ahhhh koni reds or tokico illuminas

[Nackattack]

Ok here is the deal...I don't race on the weekends...I do approve domestic violence though, and love to prove what the honda badge is all about. I want quality but don't want to bust the bank. Are koni reds going to be stiffer (better than tokico illuminas)? How many here ride on the hard setting of your koni yellows daily? Keep in mind I have skunk 2 coilovers and about a 1.5 drop....I think. I have 17's and the front wheels are tucked about an 3/4inch. Also...I just bought this teg and my last car was an 87 maxima with blown struts...didn't even realize the struts on the tegie were blown because the handling is like 10x better than my maxima. So I feel like I may be happy with any upgrade in shocks. Really would like to go with Koni's though...heard not one bad thing about them.
Thanks for the help in advance....and believe me I have searched for the last two days on the this topic.

[Nackattack]

oh and what settings on the koni yellows are the reds compared to?

[spoonman Ej-1]

well i use to have Koni Red and yes their a dam good shock. Adleast the rebound was excelent maybe, even better then my tokico illuminas. The illuminas are a good shock but, if your going to stick with tokico i say go with the Hp's (tokico blue's). I'v talk to alot of people and they say that the Hp's are like a 4 (stifness) on the illuminas. But if you really want an adjustable Shock then go with the Koni Yellows, for they are a better shock than the illuminas.(In my opinon) I think that if you ask a lot of people they will tell you the same. After this shock go, I am getting the yellow's!
I can tell you this for sure that the yellow's are stiffer then the Tokico illumonas on the highest setting!
Hope this helps

[spoonman Ej-1]

well i use to have Koni Red and yes their a dam good shock. Adleast the rebound was excelent maybe, even better then my tokico illuminas. The illuminas are a good shock but, if your going to stick with tokico i say go with the Hp's (tokico blue's). I'v talk to alot of people and they say that the Hp's are like a 4 (stifness) on the illuminas. But if you really want an adjustable Shock then go with the Koni Yellows, for they are a better shock than the illuminas.(In my opinon) I think that if you ask a lot of people they will tell you the same. After this shock's go, I am getting the yellow's!
I can tell you this for sure that the yellow's are stiffer then the Tokico illumonas on the highest setting!
Hope this helps

[spoonman Ej-1]

oops

[Nackattack]

Originally Posted by spoonman Ej-1

oops

hehe, got me all excited, that I had three posts, but your post was helpful...Thank you! Most of the shops I go to seem to deal with mostly tokico's probably cause it is a little closer to stock then the konis and less expensive. As long as I am no longer bottoming out and able to take some quick turns I will be quite happy.
It sounds as though the Koni Reds may be better than the tokico's if I don't mind not having an adjustable shock. I don't think I will be playing around with those adjustments so maybe the reds are for me? I am not worried about comfort so much as being stuck to the road will give me all the comfort I need. Just performance/price point.

I will take any opnions on this subject even though It may seem like beating a dead horse.

[Kven]

the koni reds should be good if you dont need it too stiff.

btw; if youre bottoming out you might need stiffer springs, trim the bumpstops, or need to shortern the struts.

[spoonman Ej-1]

So wait, you were bottoming out with your old shocks and, you only have a 1.5inch drop with 17''. What kind of tires do you have? Reds are a good choice but, if the Hp's are cheaper then it's all you. I have a simealer drop but with ground controls and I have 17''wheels and i dont rub at all.
When you say bottoming out? you mean that your fender is rubbing the tires on tight turns...yes?

How many fingers can you put from the fender from in the tire. Meaning the gap from the tire and the fender.?

[Nackattack]

I am kinda starting to worry about ride hight...I want this done right with a strut that can handle the drop. My friend lowered his gsr on gsr stock rims and tires 1.5" and our tires are in exact same place..(fender distance from tire) and my rims and tires are approx 1" in diameter larger.
I was told that after 2 inch drop you need good stiff shock, and or shortened shock...made for drop. (guys at leshwab didn't know what I was talking about when I said shortened strut).
Just to clarify, actual strut bottoming out and just having a too much movement and hitting ground are different things correct? If I get strut that isn't really strong I feel like I will still bottom out and ruin suspension.

Sorry I know I go on and on and on

[Nackattack]

Originally Posted by spoonman Ej-1

So wait, you were bottoming out with your old shocks and, you only have a 1.5inch drop with 17''. What kind of tires do you have? Reds are a good choice but, if the Hp's are cheaper then it's all you. I have a simealer drop but with ground controls and I have 17''wheels and i dont rub at all.
When you say bottoming out? you mean that your fender is rubbing the tires on tight turns...yes?

How many fingers can you put from the fender from in the tire. Meaning the gap from the tire and the fender.?

No I mean that I am hitting the ground...like my front is hitting the ground...if I hit dip in road at high speed. When driving downtown....live in seattle, the whole car seemed to hit a coupla time. Not the turning issue.

There are no fingers going in my front fender....(slightly tucked), and maybe a finger and half at rear.

Think I might have closer to 2"drop

[GScivic7]

If you need help installing any of this once you've decided drop me a line. I live in Seattle and my friends live nearby. My friends are always doing suspension work at one of my other friend's house.

[Nackattack]

Originally Posted by GScivic7

If you need help installing any of this once you've decided drop me a line. I live in Seattle and my friends live nearby. My friends are always doing suspension work at one of my other friend's house.

You guys can get hold of a spring compressor? I might be very interested. As long as I can figure out(with confidence) which shock to go with. I want to do koni reds as long as they will last with the drop I have. THink I just need to take it somwhere and figure out how much it is dropped. Only way to make sure I buy the right shocks. Can I do this myself somehow? Calculation between rim size and inches off the ground?

[spoonman Ej-1]

Well it sounds like they might be drop 2inches+ if you have no finger gap.
And i still dont understand how you can be bottoming out on your car. I mean that sounds like thier's something seriouly wrong with your suspension. Are you talking about speed bumps?

[BlazeD0ut06]

yes i also do not understand how u r bottoming out..it might have more to do with ur driving than the struts themselves...i.e.. if u see a pothole..avoid the bitch..otherwise if u go str8 over it ofcourse u'll bottom out...
as for shocks...it's a no contest in my opinion..
tokico's r a piece of shyt...and they r way too bouncy..

koni reds are adj but not nearly as adj as koni yellow...
and i dunno why u r asking about the stiffest setting as u shouldnlt set it to the stiffest anyways unless ur at the track or sumthin...
leave it at soft or one notch up...
konis are great shocks and they will be much stiffer than other shocks even at its softest setting...


p.s.. u do not need a spring compressor ..jus don;t point it toward ur face..

[Nackattack]

Originally Posted by spoonman Ej-1

Well it sounds like they might be drop 2inches+ if you have no finger gap.
And i still dont understand how you can be bottoming out on your car. I mean that sounds like thier's something seriouly wrong with your suspension. Are you talking about speed bumps?

Ok I will try to be little more clear here, and secondly I have federall ss595 215/40 r17"s with no room in front or rear for fingers, on skunk2 coilovers.

I don't mean the car bottoms out a couple of times each time I bottom out I mean there are several spots at decent speeds in which I bottom out(scrape the front bumper or undercarriage). If traveling fast and have slight incline into slight decline...suspension lifts a little and when it come back down(depending on speed) I scrape what feels like the whole bottom. I just know my friend can take turns up hills and such in his gsr without scraping half as much as me. I don't know how long the stock struts have been on this car but it doesn't seem like it takes long from them to wear from 2.0" drop.

And I am deff getting konis...just want to know if I will be ok with reds instead or yellow.