Koni Inserts Build Thread

[livelyjay]

I'm finally continuing some research I've been piecing together for almost four years now. Instead of mucking up my suspension thread any farther, I'm going to post everything on the build here.

Objective:
Suspension inserts for the MSP which are SCCA stock class legal

Parts:
Koni 1st gen 626 yellow inserts, care of Gavin Leslie

Roadblocks:
1 - Rear MSP strut housings have a clearance divot which prevents inserts from sliding in
2 - The strut inserts have tabs at the top, which aren't narrow enough to get into the strut tube. Grind them down until the inserts slide all the way in.
* Note: In my pictures, the tubes are actually sitting on a lip inside the tube. They sit much lower after I ground down the tabs

Procedure:
1. Disassemble struts (compress springs, remove hat, remove spring, bellow, bump stop, etc)
2. Drill a hole in the bottom of the strut to relieve pressure, drain oil into bucket
3. Chisel the cap off of the top of the strut body
4. Using a pipe cutter, dremel, die grinder, hack saw (whatever) ... cut off the top of the strut
5. Dump remaining oil into bucket, put internals aside
6. Widen drilled hole in bottom of tube so the bolts will fit through
* This will also help you gauge the length of spacer you'll need later

Fronts:
7. Test fit the insert
7a. If there is resistance, use a metal file and grind down any weld flashing from factory
7b. Repeat until insert slides in smoothly

Rears:
7. Use a marker and outline the clearance divot
7a. Use a die grinder and cut out the divot
7b. Test fit the insert, cut/file down material until it slides in smoothly
7c. Cut a patch for the "window" from a spare strut tube
7d. Weld the patch over the window, be careful around the spring perch so that it does not weaken

8. Test fit the inserts, measuring from the bottom how much space there is from the bottom of insert to bottom of tube
* Mine measured about 1"
9. Measure the length of the bolt mount on the bottom of the insert
* Mine measured just shy of 1"
10. Go to Lowe's and buy a 1" diameter iron coupler from the gas line section (don't use brass, it's too soft)
* Buy them in the lengths needed for front and rear. I bought 2" for the fronts and guessed I needed the same for the rears

 

[livelyjay]

Koni insert in FRONT MSP strut body
The inserts will sit lower that in this picture. Will update photos soon

Clearance divot on rear strut body

Koni insert in REAR MSP strut body
The inserts will sit lower that in this picture. Will update photos soon

Koni inserts installed with 1"x2" spacer, ~ 1/8" taller than stock
Rear on left with patch panel welded, Front on the right

 

[livelyjay]

Reserved 2

 

[livelyjay]

Reserved 3

 

[MadManMotors]

Any impressions? - I need new shocks too, this looks like a nice option. I've done a fair amount of road racing in other cars, I can leave the extreme stuff there but something reasonable in the MSP like SA Konis with stock springs would be nice - comfortable, won't cause the little lady to complain, but also won't make me feel like stabbing myself either. And I need to get out and autocross more.

Are you planning on welding a plate back over the hole, or do you think it will be stiff enough that way?

 

[livelyjay]

I haven't finished the inserts yet, and they won't be going into the car until April. I just sent the rear tubes and patches to a friend who has a guy at his job that welds. I'll be getting them back today. When I get them back I will snap some more pictures of the assembly now that I have the spacers purchased and realized the inserts weren't sitting as far down as they should.

The issue you will run into is these Koni inserts aren't available for purchase anymore. According to my information source the only inserts you can buy are the 2nd gen Mazda 626 Euro Spec inserts, which can only be purchased in Holland (through distributors like shox.com) and there is a huge lead time on delivery, like 6-8 weeks. I have contacted performance shops and no one seems to be very helpful in trying to find alternative inserts. I'm positive there is a Bilstein and Koni off-the-shelf inserts that would drop right in, the problem is finding it or finding someone that can help.

 

[moxnix]

Looking good. Subscribes for if I decide to do these later.

Looking at the pictures are you going to lose tire/rim clearance on the inside with cutting out the divot?

 

[livelyjay]

It's like less than 1/8" in depth, not sure it will make much difference since I'm running a lower offset and just barely wider tires.

 

[livelyjay]

New picture in original post of the struts as they sit right now. I'll be cutting the tubes down so they are about 1/4" above the nubs on the inserts. Save a few grams of weight. I need to buy longer bolts to account for the spacers, but only two since Gavin provided me with two long ones already. The next hurdle will be the upper strut mounts, since the holes are too small to fit over the threads on the Konis.

 

[moxnix]

On the miata I had to drill out the strut mounts to install koni's. A Unibit makes it quick and easy as long as you don't have to drill to deep.

 

[gavin_leslie]

2 - The strut inserts have tabs at the top, which aren't narrow enough to get into the strut tube. Grind them down until the inserts slide all the way in.

Ack...those tabs are supposed to be there. They are designed to compress a bit when the strut is pulled into the strut body. They are there so the insert is a "compression fit" to the new donor strut body.


To follow up with livelyjay regarding availability...yeah, itll be pretty hard to find another set of 88-92 MX6/626 yellows. The set that I got was 5 years of searching...and even then it was a friend in the Netherlands who knew of my searches to point me to a Dutch "pennytrader/craigslist" posting of a warehouse that was liquidating old stock. The date code on the NOS struts was from 1992 :s

The next best, in terms of length and fitment would be the Koni Reds for the 88-92 MX6/626..of course they arent externally adjustable and while they are miles ahead of stuff like illuminas, they are valved lighter than yellows, so that means a revalve to deal with stock class valving trickery shenannigans.

Might wanna move fast on the Reds though. Koni is phasing them out. They have had them available for a loooong while and probably sold 5 sets in 10yrs...if that many (lets just say the MX6 community isnt that swift on whats available to them...sigh)

Speaking about strut mounts...moxnix has it right.

13.5C. To facilitate the installation of commonly available aftermarket shock absorbers, struts, or strut inserts whose shaft size is larger than the center hole of an upper shock mount assembly, that hole may be enlarged by the minimum necessary to accommodate the shock shaft size, provided the following restrictions are met:
(1) the enlarged hole must remain concentric with the original configuration;
(2) the enlargement of the hole does not require modifi cation of a bearing (as opposed to a washer, sleeve, or plate);
(3) neither the hole enlargement nor the location of the shock shaft changes any alignment parameter. Provided these constraints are met, this permits enlarging of the center hole in an upper shock mount with an integrated rubber bushing, where the bushing is integral to the mount and bonded to the plate and the mount is provided by the OEM as an assembly. This includes drilling out and/or removal of the metal sleeve.

You are good to go with the upper strut mounts.

Gavin

 

[livelyjay]

I didn't grind them flush, just slightly so the inserts would actually go into the tube. I plan on using some silicone and duct tape to get the fit to be nice and snug, and still be able to get the inserts out if I need to. I knew I was good to go with the upper mounts, since moxnix and I have had this discussion many times before regarding the rules.

 

[chiketkd]

Any more progress with the koni inserts Jason?

 

[livelyjay]

I've been hit with the lazy bug. It doesn't help that it's way too cold out, my friend borrowed my propane heater and hasn't returned it, and with the spare car in the garage I have no room to do work. Winter suX!


Here's what I'll do. I'll bring all my crap into the basement and get a handle on what I need to do. Make the list, and take things one problem at a time. I'll get this done in the next few days as it doesn't take much motivation to do. From what I remember, the main obstacle is the top hats, which need to be bored out to fit the wider diameter threaded section.

 

[chiketkd]

Cool. Looking forward to more pics and seeing the koni insert install completed.

I'm co-driving with moxnix in GS this year, but I'm also planning to purchase a MSP or MP3 of my own later this year as a daily driver. Can you post/pm the dimensions of the koni inserts that worked? I have an inside contact at Bilstein USA and I want to see if they have any inserts that might work.

 

[livelyjay]

Unfortunately motivation and remembering to do something are not correlated. This was a busy weekend, including my friend with a Protege ES changing out his power steering pump in my garage. I'll try and get everything gathered up tonight.

 

[HighSpeed]

Thread is back from the dead I see. I was wondering if you ditched it altogether. Curious to see how it turns out.

 

[livelyjay]

I got hit in the face with a nasty bacterial infection and I've been trying to fight it off for almost two weeks now. So I've had little motivation to do anything but sit on my a$$. This weekend I have NOTHING going on though, so I'll gather everything up and take some pictures. I might even get some drill bits together and head over to grandpas place since he has a drill press.

Moxnix, unfortunately the rear top hats are 3/4" tall, so that bit you were talking about won't work.

 

[HighSpeed]

Jesus man, hope you feel better.

 

[livelyjay]