dulslo666

Where to start? Only 1 of the bottom bolts would thread into the konis, the other 3 would jam about half way into the nut welded to the damper. Of course I didn't discover this when I started the install because I didn't have a spare bolt to test it...

I did the fronts first. The front passenger side install was perfect. I ran into the first problem installing the drivers side. The bolt would seize up about half way into the nut. I had to finish so I cut the nut that was welded onto the Koni bracket off and the stock nut off. I used the stock nut to finish the install but it's not welded to the bracket. Will this be okay? I was able to torque it all the way down but had to use a wrench to stop the nut from spinning. After I hit the required torque I tightened it a little more without holding the nut to see if it would spin and it did. Is this okay or is it going to come loose? Can I have a shop tack weld it into place with it still on the car or take another course of action?


Before starting the rears, I purchased new bolts and took the Koni's to a machine shop to see if they could figure out why the bolts wouldn't thread all the way into the nuts. In their opinion, the weld on the nut was so thick the heat caused it to warp. Their plan to fix it was to use a tap and die to see if they could correct the threads. This seemed to worked and I could get the bolts in so then I attempted the rears. The passenger side installed just fine. The drivers side almost torqued all the way down but there wasn't enough threads and the threads ripped out of the nut. The bolt sticks out far enough I could get another nut onto it. Is there an OEM nut I can order to put on here? Or should I pull it all apart again and cut this nut off too and start over? On this same corner I also couldn't get the top hat nut to torque to 22 ft lbs. The center shaft would start spinning. I'm not sure how to use a torque wrench and get something onto the center shaft to stop it from spinning? Why didn't the other 3 spin, could this be defective? What should I do?

Please help

tl;dr

Both passenger sides are installed and everything is fine.

Front drivers side is installed but has a nut holding the bottom bolt in but the nut isn't welded to the bracket.

Rear drivers side is installed but the nut welded to the bracket has all the threads stripped out. There is enough bolt sticking out that I can get another nut onto it. Is there a part number for a nut that will work for this or should I just cut the one of the stock shock. I also cannot get the nut on the top hat torqued to 22 ft lbs without the center shaft spinning and I have no way of holding the shaft while using a torque wrench.

S2Kage

uhh... prolly would have been better off using a tap and die set and re threading it. Mine went in no problem, are you sure your bolt is perfectly straight and not getting caught up while you put it in? Put a lock washer on it then screw the nut on.

go buy a tap an die and rethread the bad ones.

edspecR

the koni bottom bolts are not the same thread pattern as the stock bolts. you need to go out there and buy new ones.

your front passenger side just got re-threaded =\ . ouch.

edspecR

btw, you'll need 12mm diameter and 1.25 pitch... but dont quote me on that!!! all i know is that its 12mm for sure and i forget if the stock one was 1.25 or the koni ones were 1.25. i literally walked into hardware stores with a shock in my hand to try on a buncha different bolts. lemme know if you find out cuz im still dying to know. good luck.

edspecR

also, 22 ft lbs is actually very light. you dont need to worry bout the torque wrench, just preload the spring, and use 2 crescent wrenches to hand tighten.

dulslo666

Are you sure about that? I was able to hand tighten the bolts into the front passenger side, wouldn't think that could happen with the wrong thread type. Plus I could get them through most of the way if I went from the outside of the nut, but coming through the bracket was harder because the nut didn't line up perfectly...


If this is true, the Koni's are an even bigger pile of shit than I thought...

dulslo666

Stock is indeed 1.25 pitch. Which makes it kind of odd because I believe most metric bolts you find in that size are actually 1.5 pitch.

This is the first I heard about the nuts in the rear being incorrect.

The instructions that come with the shocks look like cave men drawings who haven't discovered writing yet...

edspecR

thanks. then you'll need 12x1.5 bolts for the bottom. koni's arent a pile a shit, they just come with a few bits you need to change out. ive had koni's in my last 2 cars, very happy with them, you will be too . if you run a search, there are quite a few posts out there stating that the bottom bolts are not the same, i was able to get the correct ones before i put the shocks in the car. lemme know if you need any other help good luck

littlerocket777

I woulda returned them for some new ones!