• The development of any software program, including, but not limited to, training a machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) system, is prohibited using the contents and materials on this website.

Choosing shocks: Koni or Bilstein?

Choosing shocks: Koni or Bilstein?

  • Total voters
    1
Raven18940

Raven18940

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2005
Messages
633
Location
PA, USA
Well my rear suspension is badly worn out (common problem due to the geometry of the 9-5 rear suspension) so I've decided to upgrade my suspension. I've decided on H&R sport springs, one of the stiffer springs available for my car, but I want to make sure I'm controlling body movement with the springs and not the shocks. What I can't decide on is what shocks to use with them. There are the koni sports which are adjustable from soft to back breaking. however the rear shocks won't be adjustable while on the car. Then they're the Bilstein sports, I hear Bilstein are the shock guys, they were OEM on 911's for a while. And they have something bilstein refers to as "rising rate valving" which I'm guessing means they get stiffer as they get compressed. Sounds pretty neat, but what I want most is ride quality. I drive around 40 miles a day through back roads and it's very important that this not break my back. So what do you guys think?
 
I'm a bilstein guy myself, they make a great product, and the last a good long time. Pretty much any bmw 2002 with upgraded suspension is outfitted with them. Atleast i've never heard anybody else on the 2002 boards reccomend anything else. As for Ride quality, some comlain that the sports are somtimes a bit too stiff for a daily car, and they end up opting for bilstein hd's. Most of the youngin's just deal with it though.

I have heard that the new koni performance shock is great too though. The only koni's i've had were some gas shocks on my vw 181, that car feels fairly solid for what it is.
 
bilstein here too.... very europen so the ride isnt too harsh compared to aftermarket struts
 
Can you use the Bilstein HD's with lowered springs (1" or so)? Bilstein's website insists you have to use the Sports. I mean I don't mind a firm ride compared to the wallowy one I have now, but I would sacrafice a little performance for a smoother ride.
 
My mechanic, experienced guy with a lot of performance cars, says that bilstein sport in BMWs are a big no-no (rock). Koni suits them better. However, for Audis, it's the other way around. So, make sure you read some Saab forums, as they will be the best guys to answer that.
 
I've actually been reading that a lot of people think the Bilstein Sports are too hard, I'm thinking about the HD's now. I think they're work with a mildly lowered car.
 
Yes, the sports are a shorter shock, I dunno if that will give you problems on you car, All i really know are 2002's. Bilstein also won't warrantee the hd's on a lowered car. One of the negatives of them on a lowered car is that because of their lack of a internal stop where the sports is, when the car is jacked up they springs may not stay in the correct place (deppending on the way your suspension is ofcoarse i'm reffering to 30 year old cars)
 
stapler123 said:
Yes, the sports are a shorter shock, I dunno if that will give you problems on you car, All i really know are 2002's. Bilstein also won't warrantee the hd's on a lowered car. One of the negatives of them on a lowered car is that because of their lack of a internal stop where the sports is, when the car is jacked up they springs may not stay in the correct place (deppending on the way your suspension is ofcoarse i'm reffering to 30 year old cars)
Click to expand...
What do you mean the spring won't stay in the correct place? Where would it go?
 
basically on the 2002 The spring sits on a perch on the shock, It isn't like todays cars where it is all one assembly. Though it is still around the shock if the pressure is taken off of it it can become crooked and kinda sit sideways and bind on stuff. It won't fit in the top of the shock tower or the perch right. Anywho, i would guess your saab isn't put together that way.
 
No, I have regular old MacPherson struts up front and a shock-in-spring design in the rear. I can see why that would be a problem with the 2002, but I think struts are attached to the springs and the rear suspension is well...interesting.

Wait, if there's no internal stop, what keeps you from pulling the rod out completely on those shocks?
 
You really can't say which one is better without knowing the dampening rates and also the rates of the springs you will be using.
I'd ask Saab enthusiasts and see what they recommend. You really can't say one brand is better than the other without knowing any variables.
 
Saab enthusiasts for every other model say that Konis are the best, but no one knows what to do with 9-5. It's heavy, wallowy, and eats rear shocks for breakfast. Everyone thinks they have the best setup, but we're all sort of shooting in the dark. A lot with a Eibach/Koni setup say it's on the stiff side, but I think that's cause they had to turn them too hard cause of not using stiff enough of a spring. So that's why I'm opting for the H&R sports cause it's a stiffer spring than the Eibach. I'm drawn to the Bilstein shocks though for the duel natural, sharp and hard when you're hammering through corners, but smooth-ish around town. From what I've read no other shock performs like this. I think it'll do well, but no one else has tried this setup, so I guess I get to pioneer something.
 
One the road, you should concentrate more on getting a smooth and firm ride. You need something soft enough to absorb bumps on uneven roads. If you get something too stiff, you will lose grip when going over bumps. Just be careful not to over-do it with super stiff suspension.

I personally wouldn't recommend the stiffer springs. The initial response of the car is only through the shock absorbers. The car will only start to "ride" on the springs on long sweeping turns. For the road, you want shock absorbers with a soft bound and high rebound rate. If you can, look into the specs of each shock absorber and see what you can find. You should always spend the extra money on shock absorbers and leave the springs second on the list.

What will REALLY help handling on a road car running on soft springs/shocks is stabiliser bars. Look into getting these if you want better handling. Don't get too stiff of a stabiliser bar though; you'll roll over the car!

Colin Chapman (founder of Lotus) perfected the idea of running soft suspension with stiff stabiliser bars. It provides great handling without sacrificing great ride.

If you are looking to improve handling, I'd recommend simple chassis braces. They will make a great improvement on cars that came with a weak chassis. (don't know if the 9-5 has this weakness)
i.e. strut tower bars
 
If your number one priority is ride comfort just get replacements at your local SAAB dealarship. As you probably know (since your driving one) the original chassi settings on the 9-5 Aero offers a rather nice mix of comfort and performance.
Also this shocks have been tested by SAAB so you know they will be adjusted perfectly for your car.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top