Suspension setup with Shankle/Koni Reds in a Spider

**AntonyR** · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 02:32 AM

Hello,
I have a spirited street only driven '87 Quad with Shankle bars front and rear, Koni Reds, and stock springs. The Konis are not changed from their original setting. Does anyone have a similar setup who had tried different shock settings that can share their findings? Would changing from Koni factory settings improve things in my case?

**60sRacer** · #2 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 02:04 PM

Depends on how you drive. Shankle bars are a bit stiff with stock springs. Rear bar especially.

But the key question is: what's wrong with your current set-up? how does it drive (oversteer/understeer). And how do you use it? street? AX? TT?

When you get what you want, how will you recognize it?

Robert

**AntonyR** · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 02:24 PM

I wouldnt say that there's anything wrong with it, I was just seeing if there was anyone with a similar setup, with similar driving habits, that found that changing the original setting was a noticeable improvement or not. I suppose the question should have been, Is it all personal preference, or should something be changed, coming from your experience, as opposed to my lack of experience? If the answer is that there is no correct or better setting, only personal preference, I understand. I just wanted to try for an easy answer, instead of trying every setting in the hopes of finding something I like better.

**Tifosi** · #4 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 02:48 PM

How do you mean 'improve things'?

I understand you want a bit of sporty street scratching, but in what area do you feel it's lacking, or rather where an improvment over what you have is needed?

Does it plow when you go into a turn, or does it get partway in and want to turn around backwards on you? (if neither, then it's more a case of you not pushing enough, and therefore don't really need to change anything as you're not using what you've got to it's fullest potential anyway)

Robert isn't really off in his line of question, as no one will be able to make suggestions without actually knowing specifically how things act vs how you might like them to act.

Really. It could be something so simple as an air pressure adjustment, tire compound change, or even removing the spare tire rather than even getting into fiddly bits like shock damping, spring rates and ARB changes. (just because you 'can' make adjustments doesn't mean you 'should' make adjustments IOW

)

FWIW, Koni reds only allow for adjustment of rebound damping, so the compression is always going to feel the same and the changes will only be on how fast or slow (within the range of adjustment) things re-expand (or expand upon unloading) which in turn is directly relevant to the spring rates you're working with.

**AntonyR** · #5 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tifosi

you're not using what you've got to it's fullest potential anyway

**60sRacer** · #6 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 04:45 PM

One thing you might try is to soften the rear shocks to the minimum. Most of the 105's are so light in the rear that they do not need much from the shocks. Later models are generally heavier cars 'thou. Fronts at mid setting is common, even with stiffer front springs. Many even swap to Koni yellow (sport) at mid setting for the fronts, but that goes with the generally lower ride that 'sporty' springs come with.

Robert

**AntonyR** · #7 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 60sRacer

One thing you might try is to soften the rear shocks to the minimum. Most of the 105's are so light in the rear that they do not need much from the shocks. Later models are generally heavier cars 'thou. Fronts at mid setting is common, even with stiffer front springs. Many even swap to Koni yellow (sport) at mid setting for the fronts, but that goes with the generally lower ride that 'sporty' springs come with.

Robert