Koni Yellow Sport Shocks - 2010+ Legacy Fitment

End links. I had the stock end links on my Forester give out at about 55k miles. Switched to Moogs and it's been nice and quiet.

When you stiffen up the Koni's, its basically limiting, or slowing, movement. On soft the suspension can flop around more and shock the end links into making noise with the quick, undampened motions of the suspension on small bumps and alligatored pavement.

End links. I had the stock end links on my Forester give out at about 55k miles. Switched to Moogs and it's been nice and quiet.

 

When you stiffen up the Koni's, its basically limiting, or slowing, movement. On soft the suspension can flop around more and shock the end links into making noise with the quick, undampened motions of the suspension on small bumps and alligatored pavement.

Awesome, that's what I was really hoping for. I'll have my mechanic do them when I go in for an alignment next week.

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End links..

So does my theory of rock hard suspension and super rough roads leading to premature failure of endlinks hold any water?

I wouldn't think so. Lots of people are running coilovers with higher spring rates and the instance of end link failure doesn't appear elevated.

We'll, replaced my end links with Moog's. Still got rattles. Gonna wait till spring to take the konis off to swap out shorter bolts that hold the inserts in.

Any other ideas on what else to look for? Seems too loud to be worn caliper slide pins.

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What bolts are you using to hold the inserts into the struts? I hope the ones that came with the Konis.

Absolutely. I made sure they were tight when I put on the eibachs on in November. I read somewhere that the bolts could be too long so they bottom out inside the insert before they actually tighten everything down. I can't imagine Koni would provide bolts that are too long though, which makes me think this isn't the source of the rattles.

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Absolutely. I made sure they were tight when I put on the eibachs on in November. I read somewhere that the bolts could be too long so they bottom out inside the insert before they actually tighten everything down. I can't imagine Koni would provide bolts that are too long though, which makes me think this isn't the source of the rattles.

 

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If you left the donor struts tubes too long, the Konis wouldn't bottom out in the strut tube. The Konis flare out wider at the top and won't go in all the way if the tubes are left too long. Are you certain that's correct?

If you left the donor struts tubes too long, the Konis wouldn't bottom out in the strut tube. The Konis flare out wider at the top and won't go in all the way if the tubes are left too long. Are you certain that's correct?

When I installed the inserts, I used a set of longer bolts to pull the inserts all the way in. I made sure they were bottomed out inside the donor. I might have to rip them apart in the spring to check them out. Man..

Edit... Derp, I don't need to take the struts apart. Just need to remove them in order to get the bottom bolt out to scope out that situation.

I'd have to have them shipped to work so the girlfriend wouldn't see. Might end up having a Tim Tuesday instead of a Whit Wednesday at some point

Just read through this entire thread and chuckled a little coming across this haha!!

Well, I'm diving in after BC's are blown out in the rear and I'm done with coils all together. I think this is a good compromise:

Koni 8610-1453s fronts

Koni 8010-1055s rears

White line KCA409 front mounts

Tein SKS92-AUB00 springs drop 1.8" f 1.6"r

Spring rate 218lbs/in. front 241lbs/in. rear

NEED DONORS!! Please PM me

Joe, do you have any donors laying around??

If I missed anything on the parts list, please advise.

No, I sold the last donors that I had, cut and ready for inserts.

I'm not sure anyone has paired Tein's with Koni's yet. Do it at your own risk. You may be limiting your compression travel a little with that much drop. And you'll have a rake. And that front spring rate is kinda low. I would expect some bottoming out even with the additional 1.25" of suspension compression that the Koni's afford for you.

On stock struts and lowered 1.25" on the H&R's (likely a higher spring rate than the Teins based on my butt dyno because H&R doesn't publish rates) the fronts would bottom out on big bumps. When I installed the Konis I took some comparison measurements and found that they gave an additional 1.25" of compression travel over the stock struts, so I basically made up all the travel I lost with lowering the car, and the stocks are working in the travel range sweet spot. I haven't bottomed out since installing the Konis. You're going an additional 0.5" down and softer spring rate with the Teins. I wouldn't be suprised if you bottomed out once in a while. And you're really getting outside of the suspension travel sweet spot for the dampening by lowering that much.

Here are a few recent pics of how my car sits on the H&R's that have been installed for a little over 3 years. I am running 18x9+40 wheels with 255/40-18 tires, so stock tire diameter.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170105/41697228dd6355159d280d78ab2daf08.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170105/13ddc6461c6a630bec7c291a5227d17d.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170105/52074caa6d6c24f1af380018e512bbdd.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170105/a60131918995cd097135afa8183395fc.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170105/ae18e587c828c3950f28253e80c4a105.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170105/1a3d62ca54d3b190641a0170b03fad0d.jpg

Ok so Teins are out. I want to do this right so H&R appears to be the good choice here. Looks like I'll need oem dust covers and spring seats too to complete the build. Found Konis $699 shipped so far. Please advise if found cheaper as I will too.

Thank you Joe for taking time to help

Get the 54427-2 (3.6R) H&R part number, not the -1. Purportedly they are marginally stiffer but we have never been able to confirm that. You'll likely end up with a little rake with the -1's.

I think that's a good decision. The H&R's are truly sublime from a handling standpoint with no ill effects on ride. Give me a measurement from center of hub to top of fender arch on your car and I will get the same measurements on my car tonight. You can start preparing yourself mentally for being 1/2" higher. Lol!

Most of the cheaper places that stocked the Koni inserts have been out for quite a while. I think you'll only find the fronts still in stock at places that have a little higher price. I would say to get the rears at Emnotek or TireRack for between $130 and $150 each. I think you just missed the bi-annual Koni sales by a month or two.

For the donors, just order some KYB Excel G's from Rock Auto. And you will need stock upper spring seats and tophats. I may have stock bump stops and dust covers sitting in the garage, I can let you know tonight.

Out of curiosity, the konis can still be found, correct? I did a search for the part numbers 8610 1453 & 8010 1055 and still get a few hits.

I still have my OG setup (on RCE Blacks/Bilsteins) and may consider getting these.

Edit: GTeaser, just saw your comment regarding the inserts and rears.

Out of curiosity, the konis can still be found, correct? I did a search for the part numbers 8610 1453 & 8010 1055 and still get a few hits.

 

I still have my OG setup (on RCE Blacks/Bilsteins) and may consider getting these.

Only the front inserts are out of production (8610-1453S), the rears (8010-1055S) will be produced as long as Koni is making the sport yellows for the 08-14 WRX.

FWIW, Koni replaced the inserts with full strut assemblies, the part numbers are now 8710-1464 L & R. We have yet to confirm the location of the spring perch in relation to our spring perches, to confirm possible ride height issues with using these full struts. What I do know for sure is that the attachment on the side of the strut tubes for the wheel speed sensor wire on the WRX are different than ours.

Also, by using the inserts, I confirmed that we gain 1.25" of front suspension compression travel over our stock struts. Not sure if that is still the case with these new full struts.

Chiming in to share the part numbers for the KYB donors in case you go that route. They're very affordable at only $61.79 each.

Front Right - 339222 : http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/kyb,339222,strut,7584

Front Left - 339223 : http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/kyb,339223,strut,7584

Also, if you want to (you may need to), you can replace all the top hats with the KYB ones as well. Obviously will need 2 of each type.

2x Front - SM5361 : http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/kyb,SM5361,strut+mount,7600

2x Rear - SM5764 : http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/kyb,SM5764,strut+mount,7600

Also, I got my rear Koni's in the other day, so I have just about everything I need except the donors and the top hats. Can't wait for springtime to get this put on.

http://i.imgur.com/A88OBUe.png

Get the 54427-2 (3.6R) H&R part number, not the -1. Purportedly they are marginally stiffer but we have never been able to confirm that. You'll likely end up with a little rake with the -1's.

 

I think that's a good decision. The H&R's are truly sublime from a handling standpoint with no ill effects on ride. Give me a measurement from center of hub to top of fender arch on your car and I will get the same measurements on my car tonight. You can start preparing yourself mentally for being 1/2" higher. Lol!

 

Most of the cheaper places that stocked the Koni inserts have been out for quite a while. I think you'll only find the fronts still in stock at places that have a little higher price. I would say to get the rears at Emnotek or TireRack for between $130 and $150 each. I think you just missed the bi-annual Koni sales by a month or two.

 

For the donors, just order some KYB Excel G's from Rock Auto. And you will need stock upper spring seats and tophats. I may have stock bump stops and dust covers sitting in the garage, I can let you know tonight.

Awesome!!! I measured front only as rear coilovers are toast ATM. 13.5" from center hub to top of fender. And yes, keep me posted on other goodies!

Also, I got my rear Koni's in the other day, so I have just about everything I need except the donors and the top hats. Can't wait for springtime to get this put on.

 

http://i.imgur.com/A88OBUe.png

Your going to like them. The Koni/Eibach are the best mod I have done to my Legacy so far. The ride barely any stiffer than stock (I have them set to 0.75/0.25 turns f/r) and it handles so much better. Maybe its my alignment but it also feels more stable on the highway as well.

@humble rumble I am bit confused. Pardon my ignorance.

The part number search for the rear brings up full assemblies however your photo shows inserts. Was the rear setup an option to do both?

@humble rumble I am bit confused. Pardon my ignorance.

 

The part number search for the rear brings up full assemblies however your photo shows inserts. Was the rear setup an option to do both?

The rears are not inserts. See the "eye" at the bottom of the shock and the silver spring perches? Its a coil-over-shock setup. Go look at your car. It's just like your Bilsteins.