In our Audi's we have found over the past couple years the greatest area that needs to be improved for our cars is the struts.

Currently we work with Koni and they have been absolutely wonderfull. I would like to continue working with them however we are certainly open to other options. Just to help me understand a bit when I talk to them again and/or if we talk to another company I would like to explain what I understand our problem to be and I would greatly appreciate any feedback that you or a friend may have. Once again we also are looking for recomended companies to work with in addition to Koni. Basic point is we want something that will work without failing and fits into a reasonable budget (if you are a company represenative viewing the forum, partial or full sponsorships are always an option to keep things affordable).


ok the log winded issues:

In 2 sessions the rebound valving will fail on the struts, leaving only compression. As you continue to race on the struts they progressively get worse in the fact that the shaft will start to pivot side to side in addition to its normal up and down motion. The following picture illistrates in my mind a rough idea of what is happaning. Please feel free to edit/fix if I am incorrect in any part of my non-epert thoughts and diagrams.

- the yellow is the outer strut housing - Not to be confused with the strut housing on the car... this is a strut out of the car on the bench!!!

- the grey is the shaft that moves up and down
- the blue is the inner wall that the shaft moves up and down within.
- the red are the valves
- the black is the upper seal/cap that holds the insides in and the outsides out (including the oil).

My understanding is that as those red valves wear (as illistrated in drawing "C" the entire internal parts of the strut begin to pivot on the upper seal/cap of the strut. (black part).



Picture "A" illistrates what the strut looks like new along with its movements.
Picture "B" illistrates my version of what the internal parts of a strut looks like and its hardware (not oil)movements.
Picture "C" illistrates my version of what the internal parts look like after wear and how the hardware (not oil) moves due to the wear.
Picture "D" illistrates what the strut looks like after wear along with its movements.

* It is important to know that the "yellow" part of the strut is the housing and is not moving in the illistrations.


Again, thank you for any help/advise you can offer. I would love to get somethign that would work and can handle the side load our cars creat on the strut due to thier unique suspension geometry.

Thanks again;

Raymond "Maybe we can all learn something" Blethen