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Old 03-14-2007, 03:24 PM   #1
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Some had asked for a follow up on recent install of Koni's on my Journey. I installed the FSD's on the front myself and let my RV mechanic put the Koni adjustables on the rear while he was servicing the tranny. I set the rear shocks at 2 1/2 turns from the zero setting...so, it is on 2 1/2 with a max of 5 (firmness).

Drove the coach home today (about 42 miles, including up/down a mountain, and varied road surfaces to include rough bridges, high crown, patched pavement. I was towing my Explorer.

While I have never felt my rig handled poorly or sloppily, it just felt more planted to the road. I had less pitching side-to-side on rough, uneven pavement. The most noticeable difference was the rig definitely takes bumps a lot more smoothly, more softly but does not wallow or porpoise. The best example is a particular bridge with uneven expansion joints and many patched potholes. With the Bilsteins, there was jarring, shaking and rattling on that bridge. With the Koni's, the coach just kind of rumbled over the bridge. I felt none of the previous jarring in the steering wheel or seat.

Do I now have a 6-wheeled BMW? No. I have a gussied-up garbage truck chassis that seems to now have a more 'civilized' ride.

IMHO, it was money well spent.
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Old 03-14-2007, 03:24 PM   #2
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Some had asked for a follow up on recent install of Koni's on my Journey. I installed the FSD's on the front myself and let my RV mechanic put the Koni adjustables on the rear while he was servicing the tranny. I set the rear shocks at 2 1/2 turns from the zero setting...so, it is on 2 1/2 with a max of 5 (firmness).

Drove the coach home today (about 42 miles, including up/down a mountain, and varied road surfaces to include rough bridges, high crown, patched pavement. I was towing my Explorer.

While I have never felt my rig handled poorly or sloppily, it just felt more planted to the road. I had less pitching side-to-side on rough, uneven pavement. The most noticeable difference was the rig definitely takes bumps a lot more smoothly, more softly but does not wallow or porpoise. The best example is a particular bridge with uneven expansion joints and many patched potholes. With the Bilsteins, there was jarring, shaking and rattling on that bridge. With the Koni's, the coach just kind of rumbled over the bridge. I felt none of the previous jarring in the steering wheel or seat.

Do I now have a 6-wheeled BMW? No. I have a gussied-up garbage truck chassis that seems to now have a more 'civilized' ride.

IMHO, it was money well spent.
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Old 03-14-2007, 04:13 PM   #3
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smlranger, thanks for the product review.

I got a good laugh on the garbage truck chassis.
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Old 03-14-2007, 04:36 PM   #4
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Hey, I resemble that remark.

Thanks for the follow up Smlranger.

Paul
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Old 03-14-2007, 04:37 PM   #5
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Thanks for taking the time to give us all a little feedback, it sounds like you like the shocks, I think I am going to go with the Koni's now that I have heard some of your feedback. I do have a question what is the difference between the FSD and the adustable?

Thanks again for taking the time
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Old 03-14-2007, 04:59 PM   #6
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I do have a question what is the difference between the FSD and the adustable? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

About $30 per shock . Sorry about that.

Seriously, the FSD has special valving that allows it to adjust itself on the fly based on road conditions. There is a good description of the FSD technology on www.konirv.com.
The adjustable shock is user-adjustable before you install it. Once you make the adjustment and install, you'd have to remove at least the lower mounting bolt to re-adjust if you wanted to do that.

I wanted the FSD's front and rear but Koni doesn't make the FSD (yet) for the rear of the XC chassis.
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Old 03-14-2007, 05:22 PM   #7
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I run Koni FSD shocks on all 4 corners. I have been very pleased with the performance of the shocks which are approximately 1 year old at this time.

I had an interesting opportunity just this week, I followed my coach back home after it got new sneakers. I observed that there was little if any pitching or rolling while the vehicle was going down the road. It was quite interesting.
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Old 03-14-2007, 05:47 PM   #8
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Do they make the FSD for 02 ford E450 front and rear? I looked on the website, but could not find if they make the FSD for my MH
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Old 03-15-2007, 04:41 AM   #9
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Thanks for the report Gary. I called Koni a few months ago asking if they had FSDs for my chassis and unfortunately they don't. It didn't sound like they were in any hurry to make one for our chassis either.
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Old 03-15-2007, 05:00 AM   #10
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Big Muskie John:
Do they make the FSD for 02 ford E450 front and rear? I looked on the website, but could not find if they make the FSD for my MH </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

John:

I'd suggest you call Justin at Koni in Kentucky. He can give you the scoop on what they might have for your chassis.
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Old 03-15-2007, 11:30 AM   #11
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After having visited the Koni web site I am less than impressed with its integration. After selecting my chassis make and model I was presented with a part number for the front and rear with no information as to whether these were adjustables or FSDs. Since smlranger was able to get FSDs for the front I would think that it would show them for a 03 Horizon 36. I also tried to locate a dealer in my area (SW Missouri) by using their zip code search and was presented with dealers on the west coast. I guess in the end you still have to contact Kentucky for the final answer.
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Old 03-15-2007, 11:39 AM   #12
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For smlranger; what mileage do you have on your coach and what was the major reason you replaced your shocks?
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Old 03-15-2007, 01:06 PM   #13
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Navy Flier,
Give Mike at Brazel's a call or e-mail him and I'm sure he can help you figure the whole thing out.
I purchased Koni's for my coach from him and he shipped them right to the house. By the way I really like the new ride.
Here are his phone numbers and e-mail address.
Phone #'s 877-786-1576 or 360-736-9494
E-mail address www.brazelsrv.com
Great customer service.
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Old 03-15-2007, 04:40 PM   #14
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Flier:

My rig has 46,700 miles. Replacing the tires with Goodyear G670's improved the ride/handling much but it was still harsh on rough surfaces. Also, I seemed to have recently developed more side-to-side pitch and roll. I don't think the Bilstein's were worn out but I wanted the ride improvement that was said to occur with the Koni's.

The 8805 shocks listed for the Freightliner XC with solid front axle on Koni's website are the FSD's. The 88 series listed for the rear are the adjustables. I got the best price direct from Koni and there was no shipping fee.
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Old 03-15-2007, 05:41 PM   #15
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I called Justin today and they do not make the FSD shocks for my rig, bummer. I am not sure if I want the adjustables since you have to set them before you install them, and the only way to adjust them is to take them off. Sounds kinda backwards, I thought I would be able to adjust on the fly so to speak for different types of situations. Not sure what the benfit is over the bilstiens if you can't adjust. What happens if I get the intial setting wrong and I don't like the ride? Go back to the shop and have them take them off so I can adjust? Again sound backwards to me. Now I am really not sure which way to go??? Even with the bilstien's which ones do you go with, the standard or the HD. This is almost as hard as setting up my race bike suspension, lol.
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Old 03-16-2007, 10:33 AM   #16
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Also, the April 2007 issue of Motorhome Magazine has a great article titled 'Easy Going; Improving the ride and handling of your motorhome', including information on Bilstein and Koni Adjustable FSD shocks...
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Old 03-16-2007, 03:27 PM   #17
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Well, I was going to give my "First drive impressions" on my new Koni shocks I got installed TODAY, but smlranger beat me to it!!

The ride is really amazingly smooth after replacing the Bilsteens. You used to feel every tar strip from the road, and would rattle the front end.....NOT ANY MORE. 100% drive improvement!!!!

I threw the Bilsteens in the trash....with only 6,500 miles on them.

Thanks for all the positive reviews here, as I didn't believe that shocks would change the ride so much, but now am a true believer!

Oh by the way....All 4 of mine were FSD's, even though the two front one's came in mislabeled boxes labeled "adjustable". After contacting Koni, the adjustable "regular" Konis are all being replaced by the newer technology FSD's.

Bought from SHOX.com for $476 with FREE shipping!! Got 'em in 3 days. Who can beat that?
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Old 03-17-2007, 05:02 PM   #18
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If the Koni Shocks are available for our 05 Voyage, do all (4) have to be replaced at the same time or can it be done a pair at a time? Is it a DIY job?
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Old 03-17-2007, 06:04 PM   #19
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I had 'em all four done for $100...I could have done the fronts, but you need an air tool for the rears as the top bracket on the frame had to come off to get to the top bolt....so....

I have heard of people doing only the fronts....

I will repeat that this is the best thing I have spent money on for this motorhome...the difference is night and day. I was thinking about saving the very new Bilsteens that I removed, but then though that I would NEVER want them back on my motorhome again!

JC2....FYI. Koni FSD shocks are available for your W-20. SHOX.com
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Old 03-18-2007, 04:41 AM   #20
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Guess I must be the only one..I put Koni FSD's on the front to improve the harsh ride of the Bilstein's. They did releive the harsh ride... but in doing so I lost the rock steady ride that I had with the Bilstein's. Now seems like I am always making smalll corrections, it is effected more by winds, frontend bounces more and everything is felt in the steering wheel. I almost turned right around to remove them when they were installed but decided to balance the tires and give them some time... but after several thousand miles I am going back to my Bilsteins.
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