New Koni "Heavy Track" shocks...

[Ataraxia]

I'm in the market for longer/stiffer shocks and just noticed Atlantic British sells the new Koni Heavy Tracks shocks.

Does anyone have any experience with this particular model of shock? Can you get them with 12" of stroke? I'd love to get the Blingsteins but just can't handle the wallet beatings.

Any recommendations on other brands/models out there that has similar valving to the Bilstein 7100 series, or is OME the next best thing down the price list? Procomp?

Thanks

 

[scottjal]

I also see Fox shocks mentioned as a good alternative to the Bilsteins. There are a couple running the Rancho 9000's too. I screwed around with a couple different tries and just went 7100, no looking back now.

 

[mp.richter]

I had the Koni Heavy Track RAID shocks on my Defender. These are the Rallye Raid version of the regular Heavy Track Konis. However, they are not available for Disco II's.
The RAIDs are the most HD dampers you can get out there. About 3" !!! Diameter, made of thick steel and integrated mechanical and hydraulic bump stops... But they are quite expensive: ~ 300 USD / shock
http://www.koni.com/55+M57d0acf4f16.html
THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR DISCO II

I have no experience with the regular Koni Heavy Tracks. But I only read good things in german forums. They are a lot cheaper than the RAID.
http://www.koni.com/56+M57d0acf4f16.html

Is there a way to fit the RAID (Defender, Disco I) to a Disco II ???

 

[daven5735]

You might give tech support at Koni (USA) a call and talk to them about longer strokes. I too was looking at those at Atlantic British but decided against when I learned that they are relatively short:

Front #301311 = 8.19"
Rear #301615 = 7.64"

 

[mp.richter]

http://www.koni.com/index.php?id=254

The Heavy Tracks are available for Disco 2 with +2" lift... Similar to the OME?
I would buy the Koni before buying +2" OME...

 

[daven5735]

I agree. I have used Koni shocks over the years on a number of vehicles and have always liked them. I have also had good luck with KYB's on street vehicles although I have no experience with them off road. I may take another look at the Koni's although mine would be for a D1.

 

[mp.richter]

Is there a way to use the Disco I Heavy Track RAID on a DII?

 

[daven5735]

Don't know but I did just find the D1 listing from your link.

 

[Ataraxia]

thanks for the info guys. The Raid setup seems over priced, but i know koni is a good quality products, at least road and track stuff. The price is whacky though. are they still life time warranty?

I know the jeep crowd really lover their ranchos, but I don't hear many LR people (admiting) using them. I think rancho also have some nutty superduty offroad model of shocks. DII uses loop to loop style shocks so i'm suprised there arent so many good matching shock options for lifted DII's. I'm also looking into dropping the rear shock mount, and raising the fronts. I have the 3" HD rte springs so I think I shouldn't worry about over compressing a shock that has stock travel. I already lost a bit of flex as far as stuffing a tires.

it's easier to find a shock with a shorter stroke (like stock) that has stiffer valving.

 

[daven5735]

Here's a source for the best prices I have seen for the RAIDs. It's still more than I want to pay but it's almost $100 cheaper per shock than other sources. Nice thing too is that they are rebuildable.

http://www.soloperformance.com/90-Series-Koni-Shocks_c_93-1.html

 

[DSP74]

There are only two shock companies if you want quality shocks. Koni and Bilstein. Most of the new offsprung companies were started by or with former Koni engineers....When fox was purchased by Penske, those shocks were built with engineers brought over from KONI

 

[Ataraxia]

Is this a deal?

12" travel 7100 blingsteins on ebay, $560 for all 4 corners (360/80) valving. is this a smoken' deal? I think RTE wants $700+

 

[rmuller]

Re: Is this a deal?

12" travel 7100 blingsteins on ebay, $560 for all 4 corners (360/80) valving. is this a smoken' deal? I think RTE wants $700+

Those aren't the remote reservoir ones that RTE sells..

 

[Ataraxia]

I know... but what are the advantages of having reservoirs? prolonged life? the 7100 are rebuildable.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Reservoirs allow more suspension travel in a given shock package because they do not require internal reservoirs at the ends of the canisters. The piston can have a full stroke the entire length of the canister.

They also have increased fluid volume and surface area for better heat dissipation in racing applications.

 

[MyR1isFun]

I know... but what are the advantages of having reservoirs? prolonged life? the 7100 are rebuildable.

Pretty much just eye candy. At 0-15mph at which most of us do most of our wheeling shocks over heating in not an issue. If the advertised stroke is 12" its 12" whether is a res. or non-res. shock. I cant afford either right now but I wouldnt spend the extra $$$ on res. 7100s unless I AM GOING to race my D2.... Fat chance!

Save your cheddah!

 

[R_Lefebvre]

That's pretty much exactly right.

I was always skeptical of the heat thing until I was watching a friend who's a pro level enduro motorcycle racer. Came into the pits after 2 hours of hard running and his rear shock reservoir was too hot to touch.

 

[ajh]

Try doing a few hours over washboard or rough outback terrain with a fully loaded Disco and then touch your shocks... you'll find they get pretty hot too. I suppose with a remote there's somewhere good to mount a temperature sensor too if you really want to know how bad things get.

 

[JSQ]

Try doing a few hours over washboard or rough outback terrain with a fully loaded Disco and then touch your shocks... you'll find they get pretty hot too.

Precisely.
My non-remote reservoir shocks lasted less than 10 months on my disco.

I run OME LTRs on the disco and the 110.

 

[Ataraxia]

That's what I was thinking.

And as far as I can see on the product pdf file from Bilstein, The res makes no difference in stroke and shock body length. Performance is the same UNLESS you start going over 360/80 valving. Then they recommend the remote res, which makes sense. The beauty of the Bilsteins is that they are rebuildable. and quite easily for the average person. So comparing to the 7100 12" travel non-res shock, price wise, is there any better shock out there???? Performace, quality, rebuildability, price...


I know the OME seems like a good "popular" product. from what I read, they are great (compared to stock performance). but limited stroke sizes?

Seems like rovertym is selling Rancho now, with the suspension kits. Hmmmm

AJH, I understand your point. But I don't plan on doing the baja at highway speeds for hours at a time. :smilelol: My wheeling terrain is 99% under 15mph. Come down south for some wheeling some time :bigok:Your only a few hours away.