Koni Adjustment Stuck

[87e30]

So I got some koni yellows (used) and the adjuster at the top of the strut is stuck. I emailed Koni NA and they said they are most likely stuck, thus how I arrived at my conclusion. Koni said 50/50 chance that forcing them will work. If not they need to be rebuilt. (not sure if forcing them and failing means they can't be rebuilt.)

The feeling I get when twisting is pretty weird, there is moderate resistance and they just never click to the next setting. Just have resistance turning but don't seem to go to the next step. Almost like a really tight ruberband is holding it in place, once released the swing around to where they were. (rotates only like an 1/8th of a turn.)

Anyone had experience with this?

[87e30]

No one has had experience with this?

[1990m3]

my experience with adjustable koni's is that they do not click from one position to another. They simply turn smoothly and you have to count rotations to know how far you've gone

[87e30]

Hmmm. So that means mine are really stuck.

Mine won't spin at all, they feel like they should click over but never do. (similar feel to a TEIN adjustable coilover right before the click from adjustment to adjustment.)

Thanks for the input.

So has anyone had experience with Koni's becoming stuck and having to force them or have them rebuilt?

[deansbimmer]

If they were set full stiff or full soft they may be stick and be hard to turn when readjusting them. Grip the shaft with some pliers and gently turn to see if you can free it.

[87e30]

The struts are in the car so they are locked down. I have used an adjustable wrench to gently turn and they spin like 1/8th to 1/4 of a turn and get to a point where they just don't feel like they are going to move anymore without extra force.

They do the same in both directions so I'm guessing they are set somewhere in the middle.

[deansbimmer]

Well, The worst you could do if try to keep turning them...If you gotta send them back anyway... ask them and see how hard you can turn it before breaking it...

[87e30]

Yeah, well they ride pretty damn well. ONly at like 70mph on wavy freeway will the front oscilate slightly. So I'm not too worried, I was just going to play with it.

I was afraid if I broke it that the adjuster would be gone forever and rebuilding would then require some new parts.

I guess I'll just try to force it, if it breaks then I'm at the same place I am now.

[Hellabad]

The number one reason for Koni struts to be stuck is that someone forgot to put the bumpstop back on, and the car bottomed out and jammed the adjuster from the inside out.



You did not hear this from me.


You need to make your best guess whether the strut is full stiff or full soft (it won't get stuck in the middle).

Turn the OTHER strut full soft and see if left and right feel the same AFTER bumps on the freeway. Turn the other strut full STIFF and try again.

Make your best guess. Lets just say you think it is stuck at full soft.

Grab onto the nubbie with visegrips, and twist in the direction towards firm. Have the Koni knob that says "Firm" right in front of you so you don't get mixed up.

OK. Now have you ever seen a real good baseball player throw the ball from the outfield into the infield? Theres a little -snap- movement at the end of a smooth movement that gets the ball that extra 50 feet.

You need to do the same when you try to unstick the adjuster. If you break it off, no oil will leak out, so don't worry about that. But then you will have to get it rebuilt if you ever want to adjust it.

signed
anonymous guy

[87e30]

The number one reason for Koni struts to be stuck is that someone forgot to put the bumpstop back on, and the car bottomed out and jammed the adjuster from the inside out.



You did not hear this from me.


You need to make your best guess whether the strut is full stiff or full soft (it won't get stuck in the middle).

Turn the OTHER strut full soft and see if left and right feel the same AFTER bumps on the freeway. Turn the other strut full STIFF and try again.

Make your best guess. Lets just say you think it is stuck at full soft.

Grab onto the nubbie with visegrips, and twist in the direction towards firm. Have the Koni knob that says "Firm" right in front of you so you don't get mixed up.

OK. Now have you ever seen a real good baseball player throw the ball from the outfield into the infield? Theres a little -snap- movement at the end of a smooth movement that gets the ball that extra 50 feet.

You need to do the same when you try to unstick the adjuster. If you break it off, no oil will leak out, so don't worry about that. But then you will have to get it rebuilt if you ever want to adjust it.

signed
anonymous guy

Slight problem with this is that both the fronts are stuck. so I really don't know if they are on stiff or soft.

Would a 450lb front springs bounce with the koni's on full soft? I get slight oscilation on rough freeway but I wouldn't call it bouncy. And driving through town it never bounces. But I'd almost guess even on full soft I'd get this feeling. Maybe I'll just guess they are on soft and try to stiffen them.

I don't have a koni knob. Someone want to tell me which direction does what? Counterclockwise= ? clockwise=?

[gazellebeigem3]

[87e30]

Thanks, I suppose it makes sense that every koni adjusts the same direction. I just wanted to make sure I had the correct direction for the e30 fitment koni's!

[87e30]

Fuck. One side came loose and the other broke off. Great.