koni install help

[burninator]

I am getting ready to section my struts to install my new koni 8610s. I just want to make sure I understand how it goes together first. I searched, but came up empty. If I'm the only one who has had trouble with this then I feel really dumb.

 

So the struts each came with a 3/8" wide steel ring (spacer?), a plastic washer of some kind, a stepped bushings, regular nuts, and 2 thinner (jam) nuts. How does it all go together? I also have EMI camber plates.

 

The plastic washer I think should go on top of the strut insert under the gland nut, but it won't fit inside the gland nut. Should I trim it, or do I have it all wrong?

 

The bushings look like they drop onto the tops of the strut rod so it fits snugly in the EMI camber plate. Thick side on top I'm guessing?

 

The steel ring looks like it could go under the strut insert inside the tube, but I read no mention of it in the sectioning faq. Should I discard it?

 

The nuts I'm sure at least one goes on top to hold it all together, but I wouldn't be able to get a wrench on it to turn a jam nut tight against it so I'm not sure what that's all about.

 

Thanks for any advice.

Edited April 28, 2010 by burninator

[johnc]

I am getting ready to section my struts to install my new koni 8610s. I just want to make sure I understand how it goes together first. I searched, but came up empty. If I'm the only one who has had trouble with this then I feel really dumb.

 

So the struts each came with a 3/8" wide steel ring (spacer?), a plastic washer of some kind, a stepped bushings, regular nuts, and 2 thinner (jam) nuts. How does it all go together? I also have EMI camber plates.

 

The plastic washer I think should go on top of the strut insert under the gland nut, but it won't fit inside the gland nut. Should I trim it, or do I have it all wrong?

 

The bushings look like they drop onto the tops of the strut rod so it fits snugly in the EMI camber plate. Thick side on top I'm guessing?

 

The steel ring looks like it could go under the strut insert inside the tube, but I read no mention of it in the sectioning faq. Should I discard it?

 

The nuts I'm sure at least one goes on top to hold it all together, but I wouldn't be able to get a wrench on it to turn a jam nut tight against it so I'm not sure what that's all about.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

In order, from the top down:

 

Jamb nut

Nut

Small Spacer between nut and spherical bearing.

EMI Camber Plate (spherical bearing)

Shoulder Bushing with the sleeve part of the bushing inside the camber plate spherical bearing.

Shock Shaft

Bump Stop

Plastic Spacer

Gland Nut

Strut (with the shock body inside on top of a 1.5" OD spacer you cut and fit in the bottom.

[burninator]

Strut (with the shock body inside on top of a 1.5" OD spacer you cut and fit in the bottom.

That's just a spacer on the rear right? or is that both? By my measurements the front is 2 1/16" too long and the rear is 3 3/4" too long. I was just planning on using a spacer in the rear, but a small spacer in the front gives me a little more room for error if my measurements aren't exact. I don't think the strut sectioning faq mentions a front spacer.

[johnc]

That's just a spacer on the rear right? or is that both? By my measurements the front is 2 1/16" too long and the rear is 3 3/4" too long. I was just planning on using a spacer in the rear, but a small spacer in the front gives me a little more room for error if my measurements aren't exact. I don't think the strut sectioning faq mentions a front spacer.

 

Correct. I generally don't run a front spacer.

[burninator]

Okay, one more question on the spot to weld the rings for the threaded collars to sit on. The height my car was sitting at before was about 5" at the rockers, and I think that is probly a good height to shoot for right?

 

The (cut) springs I had before were 11.5 inches in the front and 12.5 inches in the rear, if they each compress 4.5 to 5 inches (assuming a spring rate near 100 lbs which I think is close to accurate for cut stock springs). My new springs should compress about 1.5" and are 8" long so with the 3.5" difference in length (for the front) adjusted to about 3-3.5" difference in sag I'm thinking I'll want the springs to sit at the same height to make the ride height the same. So in order to get the spring in the middle of the adjustment I'd weld on the ring for the 5" threaded sleeve to sit on about 2.5" below where the stock spring perch height. And the rears should be 1.5" below the stock spring perch location in to make up for the 1" longer rear springs.

 

Does that make sense? Or is my logic just wrong?

[johnc]

Okay, one more question on the spot to weld the rings for the threaded collars to sit on. The height my car was sitting at before was about 5" at the rockers, and I think that is probly a good height to shoot for right?

 

The (cut) springs I had before were 11.5 inches in the front and 12.5 inches in the rear, if they each compress 4.5 to 5 inches (assuming a spring rate near 100 lbs which I think is close to accurate for cut stock springs). My new springs should compress about 1.5" and are 8" long so with the 3.5" difference in length (for the front) adjusted to about 3-3.5" difference in sag I'm thinking I'll want the springs to sit at the same height to make the ride height the same. So in order to get the spring in the middle of the adjustment I'd weld on the ring for the 5" threaded sleeve to sit on about 2.5" below where the stock spring perch height. And the rears should be 1.5" below the stock spring perch location in to make up for the 1" longer rear springs.

 

Does that make sense? Or is my logic just wrong?

 

You're putting way too much thought into this. The threaded collars are 5" long which gives you about 4.5" of adjustment range. There's no performance reason to get the adjustable spring perch in the middle of the adjustment rage on the threaded collar. If you're rocker height is 5" do you really think you'll ever run the car at a 3" rocker height? For comparison, SCCA ITS 240Zs are limited to a 5" rocker height by the rules and only a few guys running 225/45-14" tires ran at the ride height. Most were 1/4 to 1/2" above the 5" rules.

[burninator]

Better to put too much thought into it than not enough I suppose. Thanks for the advice.