[Shotimes] Update on Koni in Tokico rear housing

[Leigh Smith]

Zach;
Having recently done a Koni install:
If they fit snug in the housings then the I.D. of the Tokiko housing is
good.
It will take a bolt to draw them in, they are very snug due to the raised
"bumps", which stop any rattle.
The yellow Koni part should sit maybe 1/2 in higher than the top of the cut
housing after seating. Just make sure the "bumps" go inside. I would not
grind off the bumps unless you are absolutely sure it is necessary 'cause
the diameter is too tight. Try drawing them down first. They are a very
tight force-fit. Was there a little metal spacer that came with your Konis?
That fits in the into a stock Ford strut where you cut it. How that fits on
your Tokiko will give a good idea of any I.D. difference, if any. The rubber
piece goes on external, its a water seal.
If the Tokikos are "long" you must use some sort of spacer at the bottom, as
you need to keep that bottom bolt tight to prevent rattles or clunks on
bumps, or worse.
Don't sweat the ride height stuff except as mentioned above. The ride height
is not determined by the Konis at all, regsrdless of how you put them into
the housing. It is all determined by the spring, which will compress about
6.5 inches at 155 lb/in until it is holding the 1000 lb front corner of the
car. Nothing you are doing with the Konis will have any impact on that, as
you are not changing the position of either the bottom or top spring seat.
What you could do is put the piston in the Koni housing in a slightly
different spot "at rest" . But you are probably not going to alter that
enough to worry about.
Sounds like you already determined that the critical measurement, the
housing I.D., is acceptable.
Lee


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zach Leahy" <leahyz@gmail.com>
To: "Sholist" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 1:08 PM
Subject: [Shotimes] Update on Koni in Tokico rear housing


> I have been busy lately, but got to working on the Koni in the rear Tokico
> housing install some more last night.
>
> Background:  Fitting Koni rear inserts (shorter version) into Tokico rear
> housings.  Old Tokico's exploded oil everywhere.  car has and will retain
> eibach springs.
>
> I had a very hard time removing the screwed in retainers that held the
> tokico cartridges in places, and eventually took a rotary cutter and
sliced
> the top 1/4" off the housing and slid the cartridge out.  They are
threaded,
> but mine just would not budge even with significant heating.
>
> So I got the cartridge out with the housing cut back about 1/4" and then
> took them back to my house (had to cut the stuff at my brothers a few
miles
> away).  I dropped the Koni cartridge into the Tokico housing and found
that
> it was close, but needs some more modification.  The top of the Koni sits
> about 1" out of the top of the housing, as it has some little catches that
> are designed to an OEM housing.  If you look at the bottom though, it is
> about 1 1/2 to 2" from the bottom of the housing.  Comparing the two
> inserts, the Tokico is slightly longer than the Koni.
>
> The plan now is to measure on an unmodified Tokico the length from the
> spring perch to its max extension at the seat for the nut.  Then modify
the
> housing to match that.  Any remaining gap in the bottom will be filled in
by
> an section of heavy aluminum tube.  Since the overall height of the spring
> from the perch determines the amount of travel available, I am trying to
> match that up as best as possible.  If the height of the strut is too
long,
> the spring will be loose and possible pop out of f it's seat.  If it is
too
> short you loose some of the characteristics of a progressive rate spring,
> the rear would be firmer since the spring is already preloaded to a higher
> degree.
>
> I will look closer at it tonight, I may have to grind off the little
catches
> on the Koni insert but would like to avoid that as it would likely void
any
> warranty on them.  They are just a little bubble in the outer housing that
> acts as a seat.  Also, the rubber rings provided on the Koni's will not
fit
> in the housings, but the top of the strut is tight.  If you draw them down
a
> bit with the bolt then it will make a very nice and snug fit on the top so
> there will be no radial play at all.  I suspect there is a slight taper on
> the Koni inserts just for this reason.  I will investigate.
>
> When all is finished, I will measure the total mount to mount length on an
> assembled Tokico and then replicate that on the Koni setup as you will
> likely need to adjust how deep into the spindle the Koni sits, which will
> change the ride height.
>
> More on this as the story develops.
>
> Z
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