Finally managed to post it....
If your question is how to set the konis, I'd suggest the same as the factory did. After all, they pretty much knew what they were doing, and it's not like you really want a harsher ride, do ya? D
My Dino is gone, but a few years before the sale I had the suspension rebuilt with new Konis. The were installed "as is" out of the box. That was just right, as Goldilocks said, "Not too hard and not too soft". Save the adjustment to compensate for wear.
Hmmmmmm...... After having disemboweled one Dino, I would seriously beg to differ on that statement. A hot car yes, insanely gorgeous yes, but of mediocre artisan quality at best, even worse build practices, that eventually does become infinitely better after a serious re-em-bowel. Koni shocks are adjustable for that purpose, and if they wanted Dino not to be adjustable, they'd have installed a "fixed" shock absorber. I am well aware that they can be reset to take up wear, but also to suit each car to the driver and the roads. After all, the suspension alignment is adjustable for more negative camber, over-steer or under, strictly preference. So my question is more of polling what others have done. Of course Dave, your point is the starting and obvious one. Remember, I still have to drive a Dino...so, clueless in Dinoland! Regards, Alberto
Well, having driven one for a couple of years, both before and after a total suspension rebuild, I think I may have some insight. I did ask my mechanic if we wanted to stiffen the shocks. He thought not. And, as to adjustable Koni's being installed so the driver/owner could adjust them? I doubt that. I'd guess the design team felt that a particular adjustment setting on the shocks was optimal, and that perhaps the only way to get them, in limited production quantities, was to use Konis. Ordering 1000 special order shoks would probably have cost considerably more than an off the shelf Koni, that they could adjust as they saw fit. Of course, they used them on all their cars at that time, I think. I don't recall seeing anything in the owners manual about adjusting them, either. I would agree that upgrading and modernizing where you can is a great idea, but not so sure hardening up the suspension via shock settings is a great idea. DM
You should also indicate ...New spring or 40 year old spring...coils sag with age and duress...like the rest of us.. With my dino's...My test was no compression of spring/shock chassis with my full weight on rear bumper!
Build quality and practices are very different from handling and suspension settings. Again, at the risk of being repetitive, my strong advice as someone who went through a complete suspension rebuild is to stay with "out of the box" adjustment. Too stiff suspension settings risk beating the hell out of all your carefully "re-embowled" components (not to mention your body) and will result in very little (if any) handling improvement. My last word.
Dave, This is from Koni's web page: "Q: What is the best adjustment setting for my shocks? A: There is no single best adjustment setting for your KONIs because every driver has different preferences for comfort, performance, performance modifications and roads to drive on. For most vehicles, we suggest that new KONIs be installed in the full soft position. (the standard setting right out of the box) to take advantage of the balance of ride comfort and handling designed by the KONI ride development engineers. If the car has performance upgrades (springs, wheel/tire packages, etc.) or the driver wants the car a bit more aggressive, most people find the optimum setting in the 1/2 to one full turn from the full soft range. Over the extended life of the damper or if the driver wants a specific firm handling characteristic, the dampers can be adjusted up higher. Very rarely will KONI ever need to be adjusted to the full firm setting." By the way, Koni shocks for Dino are specific only to that car, not off the shelf items. Regards, Alberto
. Even so, I'd still argue that the factory setting was that for a reason. Putting Koni's on your pickup truck ain't the same as on your, "Almost a Ferrari." I'd trust the factory. I think I have a factory blurb from Ferrari on the shocks somewhere, I'll see if I can dig it out of the archives.
Mine were rebuilt by koni authorized at sears point, they were frozen. After installation the front was too high. The car has smaller front rims then the rears, which I am not sure is factory. The car has been sitting on rebuilt shocks for maybe one year and have not change ride hight so I assume that is where they like it. Curious if the different front to rear rim size is stock. I will be talking to koni about it but the car is in the body shop now and no need to rush into anything. Reply on rim size issue would be appreciated clay
It depends, not all NOS are the same. For example, here I have my original's tested then I buy a NOS set and they measure differently. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190349 Only costs $14 per shock to have them tested and reveals a lot about the condition of the shock. BTW, as shown in the link Koni's are stamped with the date of manufacturing (check the date stamp on your Koni's)
I had my KONI rebuilt by them, and have no clue. I am certain they did not use 40 year old oil. Possibly things have changed. I remember when they were the hottest and safest thing, next to a FAL 7.65 , and they had a KONI machine that would test them and show you what the setting was. Racing with the FAL, was of course optional, and not FIA sanctioned. Of course, thanks to Uncle Jimmuh, the machine and all KONI stock, was torched along side the whole Alfa Romeo dealership that sold them, so no more testing... I will try the Dino settings by the book, drive and see how it works out, but of course....right now, shock settings is the least of my worries. Regards, Alberto
As a final point on this issue, decided the best way was to ask KONI. Their reply: "Settings at minimum, and after use to allow things to settle in, as not most modern of shocks, then decide what's your poison." End of story. As an added point, after KONI rebuilds and tests, they return shocks to customer at softest setting with that reason in mind. Regards, Alberto
