Koni ACTIVE rear replacement, any impressions?

[DriverJon]

Long time, yadda yadda....

Have a 2010 Jetta, had got the earlier Koni FSD shock set some years back. (thanks ID Parts!) Like them a lot, nice improvement to ride.

Now I see the new Active brand, which I hear is mostly the same, but the rears are now "active" (or FSD), where in the earlier ones, they were just a basic gas strut.

So, wondering if anyone's tried both, and could tell me if just buying a new set of rears would be enough of an improvement to be worth the $$ and effort.

 

[Ol'Rattler]

Usually replacement struts are a waste of money on a Dub. I'm still waiting for mine to wear out at 186K miles. The reason most people replace perfectly good shocks/struts: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect

If you have a Chevy or other such garbage, your struts/shocks may well be completely shot within 25K miles of new.

 

[andreigbs]

Since "improvement in ride" is highly subjective, allow me to say that the biggest difference will be felt when doing the front end.

Replacing the stock shocks and struts on my MK4 made a difference, but particularly more so because I also replaced bushings and other various bits that were clunky. The shocks themselves were probably fine after about 6 years of use. I just wanted to replace them too, so I did.

I doubt you'll notice anything much doing the rears (yet again), and certainly not enough of a difference to offset the cost of throwing away perfectly good Koni shocks.

But hey, it's your money; spend it as you see fit

 

[DriverJon]

Well....



Was hoping for someone that has actually tried them to comment.



Changing from a standard type shock to one that has a frequency selective response will likely change some of the ride feel. See original post. I was trying to get an idea how influential changing to the FSD type would be at the rears.

 

[SilverSquirrel]

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=5455064&postcount=170
MA to VA, and back this week. Very comfy on harsh roads. Takes big hits like potholes well. Not as agressive as the stock shocks.
Handles speed bumps in stride. Mismatch with the fronts is noticeable, especially when cornering. going with special actives up front after the winter.
The rears are cheap enough and easy to install if you have done it before. Go,for it.

 

[DriverJon]

Thanks...


So, just to be certain, you went from the stock shocks to Active on the rears? Wondering what exactly you feel in the mismatch between front and back?

My stock to a full FSD experience was similar to what you seem to be feeling with the rears, similar to a bit stiffer than the stock, but coupled with being softer and quieter with the running over tar strips, small bumps, etc... They seem soft, but I think they fool you a bit with the soft ride with the small bumps. You don't notice the full stiffness until you're doing more stronger cornering, then they definitely feel stiffer.
Very nice combo for a more comfortable overall ride.


It sounds like I'd probably have a noticeable difference with the Active rear, vs my original FSD set that came with the non-FSD rears.


Now, I just need to diagnose the squeaking at the rear with large suspension excursions, probably something else, but would hate to find out I had a bad shock AFTER I order and pull them off. Another topic for another thread.

 

[SilverSquirrel]

Yes. Oem 2013 tdi jsw, 124k miles rears replaced with koni special active. Old shock were cleary all done. Original fronts seem ok for now.

 

[DriverJon]

Ordered a few days ago, parts are in the mail...


Will let you all know when I can answer my own question.



I replaced my originals on the 2010 Jetta in mid 2014, probably about 40-50K miles ago. I'm sure the FSD's have at least that much more life, unless there was something wrong with them. We'll see how worth the pretty low price of the Active rears ends up being.


Odd note, the plastic boot/cover or whatever it is seems to be deteriorating, up at the top end of the shock the bellowed part of the cover is crumbling into dust. Weird. I don't see any leakage of oil that might be attacking the plastic/rubber or whatever it is. Don't remember if it's OEM, or part of what I bought when I got the FSD's.

 

[Galo]

I just spent my first full day on 4 new Koni Active struts (and a few other repairs like new tie rod ends, rear sway bay links, etc that u want to look at anyway when tearing into the suspension) and absolutely LOVE them.

I've had the regular Koni Reds on just about every car I have owned since my 1974 Corolla SR-5 and these are much superior to the standard Reds. Definitely, the two-stage valving works as advertised, small, fast, high-frequency bumps feel way softer, the larger/slower frequency bumps are usual Koni 'well damped'.

Love them
5 stars...

 

[DriverJon]

Huh, coulda sworn I'd replied to this.

Well, 4yrs later... for anyone searching for this kind of info, I'm answering. Stuff happened and it was a few months till I got them on. And....... I think I noticed enough of a change to say a definite improvement, not placebo. By just a moderate amount, not a knock your socks off effect. Added to the rear stability feel I got with the rear swaybar I'd put on with the original FSD set.

Overall... since it cost less than $140, and the rear shocks are a easy DIY... I think it was worth it.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

I wish they were still less than $140.00

 

[hskrdu]

I used the Koni warranty to replace orange STRTs with Special Actives front and rear on the '03 Golf. I have about 4,000? miles on them, mostly highway. Hard to ascribe improvements to the differences between the models, vs. comparison between new and old. (It's funny to think that replacement struts are a waste, as Ol' Rattler suggested- even a novice would have seen mine were ready to go). If I had to compare them to OE or Koni Orange, I'd say so far I'd pick these. Comparable to the softer Bilsteins- maybe that's the TC? Can't remember. Anyway, lifetime warranty (shockingly enough) was honored.