Koni Yellow adjustment question
#1
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Koni Yellow adjustment question
I purchased my Koni yellows used from another member, so I don't really have an instruction sheet. I'm looking on the Koni website, and their instructions are pretty generalized. I've searched on this forum, but I can't find exact instructions.
Let's start with the rear. Rear was pretty well explained on this forum. Secure the shock body, compress the rod, turn and listen for the clicks. Can someone confirm this for me?
Now, the fronts - I know the fronts are much easier to adjust than the rear. I know we can use that little key thing. What I don't know is where the hell the adjustment button is, or do we even have that button? I can turn the rod over and over, and I hear no clicking. Can someone point it out for me?
Thanks a lot, guys!
Let's start with the rear. Rear was pretty well explained on this forum. Secure the shock body, compress the rod, turn and listen for the clicks. Can someone confirm this for me?
Now, the fronts - I know the fronts are much easier to adjust than the rear. I know we can use that little key thing. What I don't know is where the hell the adjustment button is, or do we even have that button? I can turn the rod over and over, and I hear no clicking. Can someone point it out for me?
Thanks a lot, guys!
Last edited by JinDesu; 03-03-2010 at 10:31 PM.
#2
TNC
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I purchased my Koni yellows used from another member, so I don't really have an instruction sheet. I'm looking on the Koni website, and their instructions are pretty generalized. I've searched on this forum, but I can't find exact instructions.
Let's start with the rear. Rear was pretty well explained on this forum. Secure the shock body, compress the rod, turn and listen for the clicks. Can someone confirm this for me?
Now, the fronts - I know the fronts are much easier to adjust than the front. I know we can use that little key thing. What I don't know is where the hell the adjustment button is, or do we even have that button? I can turn the rod over and over, and I hear no clicking. Can someone point it out for me?
Thanks a lot, guys!
Let's start with the rear. Rear was pretty well explained on this forum. Secure the shock body, compress the rod, turn and listen for the clicks. Can someone confirm this for me?
Now, the fronts - I know the fronts are much easier to adjust than the front. I know we can use that little key thing. What I don't know is where the hell the adjustment button is, or do we even have that button? I can turn the rod over and over, and I hear no clicking. Can someone point it out for me?
Thanks a lot, guys!
#4
Former Sponsor
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Konis are know for being "infinitely" adjustable, for the ones that you do not need to compress.
You should be able to do 2 full turns on the **** one way or another, in both directions, there are no clicks. I would go half way and adjust from there per driving desire.
Hope that helps
-Adam
You should be able to do 2 full turns on the **** one way or another, in both directions, there are no clicks. I would go half way and adjust from there per driving desire.
Hope that helps
-Adam
#6
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Adam, thanks for the response. Now, here is the reason why I ask -
The front ones, I keep turning them in either direction and there is no stop. They can keep turning indefinitely (I've turned one over 10 times), or at least until I got bored and frustrated. Is that supposed to happen? That is exactly why I wonder if there was an adjustment button.
I guess what I am saying is - how do I adjust until I find the stop? Is it as simple as just turning the rod? If I can keep turning it, does that mean it's broken? I appreciate the answer, thanks!
The front ones, I keep turning them in either direction and there is no stop. They can keep turning indefinitely (I've turned one over 10 times), or at least until I got bored and frustrated. Is that supposed to happen? That is exactly why I wonder if there was an adjustment button.
I guess what I am saying is - how do I adjust until I find the stop? Is it as simple as just turning the rod? If I can keep turning it, does that mean it's broken? I appreciate the answer, thanks!
#7
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I had the same problem when I installed Konis on another car. Before I put them on the car I was playing with them in the living room and had the same experience. You have to install them first or hold the shaft somehow (carefully without damaging the finish, like using the double nuts) and then turn the ****. The **** is connected to a slender shaft than runs down the middle of the main shock shaft which is held still when its installed.
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jim - thank you for the response. Can you clarify what you mean by "hold the shaft somehow"? What I mean is, I held the shock body between my legs (of steel, mind you) and turned the rod. I did not notice anything else turning besides the rod itself. I don't mind installing it and then adjusting (assuming it works for me), but it'd be great if I can set the rebound before I put it on the car. I'll try to throw up a quick picture to clarify..
#9
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Well I haven't actually held the RX8 Koni but its probably similar to the one I had on an Acura. There is the yellow shock body, then there is the damper shaft with the polished finish on the shaft that slides up and down inside the shock body. Its the polished shaft that needs to be held firmly, be careful not to scratch the finish. The adjuster is a long slender rod that sticks up out of the center of the damper shaft. The adjuster will turn the shaft inside the shock body if it isn't held still, if you hold the shaft still the adjuster will turn inside the shaft and will hit a stop after a couple of turns.
#10
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When I had the problem I brought one into work and my graphics guy who is into mustangs set me straight. I was like "well Duhhh". I didn't realize, and my bad eyes couldn't see it in my dark living room, that the little nub the **** sits on is the top of a rotating rod within the shock shaft and of course the shock shaft will be firmly attached to the fender well and won't rotate.
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Oooo, polished shaft? Man, I'll take a look when I get home, I didn't check for something else rotating (well, I just had a cursory look at the thing while I was turning the rod).
I'm attaching an image of the shocks - can you point out where you saw the rotating shaft on yours?
I'm attaching an image of the shocks - can you point out where you saw the rotating shaft on yours?
#12
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What you don't (and I didn't either) realize is that the adjuster is a shaft inside a shaft. The **** sits on top of the adjuster rod which is a slender rod like a 10-penny nail that goes inside of the hollow larger polished shaft (about the diameter of your finger). If you only hold the shock body when you turn the adjuster you also turn the main damper shaft which would be bolted to the car body and won't turn once its installed. The only safe way to get a good enough grip on the polished shaft is to either install it or put double nuts on the threaded top and hold the tightened nuts with a wrench then turn the adjuster **** while holding the shaft still. All this applies only to the Konis with an adjustment ****.
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Gotcha - so the little flat piece that I stick the key into, that is the adjusting rod. That rod is inside the polished shaft (the threaded bit). By turning just the key, I turn the whole assembly. So I must hold the threads (via the nut or installation), and then turn the key.
Thank you very much for the response, I have never seen these instructions anywhere else lol.
Thank you very much for the response, I have never seen these instructions anywhere else lol.
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@Rev, I'm glad I put this thread up lol.. I couldn't find this information anywhere else (and I'm not that bad at searching). That rear shocks scared me, I didn't know how far to compress - one of the threads said "compress it all the way" so I did so. I didn't try adjusting it at full compression yet though, because I was losing grip on the rod at that point.
Does the rear rod return really slowly? I've never played with shocks before, so I'm just curious.
#18
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LOL... I have Koni Yellow's and I figured that problem pretty fast, it was a tad confusing but I had help getting them installed. It took me longer to figure out how to adjust the rears. It's pretty easy as long as you have an Allen wrench just compress the shock and press down and you should feel a click when you are down all the way I believe.
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There were a lot more references on this forum to adjusting the rear, so that was alright. I'll try the allen key method; I was using my hands to compress it down all the way and it started hurting a bit lol.
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I've looked elsewhere on the forum, and almost every reference say the Koni Yellows will drop up to an additional 0.5" all around on most springs. I had installed my MS springs, and those guys are rated at 0.7" all around, but my car is sitting lower than it should be. I'm attributing that to the Koni Yellows.
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ouch, what springs did you use? im on stock tires and rim size, and my rears are just a quarter of an inch from the fender lol..
*edit*
Oh, and just an FYI for everyone who may read this thread in the future regarding the Koni Yellows.... I HIGHLY suggest setting the rears to half a turn up from soft if you live in a pot-hole-y area. I have mine set one full turn, and it's on the border of jarring when I hit potholes.
*edit*
Oh, and just an FYI for everyone who may read this thread in the future regarding the Koni Yellows.... I HIGHLY suggest setting the rears to half a turn up from soft if you live in a pot-hole-y area. I have mine set one full turn, and it's on the border of jarring when I hit potholes.
Last edited by JinDesu; 04-20-2010 at 09:43 PM.