Norm, how hard is it to access the rear shocks?
I don't want to just go in and begin ripping off the trunk molded cloth panels and ruining them.

 

No cutting, no ripping, no hard creasing at all. Just pull them down and back out of the way while you're adjusting and fit them back where they were when you're done. Every once in a while you might have to pull the back seat seatbacks down and do a fussier job of fitting all three of the carpet pieces back in place.


Norm

 

If you mean the Steeda Pro-Action they are made by Tokico to Steeda specs. Steeda developed the dampers for the S197 Tokico D-Spec line and Steeda uses the same cartridges in the Steeda coilovers. The D-Specs are good handling with typical "sport" spring rates when dialed up a little bit. When dialed down they ride very well compared to Koni Sports. But the Tokico D-Specs do not have as much low-speed damping as Koni sport dampers do and the D-Specs tend to gain too much bump damping as the rebound is dialed up. This is part of the D-Spec's valve design, as rebound is increased bump is also increased. Steeda has had very good results with these dampers in road racing competition. I had Steeda's Tokico D-Spec struts and Steeda Comp springs but I wanted more spring rate and switched to Steeda coilovers when they came out. The Steeda/Tokico D-Spec based coilovers do not seem to be well curved for springs over 350lbs. or so but most people are running 225-250lb. springs in front and seem happy and I had no problems at 250lbs in front.

I'm going to fab up some struts and use a Koni 8611 cart. or maybe just break down and order a set from GC so I can use a 450lb spring in front. A 450lb spring seems to be about the upper limit for a street car on coilovers with decent dampers based on my experience. My M3 is 200lbs lighter and rides great on TC Kline Racing D/A coilovers and a 400lb front spring, both have very close to the same motion ratios in front.

HTH!

 

If you want non-adjustable and cost effective the Koni STR.T are popular and have good damping control as long as you don't go nuts on spring rate or expect lots of rebound. Yes, similar to Sports at full soft.... of course I can't think of ANYONE with Sports who opts to/prefers to run full soft. They could if they liked that best, but they don't.

I give the STR.T the nod because I prefer Koni over Tokico. I sell both, have used both, won National Championships on both. I like the Koni valving a little better (a touch more rebound in STR.T's) and generally find them more durable.

And fwiw, they are still on sale, it was extended. SRT.T are $340 a set, and I have them in stock.

 

That's a good deal for a better than stock damper replacement.

On another note; Sam have you driven the Koni FSDs? What do you think about the way they perform and ride?

About 20 some years ago Koni had some prototype valves in some dampers that were described to us much like the FSDs are described. We tested them on VWs and Audis of the time but I did not like them, I felt they were a compromise I would not make. Of course I was younger then.

 

I have, I am not an FSD fan.... Not at all.

FSD stands for frequency selective damping, and the trouble with that is bumpstops change the frequency, and these cars most assuredly use the bumpstops.