924Board.org

[Patrick]

Hi All!
In a previous thread i mentioned that economy played a role in my selecting a front strut insert for my 924. I needed to find whatever was locally available and usable for my car. Extremely difficult and often impossible to get parts here. Same is true with importing parts here due to astronomically high importation taxes!

That said, i found a NOS Koni Special D strut insert designed for another front engined car. Obviously the koni is not matched for my coil springs, but right now, usability minus the creature comforts and performance is my practical choice. Its Compressed length is close enough to the correct (but dead) strut insert i need to replace. But the Extended length is 3 inches shorter than my current dead strut!

So my concern is the limited extended length capability of the koni. I never used a strut insert that had an extended length this much shorter.

I`m speculating that when my car goes over enough bumps/holes (especially one big one), that the upward phase(lengthening) of the coil springs would abruptly be limited by the lack of extended length of the strut insert piston rod.

If i`m correct (??) wpuld this abruptness cause a harder and jarring ride? Would the life of the strut insert itself and other suspension parts be severely shortened?

I apologize as most of what i saw on the internet talked about problems caused by faulty (but correct for the car) shocks. Thank You!
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1979 924 U.S. version
Single sidedraft Weber 40

[fiat22turbo]

Those would be great if you were going to lower the car, since you'd likely need to shorten the springs to compensate properly.

Note the racing strut mentioned here:

http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=25272

and how much shorter the racing strut is and realize that you'd not have much ground clearance (it would look much better and handle better, but it would sacrifice some comfort in the process.)
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Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)

[Patrick]

Thanks for the link, but i am into economy, for now...

I just contacted Koni North America and got the specs for the Special D, and as far as extended length (which i measured in a rush) goes, its actually only 1.6 inches shorter than the correct stock extended length.
_________________
1979 924 U.S. version
Single sidedraft Weber 40

[fiat22turbo]

Well, lowering the car and reducing the air that is going under the car can improve economy (improving the airflow under the car makes a bigger difference).

but 1.6" should be fine.
_________________
Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)

[Patrick]

Yep!
_________________
1979 924 U.S. version
Single sidedraft Weber 40