Koni Special Active Shocks with Keith Tanner (FM Live)

This week on FM Live, our resident suspension guru, Keith Tanner, goes over our newest offering from Koni - their Special Active line. What’s the difference between these shocks and other suspension? How do they compare to factory replacements? How is the ride quality? All this and more!
Koni Special Active Shocks for NB
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Koni Special Active Shocks for NA
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Flyin' Miata is the world leader in Miata performance. We offer a wide range of parts for all years of the Mazda MX-5 Miata.
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#koni #specialactive #shocks #suspension #new #parts #handling #keithtanner #fmlive #live #video #qanda #info #specs #youtube #weekly #fm #flyinmiata

[@cpt_stvn]

I’m a noob at car stuff and I greatly appreciate these videos.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Glad we can help!

[@jordanwalker1531]

I have these on my Jetta Sportwagen TDI. Fantastic product

[@ryannafe9252]

I’m considering going with them for my XC70 T6, do you find them to be good, as they claim, for both large movements and small/sharp bumps?

[@mrd.808]

I enjoy hearing knowledge from the experienced miata Big Kahuna Mr Tanner

[@dougmiller9567]

I just installed the Koni Str t on my 2000se with stock springs. I once had an nb with olans...have never had that quality of ride since.

[@misterx1694]

Very informative as usual. Thanks!

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Glad to hear that - thanks for watching!

[@CruiseControl1]

NB driver here. I like the idea of the special active shocks with giving a great daily ride with a little more potential in the corners. Would these pair well with bracing? (butterfly, sway bars, etc)

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Bracing is always good. The stiffer the structure, the better the suspension works.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Good chassis bracing will help any good suspension function optimally, sway bars will help dramatically reduce body roll, so depending on how you are using the car, you might want all three. Feel free to give us a call if you have any specific questions or need some suggestions!

[@CruiseControl1]

@@FlyinMiataVideo Thank you for your reply, I appreciate the feedback.

[@CruiseControl1]

Primarily mountain roads and occasional track use.

[@acanuck1679]

Thank you for this video. As is the case with most of the Flyin' Miata productions, I found it to be quite informative. As someone driving a 2008 NC PRHT GT with stock Bilsteins (never winter-driven), would it be sufficient to put a new set of four Koni Special Active shocks in (to replace the old Bilsteins)? (NB: 28,000 klicks only) Alternatively, would it be better to get new springs as part of a package (something like your Flyin' Miata Koni Stage 1 suspension--or even the State 2, which includes an anti-roll bar setup)?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

This is all going to come down to personal preference. If you are happy with the factory ride and handling, the Koni Special Active shocks will be a nice replacement for them with some slight performance benefits. However, if you want to step up your handling a notch, we'd suggest starting with sway bars and then getting an adjustable damper such as the Koni sports with FM Springs or our Fox coilovers. These can give a lot more flexibility and performance, for those who want it. Feel free to give us a call our reach out to our support team directly if you have any specific questions we can help with!

[@DaveSimkus]

I wish you guys could include or sell separately those bump-stop washers drilled to the correct size. I know it's an easy thing to do yourself but not everyone has the necessary tools and it just makes the installation take much longer.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Good point and I'll see what we can do about it. Thanks for watching.

[@crossbowzoom]

@@FlyinMiataVideo 100% this. Every reseller tells us to drill the washer. If a reseller "included" the proper washes, they'd get more sales then everyone else, just because nobody wants to deal with drilling washers. Happily pay a small premium just to not have to mess with the washers.

[@mitchj2791]

I know a great laser cutting shop if you want to run a batch.

[@DaveSimkus]

@mitchj2791 Those washers don't seem like a standard part you could buy cheaply in bulk. They have a specifc shape and are really thick so FM would probably have to buy them from Mazda. So I understand why FM doesn't include them. But yeah it adds extra steps to the installation and it's not easy to drill those washers if you don't have good tools. Maybe FM could just add an option to include a pair of them drilled out for an extra price for those who need it.

[@mitchj2791]

@@DaveSimkus @flyinmiatavideo THey would all be custom CNC laser cut from sheet steel/ SS as specified.

[@PilotScott-ey7lw]

Previous customer here (just bought a timing belt kit and other maintenance stuff). I have a new-to-me 2003 Shinsen, 55,000 miles, original everything including fluids until I changed them. Even original 2002 date code tires - changing those first thing in spring, since the snow is already falling in NY. Anyway, I’m looking to replace the shocks as the car bucks and dives on bumps. I don’t want it lower or stiffer - neck and back injuries from military service make that undrivable for me. I’m basically looking to restore stock “as new” handling. Would the STR.T work for that?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

We consider the STR.T basically a stock replacement shock, so it should bring the car back to a near factory feel. The Koni Special Active handle dips and bumps slightly better due to more advanced valving. Both can use the factory springs which should give you plenty of travel since it doesn't lower the ride height.

[@ProTeslaVolt]

For Tesla Model 3 Performance better to buy orange one or red one if I need more comfort?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

We've tried the red Special Active ones on the Model 3 and they work very well.

[@RickMesser-p2f]

As for lowered..Koni manufactures sets with eibach springs for Mustangs and they say compatible so.....ordered and waiting for them.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Hopefully your Mustang is not as constrained on bump travel as the NA/NB Miata is. We know from our own testing on the Miata application that they will not work well with stiffer springs, and if you lower the car without going stiffer it’s going to be even worse. Good luck!

[@kylelambert1672]

How did this come out 35 minutes ago, but i watched the first 2 minutes yesterday between waiter oil changes?

[@roddydykes7053]

Re-upload

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Yesterday was a low resolution live video. This is a branded 4K high-resolution version for the main channel.

[@jonperezf]

Hello from Spain. I see that this video is from 9 months ago. In the configuration of the Coni website for the NC, the red ones are not yet available, only the sport ones. Any news about the third generation? Thanks

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

I don't think there are any set plans for NC Special Actives at the moment, but anything is possible if we get enough demand.

[@coco9004]

I like to use Koni shocks for my 2003 E-450 Super Duty V10 with Aluminium box Truck 16 feets long. Inside is an office for telecom business. there is computers etc. I want something can handle heavy truck but also firm and confortable ride that do not feel too much the bump. i use air-ligt air bags in the back to make it better handling and bilstein 5100 streering damper. what do you suggest please?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Thanks for checking with us, but this is a much heavier vehicle than we usually deal with and don't have a solid recommendation. You may receive a better answer by contacting Koni directly.

[@jeremyhighhouse6903]

Thanks for the great video. Why are you wearing 2 mics?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

One is for the livestream, and the other is for the higher quality upload. :)

[@jalopy2472]

Do you recommend Koni Special Active shocks for weekend track days and Autocross, but a vehicle that mainly lives on the streets? Road quality is very poor in the North East, looking for something to make an NA Miata comfortable on the street, but also improve performance at track days and autocross. Springs would be stock springs. Thanks!

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

We think the Sport actually provides a better ride in the NA/NB Miata application, but they are more expensive.

[@jalopy2472]

@@FlyinMiataVideoGreat to know! I had assumed that FSD meant more comfortable. But if Sport increases both comfort AND performance then that’s what I will go with.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

@@jalopy2472 A bit of it is application-specific, but in the case of the NA/NB Miata we feel the Sport does offer improved ride quality. We've done back to back testing on some of our cars internally.

[@jalopy2472]

@@FlyinMiataVideothat’s awesome and has helped me make the decision to go with Koni Sports. Thank you!

[@whazzlegaming3856]

Does Koni make a EDC shock?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

They do not.

[@BridgetMinton]

What happens when I am traveling on concrete pavement with the expansion joints and then ente😢 a high speed corner.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

If you have good suspension, you smile😁and exit the corner with confidence.

[@Simb-l]

I have the special actives on my bmw 3 series and they are fantastic for a daily driver superior comfort secondary to stock with sportier than stock primary ride.

[@Simb-l]

@@apteka6014 e92

[@justindaniel5959]

Are these better than stock ? I am looking for something that will absorb sharp bumps better

[@jmfcmf]

I have this on my abarth.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Nice! The wheelbase and weight are similar. What did you think of them on your platform?

[@TR.Pixels]

Sounds very similar to digressive shocks.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Not really, as they don't take time into account. That's what sets these apart.

[@nuketube2650]

Any updates on availability for NCs?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

They are scheduled to start production any day now. Then they have to travel over from Europe to our warehouse. So, they're coming but we don't have an ETA yet.

[@nuketube2650]

@@FlyinMiataVideo Sweet, thanks for the update 👍

[@mrd.808]

When a vehicle goes airborne and lands, then the transmission, differential, and suspension can play a role as well, especially in the cases of Formula 1 (F1).

[@robertshunter]

The FSD system was first implemented on Koni motorsport product, being used on the McLaren Mercedes F1 cars.

[@JonDodd-ds9vx]

When you say lowered are you talking about just an inch lowered?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Below the ride height offered by factory springs and stock shock dimensions.

[@JonDodd-ds9vx]

@FlyinMiataVideo so definitely not the lowered springs on offer from yourselves on the ND. Interestingly it's now possible or was at a time an upgrade for the ND at point of sale

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

@@JonDodd-ds9vx The Koni Sport works well with lowered springs, and we still offer that combination in our suspension packages. The Koni Special Active - which is not available for the ND yet - is not for use with lowered springs.

[@streettosky5983]

I was out as soon as you said they weren’t for lowered cars and the sport is still the go to… I’ll keep my sports, thanks for covering this. Great information on a new product. Just not the product for me.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

That's why we carry three different Koni options, to make sure we have the right solution for each driver.

[@EverGone03]

dang i thought he was gonna do hands on testing on the shocks, but instead he just talked about it. lol

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

We did do hands-on testing of the shocks before this video was shot, but we didn't record it. So instead, we talked about the technology.

[@envisiotube]

Did no one of you guys ore Koni have the money to let an animation designer (we have millions worldwide) do an animation of the principle? So that it would have been much less stressful for you to try to explain it without practising it before, without good preparation?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

You are badly overestimating our production budget.

[@kumakaroshi117]

Bouncy 🎉

[@bgarcia1738]

I literally have the special actives w my lowering springs, shit

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

How do they feel to you? Over sprung or under sprung?

[@Spearfishingboy]

In my mercedes w204 c180k i have the koni str.t ..... The koni special active in high speed and cornering are stiffer or softer than str.t??

[@Garrettactical]

Really excellent information! Thank you. Not directly Miata related but, a Koni question about my Mazdaspeed 3. Can I use the Koni Sport yellow with OEM springs? To gain a handling improvement from the Koni’s but maintain OEM ride height. Also, I was told by another Mazda shop that all Koni struts/shocks for these cars, have about 1/2” of lowering built in to the spring perch location. Is this true?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Usually Sports pair well with stock springs, although that may vary by application. They don’t all lower the car - again, that’s an application-specific trait so we can’t comment on the MS3.

[@bodudek]

We've got a 3.8T Citroen Jumper / Relay based motorhome. It's got a 4x4 with rear differential lock built on top from french Dangel. The stock shocks are.. pretty bad and we feel like the motorhome both dives into holes and on packed dirt roads with small bumps it's very noisy and is "rattling" a lot. Further when passing speed bumps, we need to go really really slow to avoid current suspensions to bottom-out. A local 4x4 dealer here in Chile, where we travel at the moment, recommends us the Koni Special-Active / HEAVY TRACK suspensions. Would those make our heavy motorhome a bit more pleasant and soft to ride and solve the above mentioned issues? Thanks a million gazillion! :)

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Hmm. This doesn't sound like a Miata so......I don't know. Sorry. I think the Koni SA are a good shock but every platform is going to be different.

[@jeeplivion]

I have an Audi looking to upgrade, been seeing this shock around without any knowledge about how they work. Glad to know that the cheaper cost does come with compromise. Not going to get these if they aren't suitable for a lowered application. Thanks for the explanation 🤘

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

No problem 👍

[@salami99]

its like an active bump stop

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

@salami99 Interesting comparison!

[@DavesWoodFloors]

I put a set of Tein Street Bias Z coilovers and the ride is absolutely terrible. Can I fix this by installing a new set of shocks or is it the springs ?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

Please contact our customer support team and we’ll help you identify the problem.

[@elliottlee5412]

Will these require new springs to fit a mk2.5 with factory sport suspension or will I be able to reuse them?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

They’ll work just fine with the factory sport springs.

[@chrisbradley3224]

Hi Keith, I am thinking about putting Koni SA on my old 2010 Mazda 3 2.5L. If I went with Racing Beat springs, which are only 0.5" lower front and 0.75" lower rear, do you think this would be ok with the Special Active shocks as-is? Not sure if it would require modified bump stops or should I just stick with stock springs in your opinion? I'm not looking for anything crazy just need to replace the front struts and thought I might put a higher quality part on there while I am at it. The springs have a rate increase of approximately 20%, not sure if that's enough to keep me out of the bump stops with 0.5" drop.

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

We don't know enough about the platform or the springs to give a good answer. It's possible that they'll work okay with the RB springs if they're just a little lower and stiffer. But shocks are valved differently for each application, it's hard for us to generalize here. You could check to see if Koni offers the Sport for your car, that would definitely give you a step up in control and performance over stock.

[@chrisbradley3224]

@@FlyinMiataVideo Thanks! I think I’ll stay with stock springs or go with the yellows as you mentioned.

[@geraldneri7538]

Have a BMW E39 530i with Mtech suspension. Would like to change the springs as well. Which ones do you recommend for these shocks?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

BMiataW??? Sorry, we don't know. It's all Miatas around here😁

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

It's best to reach out to Mtech for these types of questions.

[@flyers10az]

Koni have any plans for updated yellows?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

There’s not much to “update”. If they can fit the FSD mechanism, we may see a Sport Active. But at the moment that’s not possible.

[@mrd.808]

Are these compatible with air cup kits?

[@FlyinMiataVideo]

We have not used the air cups, but if we had to guess - probably not, and we wouldn't recommend these for any sort of lowered suspension.