Audimobile

I actually have the Bilstein Sports on order to go with the H&R Sport springs I ordered, but they haven't shipped yet. I was talking to some fellow car / track enthusiasts last night and this morning, and they both recommended I should have gotten the Koni's which are adjustable. Argh. I know probably both will be awsome, but help put my mind to rest, or tell me why I should cancel my Bilstein order and get the Koni's.

CMC

I haven't ridden in both, but I love the way my Koni's ride.

DustysA4

They are both very good dampers. Bilsteins specialize in monotube designs and they have some good patents on things that make their dampers worthwhile. Koni's don't really specialize on a certain type. They just make an all around good damper. One person posted that they were able to see the inside of both and that the Koni's are far superior. I have HR coilover, which use a custom Bilstein damper. My friend has Koni adjustable shocks and they ride good too. I think it is more common for Koni's to use a twin tube setup, but I'm not certain about the A4/S4 setup.

A lot of people like the adjustability of the Koni. I may be wrong or it may not be that important, but everyone is always saying that the spring and shock should be matched. I don't know if it matters, but it seems like it would if you are always changing the damper and keep using the same spring and not one that is matched to that damper stiffness. I dunno, just some stuff I thought up in my head while I was bored one day=)

ReyHey

H&R/Bilstiens Sports for me, Nice Set-Up!!

CMC

Don't Koni's have a lifetime warranty also? I'm not 100% sure on it though...

jeneric2

Both comes with lifetime warranties for the original purchaser.

dmkozak

First, Bilsteins are high pressure gas shocks, with the gas pressure around 90 psi. They generally seem a bit more "hyper" than Konis. Sort of like a sprinter before a 100 yd dash. Konis are low pressure (around 12 psi) more oil damped shocks. They seem smoother. Sort of like a marathon runner before a race.

Personally, I like the feeling of Bilsteins. But, each to there own. BTW, the comment in Dusty's post about saying the Koni internals are superior to Bilstein is absolutely untrue. First, unless this person has been thru the Bilstein factory, the only Bilstein shock he would have seen apart would have been a dead shock. Remember they are monotube shocks under 90 psi. No one in there right mind would take a torch to such a shock to see the insides. Having seen the insides of both, Bilstein's quality is superior to Koni's. Why do you think so many "Factory" teams, including Audi's, use Bilsteins on their race cars?

But, they're both good shocks, with good warrantys. It just depends on which type of ride you are looking for.

A6Fiend

the damping abaility or performance on, say, the same Eibach spring?

TIA

Mike

dmkozak

Doesn't affect the spring's performance.

A6Fiend

i would assume a higher pressure gas strut would resist compression forces more than a lower charge strut, given the same valving. Now, I have no idea if the valving is different, and even then, the Koni's are adjustable, right?

Just want to know which is going to give a softer or harsher ride. I assume the konis will be softer.

TIA...