fri Jul 20, 2018 10:50 pm

To adjust the koni you need to push down and twist the piston at the same time hence they need to be off the car. I know some of the koni sport are top adjustable but not in the fitment for the rs4.

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by rs user » Sat Jul 21, 2018 9:36 am

the rears on my old cossies were like that,remove to "twist and click" but usually set middle to hard -there were only three way adjustment back then,not sure what it is like now
the bilsteins for the b7 application are non adjustable i believe...

thanks for review-if i ever buy a 3rd rs4 and its on aging drc this is the way i will go if it fails

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andyg72
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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by andyg72 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:34 pm

I was always on the understanding that koni only did dampers for the s4 not the rs4 although they do fit (dampers only )



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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by bennn » Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:40 pm

andyg72 wrote:
Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:34 pm
I was always on the understanding that koni only did dampers for the s4 not the rs4 although they do fit (dampers only )



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Thats because of its incompatibility with DRC. technically no one does dampers for the RS4 other than Audi.

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by chopper » Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:45 am

I am about to do the same, as not wanting to adjust my ride height!!
I read somewhere that the S4 Koni's need to be modified for the front?? The groove that the clip is in needs to be machined lower for the RS4.. Is this correct?
Is there anything else that needs to be modified?
And the rears do they just go straight in after adjusting the damping?
Neil_f did you install on full soft?

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by neil_f » Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:19 pm

chopper wrote:
Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:45 am
I am about to do the same, as not wanting to adjust my ride height!!
I read somewhere that the S4 Koni's need to be modified for the front?? The groove that the clip is in needs to be machined lower for the RS4.. Is this correct?
Is there anything else that needs to be modified?
And the rears do they just go straight in after adjusting the damping?
Neil_f did you install on full soft?
I ordered mine through Steve at CRS performance. They came adjusted for road use ( don't know exactly what setting ) or he'll adjust them stiffer for track use if you want. Trusted his advice as he's done quite a few rs4 and tried different settings . I didn't have to machine anything either . Straight swap using the oe springs . Don't regret it either. Tried it on a bumpy stretch of country road recently that is quite testing for a suspension setup especially at speed and the car dealt with it no bother ( my vw touran people carrier hits the bumpstops on the same section of road and at at least 15mph slower). The rs4 sailed over it without feeling harsh or uncomfortable.

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by chopper » Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:58 am

Thanks for the info- will get onto it!

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MikeFish
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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by MikeFish » Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:55 am

So you guys like the "engine's gone for a recondition" look? I thought you'd be making the most of this opportunity to sort out the ride height but guess not. I wanted exactly the opposite combination, keep the original dampers and change the ride height. But good job on trying something different.

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by neil_f » Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:08 pm

MikeFish wrote:
Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:55 am
So you guys like the "engine's gone for a recondition" look? I thought you'd be making the most of this opportunity to sort out the ride height but guess not. I wanted exactly the opposite combination, keep the original dampers and change the ride height. But good job on trying something different.
Personally I think the ride height on mine is fine and given how many cars I've lowered over the years,ranging from springs to coilovers kits costing thousands , all of them got tiresome over time on the bumpy country roads local to me, plus the car is used as daily transport . The only kit I've experienced was ohlins coilivers on a b5 rs4 which were outstanding but so was the price!Each to their own but I would hardly say an rs4 sits too high. Also are the oem drc dampers designed to run with say a 25-30mm lower ride height without any adverse effects on their performance or longevity?

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MikeFish
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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by MikeFish » Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:30 pm

neil_f wrote:
Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:08 pm
MikeFish wrote:
Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:55 am
So you guys like the "engine's gone for a recondition" look? I thought you'd be making the most of this opportunity to sort out the ride height but guess not. I wanted exactly the opposite combination, keep the original dampers and change the ride height. But good job on trying something different.
Personally I think the ride height on mine is fine and given how many cars I've lowered over the years,ranging from springs to coilovers kits costing thousands , all of them got tiresome over time on the bumpy country roads local to me, plus the car is used as daily transport . The only kit I've experienced was ohlins coilivers on a b5 rs4 which were outstanding but so was the price!Each to their own but I would hardly say an rs4 sits too high. Also are the oem drc dampers designed to run with say a 25-30mm lower ride height without any adverse effects on their performance or longevity?
Never had any problems with my DRC dampers when lowered for several years. And the ride wasn't any bumpier with lowering springs and standard dampers. And it's not even about lowering the car per se, it was about levelling out the suspension as front sits much higher than the rear on the standard cars. But yes I also prefer my cars lower than most.

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by Shockerboy » Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:20 pm

The Koni shock absorber can be engineered to lower the front a tad more, 10 to 20mm this gives the car a slightly more aggressive look . its not difficult to do and doesnt add a lot to the cost . Saves alot of money on springs particularly if the standard springs are OK . Thanks to this Forum we have revived many RS4' suspension systems over the last year with 100 % success and with out compromising comfort and looks . Thanks to all those customers . We do adjust the dampers before delivery as its a big job to remove adjust, and refit once you have them in . We know the perfect settings so you can simply bolt them in and dont need to worry.

We are often asked why the KONI catalogue doesnt show an RS4. Its quite simple because KONI dampers dont link to the DRC system and customers will start buying them thinking that they will!! Its simple to check part numbers on competitors catalogues to see that the parts they use are from an S4 as well , but if they arent adjustable they wont work as well as the adjusted KONI's do.

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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by max_b » Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:42 pm

Steve from CRS fitted replacement shocks and springs for me last year and IMO they are comparable to the DRC system. When pushing on they are confidence inspiring and I've had no issues with them.

I've posted some pics recently which gives you an idea of ride height and levels on mine
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Re: Koni sport dampers review

Post by James1984 » Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:55 pm

Shockerboy wrote:
Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:20 pm
The Koni shock absorber can be engineered to lower the front a tad more, 10 to 20mm this gives the car a slightly more aggressive look . its not difficult to do and doesnt add a lot to the cost . Saves alot of money on springs particularly if the standard springs are OK . Thanks to this Forum we have revived many RS4' suspension systems over the last year with 100 % success and with out compromising comfort and looks . Thanks to all those customers . We do adjust the dampers before delivery as its a big job to remove adjust, and refit once you have them in . We know the perfect settings so you can simply bolt them in and dont need to worry.

We are often asked why the KONI catalogue doesnt show an RS4. Its quite simple because KONI dampers dont link to the DRC system and customers will start buying them thinking that they will!! Its simple to check part numbers on competitors catalogues to see that the parts they use are from an S4 as well , but if they arent adjustable they wont work as well as the adjusted KONI's do.
Can these be painted black or do they just come in yellow?
2007 B7 RS4 Saloon, Phantom Black, Forge Oil Cooler Kit, custom home made air feed, H&R Coilovers, H&R anti roll bars, 10mm H&R Spacers, Milltek decat downpipes, Milltek Non Res Valved Exhaust, Reyland Motorsports front & rear discs with Hel braided Hoses, full underbody overhauled inc powdercoated subframes and arms, 034 solid subframe bushes and every joint, arm or bush replaced.

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