[deeLow]

Just want to bring this back up as I'm looking at my options for pairing koni yellows with a spring....

What exactly is modified on the rear shocks? Just to allow for easier adjustability??

Can we buy these front struts solo or am I forced to buy in conjunction with the rear? I already have rears on the way to me so I'm not gonna buy another set of those if I don't have to.

WhiteFury & SaviorXi , are you guys still happy with the eibach/koni setup?

[fazman]

Originally Posted by WhiteFury

I have taken a ride in KW coils they ride fine. They are definitely not as soft as mine.

I'm not claiming to be sheriff. This is a great option for anyone who wants unbeatable comfort and price with a great warranty from a shop that has been doing BMW suspension for decades.

In fact turner Motorsports race cars use tckline a lot of the time.

I wanted to get an update on this, since some time has passed and you had the product on for a while. I'm at 100k miles on my stock sport suspension and one of my shocks is leaking. I personally don't care to lower my e90 335xi, but what I want is more travel in the front's so it's not slamming into the bump stops all the time with a teeth jarring ride. I was originally hoping to go with Ohlin's R&T, but they don't make anything for the XI's

[deeLow]

Originally Posted by fazman

I wanted to get an update on this, since some time has passed and you had the product on for a while. I'm at 100k miles on my stock sport suspension and one of my shocks is leaking. I personally don't care to lower my e90 335xi, but what I want is more travel in the front's so it's not slamming into the bump stops all the time with a teeth jarring ride. I was originally hoping to go with Ohlin's R&T, but they don't make anything for the XI's

Somewhere on this board I seen him post he was no longer happy because the Konis are taking a beating and he was looking for more comfort.

His problem is just being too damn low.

[kamfa39]

Bad ass- your making spend money now, thanks!

[Bladerunner]

Hey guys, I contacted TCkline and and ordered his adjustable koni's for front and rear with his springs. I had a few issues with my install but they were nothing to do with his product, I think my installer screwed up on install. I can say the ride is alot more comfortable than the kw v1 i was running. I also upgraded rear subframe bushings and sway bar to m3. The car feels a lot better. Next will be rear control arms to m3, I wish I could do front control arms as well.

It's only been a month so I will have to give it some time, I'm still working on dialing in the correct firmness!

TC has been great responding to questions I had!

[jimmydblock]

so im about to buy Koni FSD set 4123 for my 328xi...

i know my bump stops upfront are busted/torn.

changed my rear brakes this week noticed back right shock is dry ( been felt its failure n rattling torn dust cover + bump stop cramped up top)

so to REDUCE or eliminate the teeth shattering/ windsheild breaking feeling of the front bottoming out on normal bumps..... i should purchase e36M3 Bumps up front and same for rear? or was it z4M3 up front. n the dust cover for each.

[WhiteFury]

One of my shocks blew over nine months ago, which means I only put about seven or 8000 miles on the shock. I've been trying to get in touch with TC Klein since last spring. They don't return my calls and I have a blown shock which is supposed to have a lifetime warranty and they were supposed to send me a replacement shock as that's what I was told and no one ever contacted me and I receive nothing in here we are almost a year later still nothing. Just wanted to let everyone know.

[only1harry]

Wow that sucks. Thanks for the update.
I got my Bilsteins installed at Rogue Engineering in North Jersey a couple of weeks ago, and they were telling me to go with TC Klein shocks or coilovers because they will send me a new one if there is failure. It doesn't look like that's the case. Or maybe they will send out new/rebuild replacement shocks to someone they do a lot of business with, but not someone who just bought a couple of shocks 1 time?

I guess they are one more vendor to scratch off my list.

Good luck with your efforts to get the shock replaced. I hope TC Klein makes good on it, but a whole year with no response? Scary. I will never do business with a company that does not answer the phone.

I am pretty sure TC Klein had TrueChoice shorten the Konis for them. Truechoice is the only authorized vendor to customize Koni shocks. Just call TrueChoice and get your new shortened Konis from them. I am sure they can also convert the rear shocks to be adjusted from the top. If it were me, I 'd buy the Yellows myself and send them to Koni. I trust Koni more than TrueChoice.

BTW, has anyone used Koni Yellows with the stock XI springs? I don't want to lower my e92 and lose suspension/shock travel. Lack of travel is what breaks most shocks. Even if the Konis Yellows were shortened, they are not really designed for that application. Get shocks that were specifically designed for lowering springs and less travel (they have more internal travel by design). The best way to get more shock travel for lowered cars is to install longer/taller upper shock mounts.. ie: raise the mounting point at the top.
Ground Control makes upper & rear shock mounts for Hondas that provide an extra inch of travel, and I think they used to make them for the e36 or e46 too. Not sure about e90/92. Did anyone check the Ground Control web site? They make coilovers for BMW's and other suspension components. Their parts are top notch, although they tend to use polyurethane in their bushings a lot, but I had no problems using them in my Integra, and their top shock mounts were awesome and the best thing I did for my Koni Yellows. Not sure what they have for e90/92 though. I have not used them in 7 or 8 years. I 'll check out their web site tomorrow.

Harry

[matteblue3er]

Doesn't swapping to RWD strut tops and removing the 1/4" reinforcement plate achieve the same drop without any of the custom work?

[WhiteFury]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

Doesn't swapping to RWD strut tops and removing the 1/4" reinforcement plate achieve the same drop without any of the custom work?

Negative. You will ride your bump stops the whole time and ride will be horrendus.

[matteblue3er]

Originally Posted by WhiteFury

Negative. You will ride your bump stops the whole time and ride will be horrendus.

Wouldn't swapping the strut mounts move the entire assembly up? I'm not talking about spring seat.

How is the bump stop travel affected?

Refer to solution 3 on the bottom: https://www.vorshlag.com/bumptravel.php

Basically, the RWD strut hat is a shorter "stack up" than AWD. And removing the 1/4" plate further reduces the "stack up" height.

[Nonecure]

The plate you are referring to is 1/8" at the most and is there to add strength. I personally would not remove the plate and risk it to gain 1/8" drop.

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

Wouldn't swapping the strut mounts move the entire assembly up? I'm not talking about spring seat.

Basically, the RWD strut hat is a shorter "stack up" than AWD. And removing the 1/4" plate further reduces the "stack up" height.

This is not true unfortunately. Somebody measured them and they are nearly the same height wise. Also old ones sag as the rubber gets older, so folks who have swapped XI hats for RWD have been dismayed to find their ride height increased.

The stiffening plate on earlier models was thicker, as the previous poster pointed out now the plate is 1/8" or less. At least that is the case in my 09.

[matteblue3er]

Originally Posted by Nonecure

The plate you are referring to is 1/8" at the most and is there to add strength. I personally would not remove the plate and risk it to gain 1/8" drop.

Yes I agree. I normally recommend people who remove the plates to brace the tower from the top. If you use a properly designed strut bar, such as the OEM M3 strut brace, the mount goes around the entire tower. It will act as a reinforcement plate.

This is a very common solution to prevent mushrooming on 1st Gen Mini Cooper models. They were all prone to strut tower mushrooming.

[matteblue3er]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

This is not true unfortunately. Somebody measured them and they are nearly the same height wise. Also old ones sag as the rubber gets older, so folks who have swapped XI hats for RWD have been dismayed to find their ride height increased.

The stiffening plate on earlier models was thicker, as the previous poster pointed out now the plate is 1/8" or less. At least that is the case in my 09.

That sucks but it still doesn't affect bump stop travel as WhiteFury has suggested.

I have coilovers on my 330xi and never had to deal with this. I have internal bump stops in my H&R struts.

I also removed the reinforcement plate but I have Dinan fixed camber plates installed. They are slightly thicker than the reinforcement plates.

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

That sucks but it still doesn't affect bump stop travel as WhiteFury has suggested.

You are right about that. White Fury has the custom shortened Konis which is about as much as you can do with non-coilovers for increased travel on an XI in front.

[WhiteFury]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

That sucks but it still doesn't affect bump stop travel as WhiteFury has suggested.

I have coilovers on my 330xi and never had to deal with this. I have internal bump stops in my H&R struts.

I also removed the reinforcement plate but I have Dinan fixed camber plates installed. They are slightly thicker than the reinforcement plates.

Actually it does. If your removing something out of the shock and tophapt setup and your car lowers 1/8 - 1/4 inch then thats less travel before hitting the bump stops.

The custom Konis have the shaft shortened so that the car will go down with the bump stop simultaneously. I have my perch raised 5/8 because I have 3/8 lowering from the shock and 1.4 from the eibach pro kit.

[matteblue3er]

Originally Posted by WhiteFury

Actually it does. If your removing something out of the shock and tophapt setup and your car lowers 1/8 - 1/4 inch then thats less travel before hitting the bump stops.

The custom Konis have the shaft shortened so that the car will go down with the bump stop simultaneously. I have my perch raised 5/8 because I have 3/8 lowering from the shock and 1.4 from the eibach pro kit.

Did you read the link I posted?

Clearly shows strut top does not have an affect on shock travel.

[blau808]

Originally Posted by WhiteFury

One of my shocks blew over nine months ago, which means I only put about seven or 8000 miles on the shock. I've been trying to get in touch with TC Klein since last spring. They don't return my calls and I have a blown shock which is supposed to have a lifetime warranty and they were supposed to send me a replacement shock as that's what I was told and no one ever contacted me and I receive nothing in here we are almost a year later still nothing. Just wanted to let everyone know.

Resurrecting an old thread, so basically what was said about this whole thing is moot because TCKline screwed you and their product was not up to par? SMH, guess ill keep looking for a real solution.

[mthomas]

I put the full kit, one way adjustable, into my xi about three years and fifty thousand miles ago. Overall I was fairly happy with the change in handling, etc. about five thousand ago, the front shocks began to leak. They are shot. Contacted tckline, there is absolutely no warranty of any sort on the shocks." It is a modified part, so no warranty" kind of sucks that they do not stand behind the product that they designed. Might be nice if they were clear about warranty on the website, product description.

Bottom line:
took a reputable product and modified to fit this car. +1
Do not stand behind the modification. -1
Product worked well and lasted a reasonable amount of time. This is what I would expect anyways. 0
Net result 0
For me, it has been an ok modification, but after using for three years, I am not clear that it totally outshone others in the market.
To get philosophical about it. Ultimately, most mods are a waste of $ on a production car. You will never recapture the expense, one mans mod is another mans problem, and they usually fall short of achieving what the purchaser wants to achieve. Probably better off buying the car you want, or building a real track car.

[P33J]

Tckline won't rebuild them? How much would replacement be?

I personally am just looking for better around town performance and ride with some track and autocross mixed in.

[ajsalida]

I'm not sure I'd be upset about needing a rebuild on a race part after 50k miles. Ask them how much they charge to rebuild a set.

Quite a few SCCA IT racers use these, they generally have a decent rep as a low/mid-priced CO set-up built around SA Koni yellows. To get something significantly better you're talking JRZ or Motons price range, which are anywhere from $5k on up over $10k.