General Suspension: How To: Koni Front Struts
05-06-2007, 09:39 PM
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How To: Koni Front Struts
Hope this helps those that have the same worthless directions that came with my set of koni's.
Thanks to Halfcent's prior how to for removing the struts. His how to is better then mine would be, so to save time, check out his link for Front strut and spring R&R https://www.cobaltss.net/forums//showthread.php?t=23418
So, now you have the strut tower removed, and you are ready to gut 'em.
Halfcent used a allen wrench and a wrench to take off the large nut that holds the strut and spring assembly together. I found that am impact wrench did the job in about 2 seconds.
Before you break it apart, make sure you draw a line from the top of the spring assembly to the bottom. In halfcent's how to, you can see a set of painted green lines, that show how it should be assembled. I drew another line with a grease pencil to insure I didn't screw anything up, and that I had it as close to lined back up as possible.
After taking off the spring, you are left with the strut inside the strut tower. Turn it upside down, and secure it upright in a vice grip. Use a center finder, and scratch an X on the bottom side of the strut tower in order to find the center.
Punch a mark in the center.
Drill a pilot hole through the bottom of the strut tower.
To avoid a real mess, don't follow the koni directions about placing a piece of tape over the hole to keep the oil inside from leaking out. Take the tower to an oil pan and drain the oil. To speed up the process, push the strut in and out, and squirt it out. This should take a few minutes to get most of it out. Then tape over the hole to make sure the rest of the oil doesn't drip out.
Next take your new koni strut and measure from the flat part of the yellow casing to small bumps on the side, roughly 44 mm down on my set. Use calipers if you have them. Write down the measurement as you will need it on the next step. Make sure you use this measurent and not the sugested measurement given by koni, as I found out it was slightly off. (you may not be able to see them in the picture. I measured to the center of the bumps. Make sure you measure correctly before you cut, or else the strut may rattle around inside the housing.)
Once again, put the strut tower in the vice grips, and use blue painters tape to mark the top of the strut tower. Using the measurment from the last step, subtract 7mm from it to get your new number. This is the ammount that needs to be cut off from the top of the strut tower. Draw your mark for the cut. (The koni directions are not very clear here. Make sure that you leave the black plastic dust cover on the housing during you measurment.)
We used a sawsall to cut the top of the strut tower off. You will need to roatate the tower around to keep from cutting to deep.
Thanks to Halfcent's prior how to for removing the struts. His how to is better then mine would be, so to save time, check out his link for Front strut and spring R&R https://www.cobaltss.net/forums//showthread.php?t=23418
So, now you have the strut tower removed, and you are ready to gut 'em.
Halfcent used a allen wrench and a wrench to take off the large nut that holds the strut and spring assembly together. I found that am impact wrench did the job in about 2 seconds.
Before you break it apart, make sure you draw a line from the top of the spring assembly to the bottom. In halfcent's how to, you can see a set of painted green lines, that show how it should be assembled. I drew another line with a grease pencil to insure I didn't screw anything up, and that I had it as close to lined back up as possible.
After taking off the spring, you are left with the strut inside the strut tower. Turn it upside down, and secure it upright in a vice grip. Use a center finder, and scratch an X on the bottom side of the strut tower in order to find the center.
Punch a mark in the center.
Drill a pilot hole through the bottom of the strut tower.
To avoid a real mess, don't follow the koni directions about placing a piece of tape over the hole to keep the oil inside from leaking out. Take the tower to an oil pan and drain the oil. To speed up the process, push the strut in and out, and squirt it out. This should take a few minutes to get most of it out. Then tape over the hole to make sure the rest of the oil doesn't drip out.
Next take your new koni strut and measure from the flat part of the yellow casing to small bumps on the side, roughly 44 mm down on my set. Use calipers if you have them. Write down the measurement as you will need it on the next step. Make sure you use this measurent and not the sugested measurement given by koni, as I found out it was slightly off. (you may not be able to see them in the picture. I measured to the center of the bumps. Make sure you measure correctly before you cut, or else the strut may rattle around inside the housing.)
Once again, put the strut tower in the vice grips, and use blue painters tape to mark the top of the strut tower. Using the measurment from the last step, subtract 7mm from it to get your new number. This is the ammount that needs to be cut off from the top of the strut tower. Draw your mark for the cut. (The koni directions are not very clear here. Make sure that you leave the black plastic dust cover on the housing during you measurment.)
We used a sawsall to cut the top of the strut tower off. You will need to roatate the tower around to keep from cutting to deep.
Last edited by TommyP; 05-17-2012 at 09:01 PM.
05-06-2007, 09:41 PM
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Koni front struts part 2
Once you cut all the way around, you will be able to pull the strut out from the housing. Drain the rest of the oil inside the housing.
File the new cut to clean up any burs, and make sure the inside of the tower is clean and smooth.
Then enlarge the pilot hole on the bottom of the strut housing to 14mm, or 9/16". Again, file it clean. Was out the housing to get out any metal shavings and the rest of the oil.
Place the rubber dust cover that koni provides over the cut end of the housing.
Put the new strut in the housing. It may not go down all the way at first because of the small lips on the side, that you measured to prior to cutting the stock strut. You can use a soft rubber hammer to "guide" the strut in, or you can let the bolt pull it down in the next step.
Install the lower bolt and the washers. As you tighten, the strut will be pulled down into the tube. The small tabs on the side of the strut will fill any gaps, and keep it from rattleing around. Torque the bolt to 55 lbs and slide the rubber dust cover over the gaps.
Install the provided washers and plastic covers prior to reinstalling the stock dust cover and bump stop.
Your koni strut is now installed in the housing. Reassemble the strut tower with your spring, making sure the marks line up. Follow the steps listed in Halfcent's post for reassembly, using the new nuts provided for the top of the strut tower. Torque to specs.
I was a bit affraid to go into this project, but I have to say, It was much easier then I expected. The entire install for the front and rear koni's and my eibach sportlines took about 4-5 hours with a long lunch break. I am sure we spent a good hour just trying to figure out the picture directions that koni sent me. It went really quick once we figured out what we were doing.
Hope this helps someone out!
File the new cut to clean up any burs, and make sure the inside of the tower is clean and smooth.
Then enlarge the pilot hole on the bottom of the strut housing to 14mm, or 9/16". Again, file it clean. Was out the housing to get out any metal shavings and the rest of the oil.
Place the rubber dust cover that koni provides over the cut end of the housing.
Put the new strut in the housing. It may not go down all the way at first because of the small lips on the side, that you measured to prior to cutting the stock strut. You can use a soft rubber hammer to "guide" the strut in, or you can let the bolt pull it down in the next step.
Install the lower bolt and the washers. As you tighten, the strut will be pulled down into the tube. The small tabs on the side of the strut will fill any gaps, and keep it from rattleing around. Torque the bolt to 55 lbs and slide the rubber dust cover over the gaps.
Install the provided washers and plastic covers prior to reinstalling the stock dust cover and bump stop.
Your koni strut is now installed in the housing. Reassemble the strut tower with your spring, making sure the marks line up. Follow the steps listed in Halfcent's post for reassembly, using the new nuts provided for the top of the strut tower. Torque to specs.
I was a bit affraid to go into this project, but I have to say, It was much easier then I expected. The entire install for the front and rear koni's and my eibach sportlines took about 4-5 hours with a long lunch break. I am sure we spent a good hour just trying to figure out the picture directions that koni sent me. It went really quick once we figured out what we were doing.
Hope this helps someone out!
Last edited by Halfcent; 05-06-2007 at 10:12 PM.
05-06-2007, 10:13 PM
#3
I'm old school
Excellent work! Everybody comments on my strap wrench! I wrote it for those that don't have access to pneumatic tools. Take the ugly sticker off the top of your strut hub.
05-06-2007, 11:21 PM
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Wow. I didnt even read just looked at the pics and could tell this isnt something Ill ever be able to tackle =/
Looks like a good how too though, hopefully someone comes up with a more plug and play type install
Looks like a good how too though, hopefully someone comes up with a more plug and play type install
05-07-2007, 01:42 PM
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that doesn't look bad at all. to everyone that is afraid, you really have no reason to be. if your really worried find a junk yard cobalt and use the struts from it.
If Bilstein doesn't come out with struts fairly soon i'll have to give this a shot.
If Bilstein doesn't come out with struts fairly soon i'll have to give this a shot.
05-08-2007, 02:59 AM
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It was really easy, and I have to say, one of the most trouble free mods I have done yet. Everything seemed to come together so perfectly, we only swore one time, and that was when we had trouble getting one of the bolts off before breaking out the air tools.
I got my allaignment done monday morning, and I cannot believe how well this car handles and how smooth the car is at highway speeds. There is no more side to side rocking when you go over bumps in the road. I have to cross at least one train track every day, and so far it has been pleasent. Low speed bumps are about the same as stock, but overall, the koni's are 5 times better. For now I have them at the factory settings which is probably best for my long commute, but I bet these things will be great on the track when adjusted.
I got my allaignment done monday morning, and I cannot believe how well this car handles and how smooth the car is at highway speeds. There is no more side to side rocking when you go over bumps in the road. I have to cross at least one train track every day, and so far it has been pleasent. Low speed bumps are about the same as stock, but overall, the koni's are 5 times better. For now I have them at the factory settings which is probably best for my long commute, but I bet these things will be great on the track when adjusted.
07-09-2007, 02:46 AM
#11
does anyone still have the koni directions? my strusts didnt come with any...which concerns me...
i really want a shop to install these...but would most shops know how? id assume they''d need the directions as well....
also...how do the rears vary from the fronts?
i really want a shop to install these...but would most shops know how? id assume they''d need the directions as well....
also...how do the rears vary from the fronts?
07-09-2007, 02:48 PM
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does anyone still have the koni directions? my strusts didnt come with any...which concerns me...
i really want a shop to install these...but would most shops know how? id assume they''d need the directions as well....
also...how do the rears vary from the fronts?
i really want a shop to install these...but would most shops know how? id assume they''d need the directions as well....
also...how do the rears vary from the fronts?
The rears are straight bolt on replacements. Should take you 10 mins per side.
If you have the tools to cut through the stock strut, do it yourself and save the money.
07-09-2007, 04:26 PM
#14
Shoot me a pm with your address. I will mail them to you. The koni directions are worthless (only pictures), but with the how to you should do fine. You can also download directions from koni which are better then the ones sent with the struts.
The rears are straight bolt on replacements. Should take you 10 mins per side.
If you have the tools to cut through the stock strut, do it yourself and save the money.
The rears are straight bolt on replacements. Should take you 10 mins per side.
If you have the tools to cut through the stock strut, do it yourself and save the money.
but thanks for helpin pm sent
07-09-2007, 09:44 PM
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Here is the link for the directions that show the same pictures, and actually give you a step by step guide.
http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/boltstrut.pdf
http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/boltstrut.pdf
07-09-2007, 11:03 PM
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I personally think coilovers are a waist of money for a daily driver. Great for track use if you have the ability to set your car up properly for any given track. Problem with most coilovers is that most people do not properly measure to the milimeter, to get the best benifit from the car, and the ride is generally much harsher then a basic suspension but gives greater handling ability. For a good set of coilovers, you will spend close to 1500.00 to 3,000.00. Replacement struts with a good quality spring gives a much needed improvement over stock for about 900.00, and the ride will not be as harsh on the road. For guys like me who drive 100+ miles a day, replacing a good (good = expensive) set of coilovers every 30,000 miles is not an option.
Depends on where you need the performance, on the track, or on the highway. The benifits of the new struts greatly outways the fact that I had to gut the housing.
07-30-2007, 09:08 PM
#19
yea they use factory mounts for the front.
and id like to add, i know several people autocrossing with koni's that use the same set year after year, while some others with full coil overs need to get them revalved at least every two years if not every year. the koni's may not offer the super stiff settings but theyre alot more rugged out of the box.
and id like to add, i know several people autocrossing with koni's that use the same set year after year, while some others with full coil overs need to get them revalved at least every two years if not every year. the koni's may not offer the super stiff settings but theyre alot more rugged out of the box.
04-08-2008, 12:16 PM
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Rebound Adjustment Procedures
Remove the shock absorber from the vehicle and hold it vertically with the lower eye or pin attached in a vise. Use clamp plates to prevent damage.
Fully collapse the shock absorber, at the same time turning the dust cap or piston rod slowly to the left (counterclockwise), until it is felt that the cams of the adjustment nut engage in the recesses of the foot valve assembly.
The damper may have already been adjusted. Therefore check whether the shock absorber is in the adjustment position or not by keeping it collapsed and gently turning it further to the left counting at the same time the half turns until a stop is felt. Stop turning then and do not use force.
Keeping the shock absorber collapsed, make 1 half turn (180 degrees) to the right (clockwise). In case of prior adjustment add the number of half the turns previously found. The total range is about 5 half turns.
Pull the shock absorber out vertically without turning for at least 1 cm to disengage the adjusting mechanism. The dust cap or piston rod may now be turned freely.
ADJUSTING DIRECTION
* Clockwise = Firmer
* Counter Clockwise = Softer
front:
http://www.koni-na.com/adjustment.cfm
also what settings are people running? i am thinking of just leaving it alone/"out of the box" settings until i feel it for a while.
