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Refresh me: Ground Controls on OE style struts

2K views 30 replies 6 participants last post by  JScullin 
#1 ·
With the Koni's you had to cut the perches, but does the same apply for other strut makers or was the Koni perch a particular design that didn't jive?

Currently have a set of Eibach's, but because quality struts are impossible to find the BAT ones blew after 1,000 miles, and then the KYG's also (both discontinued) I'm running old Koni's in the back with GC's and the surviving BAT's up front on Eibachs. Needless to say, the handling is all over the map with that setup.

So my options seem to be try and send the Koni's out to be rebuilt, which if it costs the same as new Koni's so be it because they're no longer made, or roll the dice on obtaining some Bilsteins and seeing if the GC's work w/out modification (photos show the perch being smaller) or toss some NOS Motorcraft SVT rears I have and run Eibach all around.
 
#9 ·
I sent them a message about stock. So we'll see.

Koni will rebuild them as long as the housing isn't compromised and the nut to open it isn't seized completely even if the perches are cut according to them when I inquired a couple months ago. Alternatively, you could just buy Coilovers off the shelf?
Koni outsources the rebuilding last I asked and it's up to the discretion of the shop doing it. I just haven't followed up on it since because I was moving (need to send pics which requires removing the rears). I have a perfectly good set of coilovers, it's the lack of strut options that'll hold up to a lowered (not slammed) height is what is in short supply.
 
#10 ·
I have some lower miliage konis with GC's already kicking around.

Can i asky why you wouldn't want to go to a full coilover? There is much better options vs 10 years ago.
 
#11 ·
My only answer is that I'm trying to use what I have so I don't have a collection of parts kicking around. D2s are the only full coilover setup I know of that's readily available.

EDIT: Burton Power got back to me and they're not stocking the SPAX. Earliest they can guess is Jan/Feb. I'm amazed at the lack of quality struts for these cars.
 
#14 ·
...I'm amazed at the lack of quality struts for these cars.
Another option might be to use a Koni insert. I've been meaning to cut open some old struts to take measurements for this, it just hasn't made it high enough up my list yet.

If that doesn't work, we might have to figure out how to adapt a different strut soon.
 
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#16 ·
Got a quote from www.performanceshock.com to rebuild and it's $225 a corner and goes up if any hard parts are damaged. They have locations in California & Ohio. This puts it right in line with going with the Koni race inserts, but you also don't have to drain & cut up a strut to make that work.
 
#17 ·
a lot of us have struts that are bad anyway that make the inserts possible. If youre ready to replace the struts this wouldnt be a big deal other than having some down time on the car to properly measure everything and order them
 
#18 ·
So a rebuild through them @$225 is slightly cheaper than the KSport/D2 option @$255 and much cheaper than the KW option @$480 (Plus international shipping...)
BCRacing was a special order, so you'd have to inquire for pricing...
I know nothing about inserts, so I couldn't guess what that would come to after parts to make it happen...
There was a shop that still had a few sets of Konis on the shelf in the Germany as of 2020 for ~350ea, but I don't think I have that info anymore.
 
#19 ·
I would be surprised if any of those companies actually have stock ready to ship as my experience has had many a canceled order because they list it for sale but don't actually stock it because everyone drop ships. Has anyone recently bought a set of these new coilover kits? The group buy for D2's that happened on CEG resurrected their discontinued production and it took 9 months for people to get them made to order.

It seems the best bet is the race inserts so you can repurpose your current junk struts (or extras you have) or have your old Koni's rebuilt if you want a strut that will last if lowering the car.
 
#20 ·
I raced the entire 2021 season on the D2 coilovers from Bensenvill. Yeah, they are 15 years old, but have probably 1000 miles on them, LOL.
 
#22 ·
Got the estimate for the Koni rebuild and based on the visual inspection it comes to $1k to rebuild them, with refinishing/painting being extra, plus any structural issues that would need addressing. That puts me square at the price of just getting D2’s. The D2’s actually could be less since I’ll sell my old ground controls and eibachs.

I‘m having a bit of a decision paralysis because the D2s are overkill for my need (a sportier ride with a minor drop), while at the same time it seems silly to refresh the Koni’s if I can offset with selling older gear.
 
#26 ·
BC coilovers are arguably better units than the D2s, and they were reporting only about a week delay. They cost a little more, but it's theoretically worth it.
 
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