Koni shock absorber review

The standard Saab suspension on the Saab 9000 can be slightly scary when cornering at speed so many people look for up-rated suspension packages for the car.

There are several different suspension packages available from different manufactures. The Koni shock absorbers offer the ability to adjust the rate of the shock absorber. This is a big bonus, enabling the suspension to be adjusted to suit the individual drivers taste.

Gareth has a MY95 9000 CSE with Koni adjustable shocks fitted along with sports lowering springs. When first fitted they were set to their minimum setting. The front shocks are easily adjusted via the top of the suspension strut in the engine bay using a supplied tool from Koni. The rears require the shocks to be removed from the car to be adjusted.

The shocks are clearly marked with an arrow indicating the direction to increase the firmness of the shock absorber, making adjustment easy. Although there are many opinions about the level the shock absorbers should be set to, personal preference will denote which setting you feel is optimum.

Gareth found that with the rear of the car set to 2 turns the ride was very hard and is intending to return the shocks to 1 turn at the rear to help regain a slightly better quality of ride. The front of the car being easier to adjust is set to 1 and a half turns which seems approximately half of the total adjustment, this provides an acceptable balance of ride and handling.

In comparison with the 9000 Aero suspension the Koni's seem very similar when set to there minimum setting, although for the more sporty driver up to 3 turns are available for the full track experience completely sacrificing ride quality on public roads.

With the shocks adjusted properly the car is transformed. Body roll is greatly reduced and long corners can be taken confidently at speed. The ride quality can be maintained by choosing a medium setting on the shock absorbers inspiring a more positive and comfortable driving experience. Braking performance is also enhanced due to the car sitting better under braking.

For pricing and availability we recommend visiting Elkparts.