Koni shocks?

Honolulu

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I've been offered some Koni shocks by an ex-dealer master tech that I will go see shortly. They are old but possibly unused.

Question is, how do I know which ones fit my '73 (8/72 build by the VIN)? I found a Koni application guide and they list 82-1839 and 80-2092 for rear, and 86-1667 front. I understand Koni made yellow Sports and red Specials, which is the stiffer shock?

I've searched for "Koni" in the archives and though there are numerous mentions, no one states which he has. Some pics came up of red Konis, but no statement as to which model.

It has been far past due for years now to move off the KYB's that have been on the car (at least on the back where they are visible) since I got this car some time in the 80s. Bilstein is what everyone seems to reference now, perhaps because Koni is out of business (so I've read?).
 

Peter Coomaraswamy

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Charlie, I have a set of old original red Koni's on the new-to-me 70 Coupe, I'll snap a shot this weekend and post it here with any part numbers I can find.
 

Nicad

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Koni is not out of business as far as I know. I have had Yellows on past BMW's and they were marvellous. Curious if they ever had market share when E9s were more current.
 

Strato102

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I have red NOS Konis for my 72 CSI that are: Front, 82P 1667 805 and rear, 706 80C2092.
 

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Honolulu

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Strato102, you da man with the numbers. Thx much, I'm on my way to have a look-see, will report anon.

I see the box is marked "adjusting", but on the fronts in particular, how does one adjust if they are contained in the housing?
 

kasbatts

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If there like my ones there a bit of a pain, you have to take them out of the car and compress all the way down and turn the shaft ( so on the fronts this means taking the springs of the struts and then putting them all back together)
There was a different modal Koni I used to have in one of my cars (think these were yellow?) that you just turned a valve on the top of the strut under the bonnet were the strut bolts into the car
 

John Buchtenkirch

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Not to steal this thread but if anyone has access to a Koni application chart I’d like to know what models of BMW Koni #82P-2017 fit ? They are definitely inserts for front strut tubes and I know where an unused pair can be had pretty reasonable. THANKS ~ John Buchtenkirch
 

Honolulu

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Alas the old guy had two pair of rear shocks, one yellow BMW pair for E30, one red Sachs for (application unknown).

Swing and a miss, but he did give me an exhaust hanger for my E30, which I will put on if the daughter is ever home with the car long enough. It's near finals time at the end of her first semester of law school, so I don't bug her too much until it's over. Then the hammer comes down!

John B, I have a Koni app guide, let me see here a minute.... PM sent

It appears to cross-reference to BOGE 32-939-1, BOGE 32-201-0, SACHS 716 134, SACHS 716 144. KONI 82-2017, KONI 86-2017 but not mention of what cars it fits. Perhaps those numbers can bring up a model for you.
 
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Gary Knox

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For any future Koni's research on this site, I've been involved in trying to install Koni's in my '74 e9, and have discovered that there are two sizes of front strut barrels that BMW used on the e3 and apparently the e9's during manufacture (used what was available from the shelf as the car was going down the line???).

Anyway, the ID of these tubes is either 48 mm or 50 mm. I have two of each ID tube, but the OD's are so close that I can not tell them apart via that measurement with my digital micrometer!

The Koni shock for the 48 mm tube is: 86-1667 (direct from the tech guy at Koni US hdqtrs). He also stated that Koni only shipped 11 pairs of these to the USA, and the last set arrived in 2004. The shock that fits the 50 mm ID tube is 82P-1667 (the 86 shocks replaced this and production on it was terminated). That shock will go into either tube, but the gland nut needed for the 48 mm ID strut WILL NOT thread into the strut tube by more than about 1 turn, and of course the 50mm gland nut will not engage at all. With the 82P shock and the 50 mm strut tube, the 50mm gland nut turns all the way in, locating the shock securely.

For the rear, I know the Koni 82-1839 fits,and I remember being told by Koni a couple of years ago that there was at least one other number that fits - that might be 80-2092, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Hope this might be helpful to someone - some time.

Gary
 
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HB Chris

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My 73 had this issue as it has an e12 right front strut tube which is 48mm. Are your brake line mounts both on the same side of the strut? Mine were not which alerted me to this issue. Coupe and e3 is 50mm.
 
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Belgiumbarry

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yes... restoring my '70 coupe i bought Bilsteins at W&N to found out later i had mixed struts , a 48 and 50 mm . W&N had both sets. So i have a mix spare set :)

PS it was also the right front ...from a E12 ?
 

Gary Knox

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Chris - I think you mean the outer tube of the shocks or the struts may be the same diameter. The Bilsteins I removed from my '74 had piston rods (the part the big nut screws onto) that were about 2X the diameter of the Koni shocks, or apparently the boge shocks (the gland nut with OE part number fits the Koni, but the hole is too small for the Bilstein rod).

Gary
 
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steve in reno

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I have yellow Koni's on the rear.
They still work well.
Gas struts in the front.
I see Bilsteins listed on many complaints of body failure at mount rear top, on the forum.
Perhaps too high a compression rate, not enough travel?
 

Honolulu

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So now the obvious question is: are Koni shocks/struts for BMW 3.0CS available? Did I read that their production was bought out by IKON?

IKON Motorsport online does not list any struts (called "strunts" in the left column of their page). Nothing there for "E9" either. Apparently a dead end.
 

stphers

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You know, it's kinda funny, many years ago, Koni's were the ONLY thing to put into your car ( when Koni red specials were the normal shock that you got ) , then there were the Koni's with exterior adjustable knob . Then all of a sudden, it was nothing but Bilsteins everywhere and now back to Koni's which is what I have pretty much used in all my cars over the years Just noticing
 
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