M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Suspension => Topic started by: EducatedFool on April 10, 2007, 09:33:47 PM

Title: Koni Question
Post by: EducatedFool on April 10, 2007, 09:33:47 PM

Hey, I'm about to buy some Koni shocks. But when I checked for part numbers on their site, it says they come in 2 different sizes. What's up w/ that? And how can I tell which size I have? btw, i drive a 91 318i

Title: Koni Question
Post by: b318isp on April 11, 2007, 05:00:49 AM

Check the OD of your front dampers they will be either 45mm or 51mm.

Title: Koni Question
Post by: ecpreston on April 11, 2007, 08:36:26 AM

Only the m10 318 and a handful of early etas had the smaller struts, we all have the larger. Always worth double checking of course if you can.

Title: Koni Question
Post by: jajou318 on April 11, 2007, 09:22:01 AM

Quote from: ecpreston;23507

Only the m10 318 and a handful of early etas had the smaller struts, we all have the larger. Always worth double checking of course if you can.

Yea that's what I was thinking. Where are you ordering from? Just tell them you have a 318is that way there's no confusion in which of the 318's you have (m10 v m42)

Title: Koni Question
Post by: e9nine on April 11, 2007, 12:14:55 PM

Quote from: jajou318;23515

Yea that's what I was thinking. Where are you ordering from? Just tell them you have a 318is that way there's no confusion in which of the 318's you have (m10 v m42)

Not all vendors are familiar with the variations in the cars hence them putting the final decision making on you the end-user to avoid any "errors."

Title: Koni Question
Post by: EducatedFool on April 11, 2007, 04:32:41 PM

i was looking @ the Koni website when the confusion came up. I'm order from a friend of mine, getting me them for a steal :D

Title: Koni Question
Post by: b318isp on April 12, 2007, 07:24:06 AM

Smaller struts are on all 318i/316i and some 320i here in Euroland. Ye westerners didn't get these!

Title: Koni Question
Post by: Abrax on May 11, 2007, 03:36:50 PM

You can really feel the difference when driving above 160km'h for a longer time. The 45's will act badly compared to 51's... At lower speeds, the difference is unnoticable.

I had 45's as I've bought my car 318i and replaced them with 51's after few months.

I've checked both on KONI shocks... After replacing them, be sure to put them in the pipes flooded with oil to let them cool better through the walls.