Koni MM vs KYB AGX vs ???

Looking for new rear shocks to replace my Tockigo Illumna's on my RX7 (1st Gen) race car. I want double adjustable shocks and the best option seems to be Koni Yellow MM series for the Mustang 83-94 which bolt in. They are pricey at $600/pr. The KYB AGX are similarly set up and are $200/pr. Anyone have experience with them? I'm leaning towards the Koni's as after all it is a race car so money is not important (don't I wish) but if the KYB's are comparable then I can save money for other things like my Daughter's college. Any thoughts?

The only AGX's I've delt with were only compression adjustable....granted that was on a focus

Buy the Koni's, you'll be much happier.

I've never met a pair of KYB's that were worth a third of a pair of Koni's.

They aren't comparable. Having owned sets of both, the Konis are much better. The biggest issue I had was that I didn't like the compression on the KYB's, and that they dropped off very quickly. And in a car as heavy as a Mustang, i would think this would be worse. I know for the Miata, I didn't like the way they worked, and I also raced a 2nd Gen RX7 with them, and they were just ok on there as well.

The KYB's are certainly better than stock, but I rank them pretty far behind a Koni.

go witht he Koni's. you'll be much happier!

The KYBs are single adjustable, so not what you want.

Also they're not very good. So not what you want.

To the best of my knowledge the Koni's off the mustang only work on the rears. I believe you need MR2 rear struts to work for the fronts.

I don't believe KYB AGX's are available for 1st gens.

I have little experience with a V8 Miata on AGX's. Challenged it then sold it. They seemed to work OK.

No real experience with Koni's but I did buy a set of the mustang rears for my 1st gen.

Yeah, guess that is what I thought. My daughter can go to a cheaper college MR2 Struts for the front? Anybody done this? Are they bolt in?

WHat do the IT7 guys run up front?

KYB's are great for a daily driver, or a sports car you'll autocross once in awhile or something like that. Totally different use and market set than the Koni's.

I've run Koni yellow's for almost 20 years. There are worth the upgrade.

There's always Community College!

DaveEstey wrote: WHat do the IT7 guys run up front?

Most run the Tokico's because that is all that is generally available. I run EP, not IT7 so the competition is much faster. I need to find an edge and handling is the answer. My car puts out about 190-200 hp as it's a 2nd Gen built motor but the RB springs and Tokico's just aren't up to the challenge. I got the re-Speed semi-coilover kit and doubled the spring rates (now 350/175) but want to go with a little more damping. Car is set up for w2w but i do occasionally autoX it when i feel like a change from my Miata, which is also my daily driver

trucke wrote: I've run Koni yellow's for almost 20 years. There are worth the upgrade. There's always Community College!

Single adjust yellows are pretty cheap, doubles not so cheap

TxCoyote wrote:

trucke wrote: I've run Koni yellow's for almost 20 years. There are worth the upgrade. There's always Community College!

Single adjust yellows are pretty cheap, doubles not so cheap

Indeed.......you could always tell her "Get a scholorship" or try to marry her off instead, then keep monies and acquire custom built parts....

That's why I post here. You get such good advice

Do you have access to a shock dyno? If yes do you or the person you use have an amazing grasp of shock tuning? If not the single adjustables give you way less to screw up. (Not meant to sound condesending I ruined the handling of one of my cars playing with the knobs on a set of double adjustable converted Konis) I know going from Tocikos to standard Koni sports on both my SRT4 and R/T made an insane difference with no other changes, revalved coilover converted sports on the SRT4 are insane.

bravenrace wrote: I've never met a pair of KYB's that were worth a third of a pair of Koni's.

QFT. We did the KYBs on our Chumpcar. They were great for the first hour and a half, then they were cooked.

TxCoyote wrote: Yeah, guess that is what I thought. My daughter can go to a cheaper college MR2 Struts for the front? Anybody done this? Are they bolt in?

MR2s only have inserts available (except for Bilstein,) so I would say it is an MR2 insert in the Mustang housing.

So, how are you mounting Mustang struts in an RX-7?

The MR2 Koni rear inserts supposedly drop into the front RX-7 strut housing.

This is the part number I found on it. Part # 8641-1072 Sport meant for first gen MR2's. Also when I was talking with Lee Grimes at the Rolex 24 hour race a couple years ago he mentioned that he was pretty sure it works as well.

The rear Mustang Koni Shocks bolt into the rear of the RX-7.

Greg Voth wrote: The MR2 Koni rear inserts supposedly drop into the front RX-7 strut housing. This is the part number I found on it. Part # 8641-1072 Sport meant for first gen MR2's. Also when I was talking with Lee Grimes at the Rolex 24 hour race a couple years ago he mentioned that he was pretty sure it works as well. The rear Mustang Koni Shocks bolt into the rear of the RX-7.

I knew about the rears, but that is very good news about the fronts. Now I can Koni all around

Greg Voth wrote: The rear Mustang Koni Shocks bolt into the rear of the RX-7.

That they do, with a little fiddling of the remarkably-bendable lower mount, but my experience with Mustang shocks on an RX-7 is that they have too much rebound damping/not enough compression damping. May not be an issue with multi-adjustable units or super stiff springs, but with 120lb springs it was like driving a combination trapdoor and slow-moving elevator.

Knurled wrote:

Greg Voth wrote: The rear Mustang Koni Shocks bolt into the rear of the RX-7.

That they do, with a little fiddling of the remarkably-bendable lower mount, but my experience with Mustang shocks on an RX-7 is that they have too much rebound damping/not enough compression damping. May not be an issue with multi-adjustable units or super stiff springs, but with 120lb springs it was like driving a combination trapdoor and slow-moving elevator.

I would guess then my choice of 175 lb rear springs would help?

So, I run 400 lb front and 200 lb rear on my 1st Gen RX-7 race car. I have been using the Tokico BZ 1086 on the front, but they are getting impossible to find. The Tokico is the rear for the 85-86 MR2. I am wondering if the Koni 8641-1072 is good enough for my front spring rate, and also, does the top of the piston fit into a Ground Control camber kit...