how do you adjust Koni's?

[chopthebass]

I have dry fit my body but ride height is clearly too low. How do you adjust the Koni's? I have removed the set screw from the adjuster ring, but when you turn the adjuster the whole black threaded part turns with it. Same both sides of car. I am doing this with the car on jack stands and wheel removed. What's the trick?

[NukeMMC]

Take tension off the suspension. If the car is on jackstands, make sure the jackstands support the frame, not the front control arms or rear axle (control arms if IRS).

First, did you remove the black cap from the end of the shock body, depress the small button you just uncovered and back the shock rebound damping all the way off?

Next, use a pair of rubber gloves to grip the threaded shock tube and twist the adjustment cap the desired amount. For that matter, it may be easier to hold the adjustment nut and twist the threaded tube. Whatever works best for you. If you try to hold the shock tube with any kind of slipjoint pliers or such, use a leather belt to prevent marring/thread damage.

[David Hodgkins]

I have dry fit my body but ride height is clearly too low. How do you adjust the Koni's? I have removed the set screw from the adjuster ring, but when you turn the adjuster the whole black threaded part turns with it. Same both sides of car. I am doing this with the car on jack stands and wheel removed. What's the trick?

Put the set screw back in. Raise the car to release tension on the trim ring that goes around the shock and holds the top of the spring. Spin the trim ring downward. Lower the car again, Check ride height. Repeat.

It's best to have corner weights when setting ride height. When lowering the car, I like to make sure the springs are centered around the upper trim ring before fully lowering so the spring doesn't set with a loud bang. With experience you'll know what I mean!

After the ride height is set you can tighten the top-most trim ring to "lock" the upper trim ring in place.

HTH,

:)

[billjr212]

As Bruce mentioned, I've had good luck holding the black threaded part still with a rubber strap wrench similar to this while turning the spring perch.

http://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W54059-2-Piece-Wrench/dp/B003UDS83U/

[Jeff Kleiner]

I'll go counter to Bruce & David and say remove the set screws...and throw them away! When you tighten them they booger up the soft aluminum threads in the tube making it difficult to turn the adjuster ring (sound familiar?). With spring tension on the ring it does not turn. I've built more than a couple of 'em, done this on all and have yet to have one move.

Although I think your question related to adjusting ride height Bruce touched on adjusting the rebound damping. I've found that when shipped from Koni the shock adjustment can be random and suggest that you check it if you have not done so. Here is the process:

With the shock off of the car and spring removed pry the black cap off of the shock body (it has two pins that press into the body). With the cap removed you will see a little metal button about 1/4" diameter with a rounded top. Push this down while twisting the shaft of the shock (you may have to give the shaft a bit of a wiggle while pushing the button to get it to fully depress). As you twist the shaft while holding the button down you should feel it click into 4 detents. Turning the shaft fully counterclockwise is the softest rebound setting and fully clockwise is the firmest rebound. With the factory FFR springs I recommend going to the softest setting in front and one click up from softest with a 3 or 4 link rear (full soft in back is a little "bouncy" in my opinion). After you have them set to the detent desired release the button (it should pop back up, if not give the shaft a little back and forth until it does). Push the plastic cap back into place, reinstall the spring and you're done.

Hope that helps!

Jeff

[chopthebass]

Thanks everyone. I have some stuff to try now. To a point I was able to hold the threaded shaft and turn the adjuster perch, but then I couldnt turn anymore, and became difficult to physically get a good grip with the UCAs in the way. I will definitely set the rebound as Jeff suggested. At least I can make sure both sides are set the same.

[CraigS]

I agree w/ Jeff. Throw the set screws away. A friend has them in his still in building stage. He tightened them a bit, and then we tried to move them later, you guessed it, boogered (technical term) threads. We cleaned them up w/ a tiny file and pitched the setscrews. A tip on ride height. Corner weighting is the optimum, but not many can do that. Also it's not cheap to have done so...trust FFR. They built a good chassis. So, in lieu of corner weighting go w/ geometry. By that I mean, look at how many threads are countable above the adjuster rings. Make the left equal the right. The fronts will, most likely, be different from the rears but the lefts should equal the rights.

[Crawleyscobra]

What I did to keep the black threaded tubes from turning was to use penetrating lock-tight. As I built the suspension I injected it around the top of the sleeves and let it dry (a couple of times for each sleeve).
In regards to the set screws, mine have a green, "pad" on the bottom of the set screw so it does not damage the black tube threads.
I adjust my ride height by jacking the car up and using an adjustable coil spring wrench.

[Mark Reynolds]

Loctite 290 is the wicking grade and can be used to attach the adjuster tube to the shock body. http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=209
With the Breeze coil-over shocks the adjuster tube IS the shock body. (and damping is adjusted in seconds not hours via the external knob(s)) http://www.breezeautomotive.com/search.php?search=shocks