konis not fitting???

[Switch]

got some front koni ajdustables, trying to put them in, but having nightmare, i noticed with old shock, u have to unscrew that little "cap" before you can pull that shock insert out of the strut, well
i pull old shock insert out, and put new koni insert in, then try to screw on little "cap", cap will not fit over the insert enough to catch the threads in the strut housing, wtf does this mean, can i not use the screw on cap? did tirerack send me the wrong insert? what happen??

[Switch]

UPDATE< i bought the car with bilstein shocks in it, well my front shocks ARE FRIED!, but one thing i noticed, is the bilstein shock insert, is alot thinner then the new koni shock, the only way the bilstein shock keeps from banging around in the strut housing is because of that screw on retainer.... but the koni fits very snug, but the screw on retainer will not fit over it.... grrrr... anyway with konis ever run into this type of prob?

[KenC]

Sounds like you may have had 45mm Bilsteins in your 51mm strut housings. The retainer ring at the top is for the Bilsteins. You most likely need a Koni one for the Konis.

[nando]

your konis should have come with new retainer rings..

[NickP]

If you had 45mm Bilsteins in your 51mm struts check to see if you have a spacer / centering ring at the bottom of your strut.

[Switch]

konis did NOT come with anything that even looked liked the reatainer rings that were in there... i got some washers, new locknuts,,,,, these 2 inch diameter white plastic things (washers?) and thats bout it.... i guess i should call tirerack to get them... omg, last night was a nightmare, i was at my girls house, and i HAD to come home last night, i had the strut and EVEYTHing dismantled, trying to get my new nice konis to stay in the strut, putting my blown bilsteins back in was a last resort, i even got desperate and tried to force the retainer cap on there, all it would do is crossthread about 3 thread,,, at an angle...

this was a very stupid and dangerous thing i did, i was under the fender holding the strut with my girl on top guiding the strumouts when the reatiner poped off.. scared the F8Cking shit out of me, spring blew off, whole sutr (rotor) slammed on the ground an inch from... inbetween my legs *cough* (thanks God again) and spring pulled insert out and hit the top of fender.... luckly no one was hurt, and there was no damage to my car or anything else...... but yeppers..

wow, i'm tired, i talk alot when i tired. sry...
ANYWAY, i think you are right, the bilsteins do look like 45ml, the konis fit the strut housing perfectly (no room to jiggle), i call tire rack today

[KenC]

You need to put down the tools and take it to a shop...

...seriously.

[schnitzer teil-jäger]

everyone please note: if this poster does not post any further experiences it is due to self inflicted mortal wounds.


please please. return the the starting blocks.....



wes