Koni dampers for Legacy

Because there have a been a number of requests for updates on the status of the Koni project, I decided to start a fresh thread and stop diverting the original intent of the first one.

 

Current Status: The 2005+ Legacy Sedan and Wagon including GT is an official R&D project within Koni North America. We have already done the basic measurements and dyno testing of the stock dampers (thanks Patagonian) and have a local car offered up for ride development work (thanks Rem870). We have already notified the Product Management department at Koni Holland (parent company and manufacturing facility) of the project and the importing Koni distributors in Australia and Japan have expressed a keen interest in the project as well. These are all signs that this project will be a go, now I just have to prove the market size.

 

We have already identified a front strut insert from our existing application line (it won't be a big surprise once announced) but first we must do the ride testing and confirm that the valving is correct currently or if we need to change the valving and make a Legacy specific front. The rear shock will for certain be Legacy specific and that also needs to have the valving developed. Based on the stock units, we already have arranged the dimensions and the bushings but we need to develop the damper valving.

 

I hope to have the Rem870's Legacy GT wagon in for the testing and development work very hopefully by the end of June. Our R&D dept. is in full-on mode having had the new Pontiac Solstice in last week (nice improvement!) and the Range Rover Discovery the week before. This next week is the Corvette C6 with the Cobalt and some Minis scheduled soon thereafter. I hope the Legacy is right after that. Since Rem870 has Ion springs in addition to his stock ones, we will test the Koni dampers both with stock and the Ions as a sample of an aftermarket lowering spring. The dampers will work for cars from stock ride height to lowered about 1.5-2.0 inches but that will all be finalized in developmental testing.

 

Depending on what we find out, it will take several months of lead time for production engineering and scheduling for the rear shocks to be made. My goal would be to have product available in the US by around Fall but that may be optimistic with "by the end of the year" more realistic. If the existing front inserts prove to be proper as they are now, I will announce that ASAP in this thread. If they need a different valving developed, then they would be expected to be available on about the same timeframe as the rears.

 

My target is for these dampers to all be externally rebound damping adjustable Koni Sport yellow dampers with an initial target mailorder retail price at about $750 for a complete car set of four dampers.

 

At this time, I don't know what our option if any will be for the Outback. There are some length and spring perch differences between it and the Legacy so that will have to be sorted out at the time of development.

 

I will update this thread as news progresses. Many thanks in advance for your interest and for your support already. I'm looking forward to making a big difference in these cars.

send me the shocks already. do you need a 2.5i to test it too ?

I'm ready to buy.

 

It's only a short 296.69 mile drive from Normal, IL to Union, KY. Let me know if you need a Sedan for trial fits:)

Want to try your dampers with Swift spings on a 2005 LGT wagon. Its a short, er, couple hundred miles from South Bend, Indiana to Union, KY, I think. I feel a test fit coming on!

 

Serious, if you're talking Koni Sports, they have adjustable damping, correct? If so, will the rear dampers be adjustable without removing the shock? Fronts, same question.

awesome

Can't wait. Please keep us posted.

good to see more companies makin more parts for our cars

keep up the good work

Great news. Are the rears going to be inserts or complete shocks? Also, can you post up the shock dyno for the stock components?

 

Thanks.

Put us down for an Outback set!

would an outback set be stock height, or lowered?

If designed for stock springs, it's have to be near stock height for the OB. Not much room between the tire & spring perch.

I seriously hope that Koni makes these for the Outback. It seems that there is a lot of demand for replacing the lousy Outback shocks. There currently are several competing options for the standard Legacy, yet no options for the Outback -- which, as we all know, means first to market usually captures the most sales...

Also there are many more Outbacks on the road = potentially bigger market

Unfortunately, though, I expect that only a small percent care.

Given the unique and rigorous conditions experienced here in Australia I selflessly suggest I be sent a set of these for local testing .

subscribe

 

Kelly

Also there are many more Outbacks on the road = potentially bigger market

 

someone will have to also produce some better springs to fully tame the OB's handling. I'd imagine that not every owner wants to lower it a few inches, so the existing aftermarket stuff won't work.

There is some potentially good news for Outback owners, see: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35144

Will there be FSD series shocks available for the LGT soon after? Going off the tests that I've read, I'd love to get my hands on a set of them!

.... At this time, I don't know what our option if any will be for the Outback. There are some length and spring perch differences between it and the Legacy so that will have to be sorted out at the time of development. ......

Lee,

 

I'm curious, is the travel on the Outback longer than the LGT? I'm the first to admit that I am no expert in this, so I'm just trying to understand here, but I have heard that Koni sells some inserts for other cars that require a dissection and reassembly of the OEM strut (the Koni insert is fastened into the OEM strut housing). Would this type of scenario work for the Outback?

 

Again, a little knowledge is dangerous, I know, and so I am probably being dangerous here... but if the only differences are spring perch and overall length (assuming travel compatibilities), then would it be possible to sell insert kits for the Outback struts?

Awesome news!

Will there be FSD series shocks available for the LGT soon after? Going off the tests that I've read, I'd love to get my hands on a set of them!

 

At this time we are focussing on the Sport dampers for the Legacys. Although FSD has been considered and i think would be an effective improvement, we are leaning toward the Sports because of a considerable interest in the cars being lowered which the Sports allow more leeway with than the FSDs. My primary concern is market size and sales potential to justify the first product line before we go in and develop the second product line. As I mentioned above, we currently project using and existing Sport front insert from a similar car and thus we only have to design and manufacture the rears. There is no FSD for the other car so an FSD application would require new development of fronts and rears at greater expense and risk. Because of the limited sales history we have with non-WRX Subarus, we must pace ourselves on this project and let it prove its way. I don't want to sound pessimistic but rose colored glasses on the business potential is not the best long term investment plan. I do very much look forward to getting this one tested and to the market. I know they will make a nice handling and control improvement on the cars, I just need for the market to support and justify the effort.

Lee,

 

I'm curious, is the travel on the Outback longer than the LGT? I'm the first to admit that I am no expert in this, so I'm just trying to understand here, but I have heard that Koni sells some inserts for other cars that require a dissection and reassembly of the OEM strut (the Koni insert is fastened into the OEM strut housing). Would this type of scenario work for the Outback?

 

My recollection (it has been a few weeks) is that the Outback is actually not really a longer stroke, just a longer strut and shock body lengths almost entirely between the lower mount and the spring seats. The actual stroke itself (max. length - min. length) is very similar between the two. The kicker is the body length difference and higher spring perch locations.

 

Because the stock front struts for both the Legacy and the Outback are sealed units, the installation of a strut insert requires a system like Koni's cut-a-strut system. Here is a link to a general instruction sheet outlining the process: http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/boltstrut.pdf We have used this system for many many years on lots of cars from the BMW M3 and Porsche 996 down to the Chevy Cavalier. Our popular WRX application is a four corner cut-a-strut system. It is a simple system that generally takes and extra 15 minutes or less per corner than a traditional openable strut insert installation. It seems more daunting at first but is actually very easy and only takes a few extra tools (drill and a cutter like a hacksaw, tubing cutter, grinder, etc.). Until Koni has access to all the tooling and stampings required to make the specific lower mounts, spring perches and any additional bracketry (don't hold your breath as this is a huge investment), it will be a cut-a-strut for the front of these cars.

At this time we are focussing on the... FSD application ... they will make a nice handling and control improvement on the cars, I just need ... to ... justify the effort.

 

I like my reading and editing better than what you wrote!

 

I understand your entire post, and agree, though with a heavy-ish heart. Who knows I may/probably will end up with a set of Sport dampers. I would just preffer the FSDs for a normally street driven car that sometimes sees the auto-x coarse and the track.

hope the design them to work with stiffer/lower springs, not just stock springs.