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Koni Shock/Strut & Epic Engineering Spring Install


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I did mine over the weekend too. Man what a wonderful difference. It's like a new car! And with the firmer suspension my 5eat feels 10X better without the bobbing and diving I was getting on the old shot stock suspension.

 

I've got 2 "oops" issues, and I don't know if I'll need to tear the rears apart to fix this.

 

1. I have an extra washer on the top of the inside of both rear shocks. After pulling the stock struts out I forgot the order the washer was in and made a bad guess. I put the stock washer that was on top of the top hat between the stock nut UNDER the tophat and then put the new koni nut and lock washer on top of the tophat. Does that make sense? Anyway I haven't noticed any noises yet, but is this potentially an issue? I have tons of thread left up top, so that's not an issue, but have I reduced my travel? Or just raised my car 1/16 of an inch in back? If I raised it a little bit I could care less, if anything I'm happy to gain any ground clearance I can.

 

2. I didn't double check my left rear spring after I loosened the compressors and the bottom of the spring is now sitting 1/2" away from where it should sit on the perch. What are the risks of leaving it like this and will it find it's way to the right place or should I try to compress it on the car and rotate it a little bit?

 

Other than that, thanks to this thread, install was very smooth and I didn't spend a lot of time cussing or kicking things.

 

Pipe cutter was definitely worth the 22 bucks to me. Since the cut doesn't have to be perfectly straight, a hacksaw or saws all would do the job just fine, but it's nice to look at it and say "man that's a clean cut."

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that's nuts!

 

I used to be the human spring compressor in our early years.

 

-Paisan

 

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg%5Dhttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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A bit scary. I too have been a human spring compressor. I also got my pinkies caught between a coil spring and a compressor before (my first solo sprig swap when I was 14). Broke both fingers and they still look it. Lol.
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A bit scary. I too have been a human spring compressor. I also got my pinkies caught between a coil spring and a compressor before (my first solo sprig swap when I was 14). Broke both fingers and they still look it. Lol.

 

Haaa. Now we have a wall mounted one that is super safe. No more ghetto rigging it on those things. It can be real dangerous.

 

-mike

 

Ps: did you get my email?

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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  • 2 weeks later...

ok - i think i may have messed this one up.

 

used the brasscraft pipe cutter as per m sprank's suggestion. makes a great cut, but i ended up cutting off too much on one of the housings, maybe both.

 

so on one housing, the nubs on the insert hit the top of the housing and then it looks like there's about 3 or 4mm before it would bottom out. i think this one will be ok.

 

on the other housing, however, the insert bottoms out just before the nubs touch the top of the housing. so even if i secure this with the bolt, the nubs are not in contact with the housing. there is a very small amount of play side to side (1/2mm).

 

i'm wondering if i can shim this somehow, or if i need to just start over with a new donor housing. advice would be much appreciated.

 

edit: by 'shim', i was thinking of wrapping the insert with some foil tape so it would be snug. this might be a stupid idea. let me know...

Edited by waxon_waxoff
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Time for a new donor strut housing. I have seen attempted "shims" before and they were an epic fail.

 

yup, had a feeling.

 

already have a local ad up for another set of struts.

 

even if i could shim it, and it worked, i wouldn't feel right about it.

 

thanks for the input. and thanks for the pipe cutter tip, that and a little wd40 made the cuts super easy. i just didn't pay enough attention to what i was doing :(

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Ok cool. Why aren't you out enjoying the day man!

 

Been chasing an electrical gremlin in the Buell all day. Second Sunday in a row. Might have a bad ECM. :mad:

 

That and book keeping. :spin:

 

Wife went to the beach. She is camping over night. I am working at the shop tomorrow.

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ok - i think i may have messed this one up.

 

used the brasscraft pipe cutter as per m sprank's suggestion. makes a great cut, but i ended up cutting off too much on one of the housings, maybe both.

 

so on one housing, the nubs on the insert hit the top of the housing and then it looks like there's about 3 or 4mm before it would bottom out. i think this one will be ok.

 

on the other housing, however, the insert bottoms out just before the nubs touch the top of the housing. so even if i secure this with the bolt, the nubs are not in contact with the housing. there is a very small amount of play side to side (1/2mm).

 

i'm wondering if i can shim this somehow, or if i need to just start over with a new donor housing. advice would be much appreciated.

 

edit: by 'shim', i was thinking of wrapping the insert with some foil tape so it would be snug. this might be a stupid idea. let me know...

 

 

If you can't find a junk yard set, you could get some gr-2's off tire rack.

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Been chasing an electrical gremlin in the Buell all day. Second Sunday in a row. Might have a bad ECM. :mad:

 

That and book keeping. :spin:

 

Wife went to the beach. She is camping over night. I am working at the shop tomorrow.

 

Bummer. You should rest one day!

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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I have this insane fear that if I stop, everything will stop. I cut it sooo close every month I just dont feel like I can let go yet. 4pm and I might call it a day an hour early today.

 

Felt good to be down at NJMP racing and doing race stuff this weekend and relaxing today. Also made a contact to get back into a legacy. A very special one at that. ;)

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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Do tell.

 

Let us just say, it isn't street legal... :)

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: paisan@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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Sounds like more racing for Mike. Maybe getting to drive (race) a car he does not own?

 

I don't own it yet. Need to sell my caddy first.

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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