Here are the indications from the MOT.

Keep in mind that the suspension was not in perfect condition, was before the rebuild so the results are not ideal.

 

BRAKES

Axis 1: 05.41

Axis 2: 12.00

Performance total: 62.58

Parking brake: 16.12

 

SHOCK ABSORBERS

Axis 1: -0.5 ,Left 85% , Right 85% ,Difference 00.00

Axis 2:  (nothing) ,Left 84% , Right 77% , Difference 08.33

 

After the Koni rebuild an alignement was done before the car exits the repair shop, no weird sounds from suspension-steering at the Mountain Roads, nothing suspicious in the behaviour while turning many times in high rpm.

When I see a suspension lowering topic, the first question comes to my mind; if the mentioned car has skid plate or not.

 

When the suspension is lowered, the risk of hitting vital components of the car to obstacles or ground imperfections increase.

Especially the gearbox.

 

I have a heavy shield installed and I'm glad I have that.

 

One time at winter when following a truck, a frozen snow slush ice cube had suddenly fallen. It was big. I think it merely cleared the front bumper but I hit the damn thing with 70Km/h with a loud bang. The skid plate took the impact.

 

Sport cars, especially the ones with lowered suspension need underside protection if the car is meant to be driven outside of track use.

8 hours ago, R_Blue said:

When the suspension is lowered, the risk of hitting vital components of the car to obstacles or ground imperfections increase.

Not only that. Suspension modifications affect the steering, the wear of the tires, the braking, and the comfort. Suspension design is a complicated science in itself. Only amateurs believe in marketing claims and follow them without any knowledge about the theory and extensive tests behind a really professional suspension modification.

These ARE THE RESULTS OF AN 8 YEAR OLD STOCK suspension, which costs 1/4 of the price of the (s)koni  offers greater comfort, maximum safety, while not altering the originally engineered design kinematics.
The test was done (YESTERDAY)

KYB EXCEL-G dampers (F+R)

Edited 8 January, 20242 yr by Dean

No need to write with big bold letters or greater size to attract attention.

Read AGAIN my previous post, the MOT test was with Koni suspension  21 years old (i write it again 21) and not 8 as yours.

Your suspension is for driving style from town to town n country in highway like my father which is 87 years old.

1 hour ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

Read AGAIN

Please DO

 

3 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

which costs 1/4 of the price of the (s)koni 

even if it lasted 32 years it wouldnt be cheaper

3 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

offers greater comfort

and protection from rattles and premature component wear

3 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

maximum safety

paramount

3 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

while not altering the originally engineered design kinematics

paramount

This topic is about Koni rebuild and not about the "fantastic performance" of Stock yours, if you don't like Koni and 30mm lowering springs don't install them, who cares anyway?

 

 

1 hour ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

This topic is about Koni rebuild and not about the "fantastic performance" of Stock yours, if you don't like Koni and 30mm lowering springs don't install them, who cares anyway?

 

This topic should be about the need to install Koni, not about the damper itself 

Open a new one.

16 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

greater comfort, maximum safety, while not altering the originally engineered design kinematics.

 

While I don't want to disregard work done by Skoda engineers, I have to point out fact, that Felicia already has altered kinematics compared to original design - Favorit. I wouldn't put that much weight into geometry. Skoda was happy to figure out axles that won't crack back then. 😀

On another note, the original suspension settings were severely limited by the rear axle. The rate of the rear springs was given by their dimensions and stiffness of the axle, the front had to comply with that - so I agree with Felicia suspension being comfortable, but I wouldn't call it well handling. More like barely working, but expressive and relatively safe. There's reason why track vehicles were based around Pickup with its stiffer rear axle. And also reason why I don't believe in safety of aftermarket "sport" spring and damper, with exception of HP Sporting, which was tuned for specifically for Felicia.

Edited 5 January, 20242 yr by Papez

6 hours ago, Papez said:

Skoda was happy to figure out axles that won't crack back then.

Well you know twist beam rear axles need a lot of R&D, because the tend to crack, since they twist 😂

 

6 hours ago, Papez said:

The rate of the rear springs was given by their dimensions and stiffness of the axle

If you see the mounting location of the rear dampers you can easily notice they are th furthest away from the pivot axis sooo to give the maximum effective spring rate with the least actual spring rate, so save money, very clever and in fact very modern engineering as a combined coilover type design. 

 

6 hours ago, Papez said:

More like barely working, but expressive and relatively safe. There's reason why track vehicles were based around Pickup with its stiffer rear axle.

The biggest drawback of the felicia rear axle geometry is the position of the mounts which are placed totally perpendicular to the direction of travel (parallel to the twist beam) meaning you have trailing arm kinematics alas no toe recovery. 

Modern twist beam axles have semi trailing arm geometries to offer better kinematics and it's achieved my placing the mounts at an angle. 

6 hours ago, Papez said:

HP Sporting, which was tuned for specifically for Felicia.

I agree but some people here think that a generic damper is better. 

10 hours ago, Papez said:

with exception of HP Sporting

 

That suspension was on the Skoda catalogue, you could order them in local Skoda dealer here in Greece but:

Who's going to repair that suspension after some years?

From where he would buy spare parts?

Even their site does not working

https://www.hpsporting.cz/tlumice_sporting.php

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/611515604493904/?rid=3599056943683049&ad_id&rt=1&refID=0&refType=0&referral_code=commerce_attachment

1278 euro (Used)

https://www.skodateam.cz/Bazar?row=B9M#_007~~1~i=404&page_007=654&limit_007=0&or_007=D.NGHop.a9nN&id_007=2016-03-12 07:42:33

364 euro (Rebulid)

https://aukro.cz/hp-sporting-skoda-felicia-favorit-nova-sada-7045328861

770 euro (New)

 

 

Not being a fan boy of Skoda, VW or any car marque I can put that it has been known for many compromises, and mistakes, to be on cars from the necessary compromises of their general sales and the companies wanting profit, wages and dividends for their share holders and other factors.  Sometimes they rectify these issues for whatever reason and sometimes they don't for whatever reason.

 

I've no idea if or how much a Felica could or needs any further development but to regard any engineers, Skoda or not (and I'm not getting at Thefeliciahacker) as infallible  gods is flawed in my personal experience and personally knowing fully qualified engineers (not in car suspension).

 

I have still not been told what it is that will cause physical damage or destruction with D.FYLAKTOS set up and don't understand if is dangerous how it gets through (14?) of your MoT equivalent to allow the car on your roads or at least some sort of mention of potential future issue(s).

 

I can understand that one after market suspension parts set up might be better and have more research done with its application but not a bigger company sells something that is dangerous to be used on the roads - unless they sell with very strict instruction that the parts are for track or other use and not roads use.

 

As I put before you would not want to refit factory fitted dampers on the Fabia Mk3 as they can be very short life as I and others have found.

 

2 hours ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

From where he would buy spare parts?

Even their site does not working

Their site is working:

http://www.hpsporting.cz/tlumice_sporting.php

 

They don't make new suspension, but still service older suspension.

 

6 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

If you see the mounting location of the rear dampers you can easily notice they are th furthest away from the pivot axis sooo to give the maximum effective spring rate with the least actual spring rate, so save money, very clever and in fact very modern engineering as a combined coilover type design. 

 

Well, the pickup has springs even further away and tucked under the bed floor, which is design adapted by newer VW platforms. The disadvantage of coilover design was quite big protrusions into boot space on wheel wells. It'd have been be nice if passenger models adapted it as well - the results would be more boot space and higher load capacity.

18 minutes ago, Papez said:

Their site is working:

http://www.hpsporting.cz/tlumice_sporting.php

 

 

 

38 minutes ago, nta16 said:

I have still not been told what it is that will cause physical damage or destruction with D.FYLAKTOS set up and don't understand if is dangerous how it gets through (14?) of your MoT equivalent to allow the car on your roads or at least some sort of mention of potential future issue(s).

 

 

Nodody (2 independent mechanics, the Koni official service with 30+ years of experience in suspensions, ALL the MOT inspection officials) have found nothing, only ONE found and from a distance via divination abilities.

Paradoxically the same who claimed that my car has lost power and torque too due to upgrades, but it turned out that not only did not (has both better than his) plus has lower consumption.

 

 

At 0:46 says "Perfect OE replacement for spirited driving"

 

https://www.koni.com/en-US/Cars/Products/Sport-Tuning/STR-T-Kit/

 

Koni gives it with lowering springs (as i have).

 

This should summarize the situation of our little friend.

Edited 6 January, 20242 yr by RicardoM

NO HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
Ricardoooooooooo damn it man you made my day

5 hours ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

At 0:46 says "Perfect OE replacement for spirited driving"

I will put what the others are thinking - well they would say that wouldn't they.  Of course no different to the German marques still being thought as "German engineering quality" as meaning high quality when some/much of it has dropped and disappeared since the end of last century/millennium.  People believe what they want to believe, what is a "fact" today could be, or not, or disproved later even by and with the same expertise that made the fact previously.

 

Your link didn't work (for me at least) this one does (for me at least). - https://www.koni.com/products-car-strt

 

If it's open season for urine extraction then I will have to sharpen my wits, shouldn't take long based on what has been put for sometime, or just leave it as some can dish it out well enough but not soak it up well when it's in their direction and the standard of humour, to my opinion, isn't high.

 

Edited 6 January, 20242 yr by nta16

43 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Your link didn't work (for me at least) this one does (for me at least).

 

STR.T Kit

The result of a technological partnership
The STR.T Kit from KONI comprises KONI STR.T. shock absorbers and custom-made lowering springs from the company H&R. Both companies can look back on many years of experience in motor racing, such as in Formula 1 or the DTM. The advantages for the customer are obvious. The experience gained along with the technological developments flow directly into the companies' product development. KONI's STR.T. shock absorbers stand for perfect road holding, optimum handling and breathtaking centrifugal force. Thanks to the extremely high reaction speeds of the shock absorbers drivers can totally rely on their equipment even in precarious or demanding situations.

As a result of the symbiosis between H&R's lowering springs and KONI's STR.T shocks into the STR.T Kit tuners receive a suspension kit from the factory perfectly balanced to suit their vehicle. Unpleasant pitch and rolling movements are thus reduced to a minimum. Depending on vehicle make a lowering up to 40 mm is offered. This means that nothing now stands in the way of high speed drives on curving roads and the ultimate driving pleasure.

FEATURES

Perfectly tuned chassis / 100% performance
Excellent handling
Lowering up to 40 mm with H&R springs
Perfect match
100% streetlegal

 

https://www.amortiseronline.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Koni-strt-amortiser-set-3.jpg

 

Koni Street with Lowering spings, exactly what i have and for the task that i want.

So who you are going to trust? Koni or an maladaptive?

10 hours ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

Koni or an maladaptive?

So you telling who are you going to trust marketing or an engineer?

4 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

So you telling who are you going to trust marketing or an engineer?

 

I wasn't referring to an Engineer.

Koni entered Rally in 1955 and in Formula 1 in 1956, so all these decades the head of the workforce what are? Street sweepers, house painters, farmers, banana transporters?

57 minutes ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

Koni entered Rally in 1955 and in Formula 1 in 1956, so all these decades the head of the workforce what are? Street sweepers, house painters, farmers, banana transporters?

You compare the product sold consumers to their race dept. 

How many years of work experience you have in a Suspension make company or relative subject as Suspension service repair shop?

1 hour ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

How many years of work experience you have in a Suspension make company or relative subject as Suspension service repair shop?

Do you know what percentage of a suspension travel should be the resting place preload? 

These are for the books of your school.

You have not working experience and you can't confront Koni which makes friction type shock absorbers since 1932.

You have installed a Paparoyaba suspension (i don't remember the brand correctly) and with your ''balloon'' 75 tyre height you think you have achieve something great.

 

No matter if you agree or not Koni offers A' class suspension service for their products and many drivers around the World are happy with them and enjoy Sport style driving.

Although was well known between mechanics before this year, since 2005 where the Auto-forum began in Greece many drivers discuss in public about Rebuild work and how successful can be done in their Official Center with original Koni parts.

Never regret that i installed Koni shock absorbers and 30mm lowering springs. 🏁