Shocks July 23, 2005, 10:16:00 am Yahoo Message Number: 56018I know their must be some mechanics in the group that can give some good feedback. When I picked up my 2005 LD yesterday after having the IPD sway bars and Safety-T-Plus installed, the shop recommended that I change the Bilstein shocks out and replace them with Koni shocks. The shop said that the Koni shocks would make for a better ride and better handling. I was very impressed with the ride after the installation of the sway bars and Safe-T-Plus. What a big difference these upgrades made in the way the LD handled. I was pretty delighted with the improvements. My question is this, will the Koni shocks offer that much of an improvement over the Bilsteins? I always thought that Bilsteins shocks were some of the best. Quite frankly, I had never even heard of Koni shocks until yesterday. This is a big expense and I wonder just `how much improvement would be gained with the Koni's. Has anyone installed Koni shocks on their LD? Has Henderson's Line-Up discussed Koni shocks with anyone who has used their shop?Getting ready for our Washington trip.Terry & Ruby Hunt - Escondido, CA
Re: Shocks Reply #1 – July 23, 2005, 10:56:26 am Yahoo Message Number: 56020wrote: When I picked up my 2005 LD yesterday after having the IPD sway bars and Safety-T-Plus installed, the shop recommended that I change the Bilstein shocks out and replace them with Koni shocks. The shop said that the Koni shocks would make for a better ride and better handling..... Koni shocks are an excellent product; I have had them on a passenger car and a motorcycle (in my wild semi-youth!), and their performance was worth the costs to replace the OEM shocks in both cases. However, your new coach already has Bilsteins installed, and these also are a fine product and will work well with the IPDs to provide a stable, controlled, and comfortable ride. Replacing the Bilsteins with Koni shocks will probably cost *at least* $550.00-$600.00 for the shocks alone, with installation charges on top of this; my suggestion is to go with the Bilsteins until they wear out (!), and re-evaluate installing Konis at that time.Joan
Re: Shocks Reply #2 – July 23, 2005, 01:40:38 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56032Koni shocks are a very good brand, alot of people like them, but so are Bilsteins. I think it would be unreasonable of your shop to conclude that Konis are "better" as an absolute fact. Honestly sounds like the shop might be trying to "sell" you. Tell them you will bolt on the Konis for a few days to try them at no charge. If you like them, you'll buy them. Keep your Bilsteins and put them back on if you don't like the Konis.
Re: Shocks Reply #3 – July 23, 2005, 02:14:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56035Quotechange the Bilstein shocks out and replace them with Koni shocks. The shop said that the Koni shocks would make for a better ride and better handling. I was very impressed with the ride after the installation Koni was the first brand to offer adjustability in their shock - and that was decades ago. Whether those for your application would be adjustable or not I don't know. If SO, then you could obviously fine-tune them, which could be an advantage. I wouldn't switch, myself.Steve
Re: Shocks Reply #4 – July 23, 2005, 02:27:19 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56036Quote"...the shop recommended that I change the Bilstein shocks out and replace them with Koni shocks... Has Henderson's Line-Up discussed Koni shocks with anyone who has used their shop?"Quote Terry & Ruby Hunt - Escondido, CA TerryDéj
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Shocks Reply #5 – July 23, 2005, 02:30:41 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56038Quote"...the shop recommended that I change the Bilstein shocks out and replace them with Koni shocks... Has Henderson's Line-Up discussed Koni shocks with anyone who has used their shop?"Quote Terry & Ruby Hunt - Escondido, CA TerryDéj
Re: Shocks Reply #6 – July 23, 2005, 02:46:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56039QuoteI know their must be some mechanics in the group that can give some good feedback. When I picked up my 2005 LD yesterday after having the IPD sway bars and Safety-T-Plus installed, the shop recommended that I change the Bilstein shocks out and replace them with Koni shocks. Terry & Ruby Hunt - Escondido, CA Folks:For the life of me, I can't understand why everyone but me has handling problems with the Lazy Daze. I now have 139,000 miles and replaced the OEM Monroe shocks at 99,000 miles, as I was replacing most wearable items to get ready for the next 100,000. As recently as our last trip, in 70 MPH winds, I felt the wind gusts but didn't have to slow down for them (though I paid dearly in reduced gas mileage). I still prefer the components I originally received, though I am careful to make sure the rig alignment is good (2 realignments so far).When Steve was considering the Bilsteins some years back, he had me drive out of the factory with my rig and with the experimental rig with Bilsteins. Of course the Bilsteins caused less swaying - they are much stiffer. I said "How many times do you drive out of a high driveway at an angle?"Anyway, unless I have the odd vehicle, I have trouble understanding all the add-ons and changes for handling.Gus Weber
Re: Shocks Reply #7 – July 23, 2005, 06:19:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56046Aside from those folks who can convince themselves of just about anything to avoid spending $$$, there is an answer:If you never have tasted ice cream or chocolate or steak or ever experienced sex, you cannot possibly comprehend what you are missing. Same goes for a vastly improved LD chassis.
Re: Shocks Reply #9 – July 23, 2005, 07:17:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56049Well, I don't think it is like chocolate or sex. I think that you would have to notice a problem before going to the trouble of having a lot of other stuff installed. It doesn't sound to me like anyone on here who had all this installed did it without first feeling there was something not quite right. I have no problem spending money (heh!) and we've had a Banks system installed along with a bunch of other stuff. I've never felt the need for stabilizers or any other handling extras. We do have the Bilsteins and we are careful about matching the weight to the air pressure and we keep it aligned. So, I agree with Gus that there must be something not quite right on some models or perhaps our units just got it right. We have a RB, I can't remember what Gus has but perhaps it is model specific? On the other hand, we don't expect it to handle like a sedan. We have almost always driven cars with manual transmissions and more 'seat of the pants' steering. Mimi had an MGB, I drove an Explorer and a bunch of city-owned heaps when working and we now have a 1997 Jeep Wrangler. OUr LD doesn't move around the lane, it responds but doesn't over correct, trucks going by don't blow us around, you don't have to constantly correct when heading down a level road, the back end doesn't sway... I don't know what else you'd want?Jonna
Re: Shocks Reply #10 – July 23, 2005, 07:45:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56052Jonna --1. You are 100% correct. Improving the LD's factory ride is NOT one bit like experiencing chocolate or sex. ;-)) However someone who has never experienced either one sure as hell ain't ready to talk about whether they are good.2. I truly do not intend to belittle or put down anyone's opinion. Everyone should do whatever they please with their LD. It's none of my biz, for sure. However, repeated insistance that a LD's ride is just fine right out of the factory simply does not hold up after you install Safe-t-plus steering and IPD sway bars. Folks who actually try them consistently report vastly improved handling and directional stablity. Born Free owners report the exact same improvement on their web forum.
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Shocks Reply #11 – July 23, 2005, 08:28:48 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56053Well, that was a good discussion on shocks. Thanks all. I did learn of a new shock, Koni's.Terry & Ruby Hunt (Impatiently waiting for Friday)Koni's aren't exactly new. While both companies have been in business a long time, Koni is the oldest having started in 1857. Bilstein began in 1873. Koni produced their first friction shock absorber in 1932, and their first adjustable, telescopic shock absorber in 1945. Bilstein claims to be the first with a gas shock absorber in 1954. Koni is based in the Netherlands, while Bilstein is a German company. Koni is more likely to be found on Lamborghini's and Maserati's, while Bilstein is used by Mercedes and GM. Bilstein came to our attention in the U.S. following their successes in the Baja 1000. Koni is the finest shock absorber I have ever used in an automobile. I have never tried one in an RV. Both are great companies, and you really can't go wrong with either one. Just a little trivia for a rainy day. (At least here.)Dick
Re: Shocks Reply #12 – July 23, 2005, 09:41:22 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56056QuoteFor the life of me, I can't understand why everyone but me has handling problems with the Lazy Daze. I now have 139,000 miles and replaced the OEM Monroe shocks at 99,000 miles, as I was replacing most wearable items to get ready for the next 100,000. As recently as our last trip, in 70 MPH winds, I felt the wind gusts but didn't On our '83, the oem shocks were worn out by 60k miles. This was not apparent in normal driving, but some twisty roads almost caused us to have an accident.Why top-end shocks? Most of our favorite sites are achieved driving dirt roads, curvy mountain roads, or narrow, patchy secondary highways through rough country. This is where you appreciate the difference. Probably wouldn't notice the difference driving most freeways, except in the most windy conditions.Steve
Shocks Reply #13 – July 23, 2005, 11:22:15 am Yahoo Message Number: 56022like both, and have Bilsteins on my current MBZ, and put them on my previous MBZ. But my sportier cars have had Koni's. In my experience, Koni's were a firmer, more controlled ride, but the Bilsteins rode better (my wife never made a comment about the ride, but I never had Bilsteins and Koni's on the same car). I most definately respect Henderson's opinion, and if I were replacing stock shocks, I would follow thier lead, but I personally do not think I would swap out Bilsteins for Koni's.Just my opinion.ken wannabe in SoCal
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Shocks Reply #14 – July 23, 2005, 10:28:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56058Boy, do I agree with you Gus. Granted I have the 23 1/2 ft LD, but I think it drives like a dream, considering after all that it is a truck. Yesterday I had the front end aligned, first time (Chuck's in Santa Rosa, $75.00, also had him check the nuts on the U bolts, thanks Steve (OK) ) and asked him about "safe-T-plus". He said he had removed more from RV's than he had installed, due to snapping and popping. I am assuming that meant that they had broken, like Joans. They also drove it and said I did not need it. Actually I like driving the LD better than my car which I think is too "sensitive." When I ordered the LD, I asked for Bilsteins but Steve said I really didn't need what they offered, to wait till the stock shocks wore out and then get some...I can't remember the exact name, but something like softer (post 5 o'clock syndrome) shocks.Pat (Mac) Happy with my stock LD. No Calif only 100 degrees today.
Shocks Reply #15 – July 24, 2005, 09:25:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 56083I have had Koni and Bilstein shock installed on imported cars in the past and the koni's were firmer riding and time consuming to change the damping adjustments (this has changed on the newer models of shocks) while the bilstein's were more gentle on the ride and self compensated or adjusted when encountering bumps, excessive boy roll etc.. Both are quite expensive and very long life units but I would be inclined to stay with or choose the Biltsein over the Koni for a vehicle where you want some comfort along with precision handling. Now if I had a Miata or Porsche, etc. we might have different conversation.Jim Patterson Salem, Or.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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