Can't find any info via Google or the board here, so here it goes:

The struts have oil coming out from top when adjusting rebound, bolted onto the car and on the ground. Both sides exhibit the same issue, with the rears unknown. Have not touched the setting on rears since installation. Do I have faulty shocks or I need to adjust rebound while uncompressed (off-the-ground)? Do I contact the vendor or Koni USA for replacement/rebuild? I hope I don't have to pop the stock in and send in the faulty ones.

Lastly, anyone with experience renting moving truck with car carrier from Penske/Budget for one-way interstate? Penske seems to have an issue with 18'' tire due to safety strap unable to fit the tire/wheel. I plan on doing a fitting test at the local dealer, but any advices would be greatly appreciated.

 

Mine do the same thing. Sideload on the adjustment stem releases a small amount of fluid. I brought it by the Koni trailer at Nats and had the rep look at it. He said it was not a problem as long as it doesn't leak during use. Plenty of extra oil in a dual tube shock.

 

With you guys both having leakers I have to wonder if an impact gun was used on the install.... Do you change the adjustments on them a lot?

In 10+ years using konis I have only had one leak, it was custom ProPartsUSA unit on my Vette, I sent it back and they fixed it.

 

I had SA Konis leak on both my Prelude and my '93 RX7. In both cases, sent 'em back to Koni and they were replaced at no charge. Neither set was installed with an impact gun.

No leaks on the RX-8 shocks yet, at least that I can see (knock on wood).

 

No impact gun on my install, just good old fashioned hand tools and hammer impact on the bottom-ring-hole for the finishing touch. As for adjustment, twice every autox weekend (street->autox->street), nothing crazy.

 

Hand installed here as well. I leave mine at autox setting and just adjust for conditions at the event. My car did sit out last winter for a few months when I had a long term work assignment out of town. I'm thinking the O ring on the adjuster is a bit undersized and the hardening due to environment was just enough to allow a little bit of leakage. It doesn't leak while it sits or when you drive it.

My shocks will need to be freshed up before Nat's next year so I'm just hoping to get along til then.

 

My M3's Koni SA's leaked as well, but they were TCK custom top-adjustables. No impacts used to install.

 

Penske would not rent me a trailer for my protege either 17" wheels, I put our maxima up there and it was an uneventfull trip.

 

EDIT: oops, missed part 2


been running numerous sets of Konis since 1995 and have been involded in assisting many others with custom conversions, only ever had one DA shock leak oil after a rebuild due to an o-ring being damaged during the install

the #1 mistake most people make is overtightening the donut washers on the top mounts. The shock body makes an arcing rotation as the suspension rises and falls. Having the top donuts too tight inhibts the shock body's ability to rotate which causes side loading forces on the shaft and piston, resulting in premature wear

 

We're not talking about leaking of the shaft seals here. This is leaking around the adjustment rod where it emerges from the top of the shaft end. There are 2 O-rings on the adjustment rod just inside the shaft end which are designed to provide a floating seal for the adjuster. On my shocks, any sideload during adjusment causes the upper seal to unseat which releases a small amount of fluid. Obviously, the lower seal is the real culprit here since it's allowing the fluid accumulation in the first place.

 

It was a two part question, dood...I guess you stopped at part one?

 

Yep! And this is what TCKline told me was "normal."

 

Installing Koni's on a friends car sunday... (subscribing JUST in case)

 

Mine leaks a bit, I noticed some nasty oil when I was adjusting them at the top.

 

One of the things to avoid is over-tightening the top shock mount rubber bushings. The shock travels through an arc as the suspension rises and falls. If the top shock mount bushings are overtightened, thus limiting the necessary angular motion of the shock relative to the suspension movement, it causes the shaft and piston to bind on their sliding surfaces and seals. The bushings and seals receive accelerated wear, eventually get sloppy, and ultimately start leaking ...

 

What is the proper tightening torque for the top shock mount rubber bushings?

To clarify, can you please identify where the top shock mount rubber bushings are in this diagram?

I am guessing it's the bolts that go on top of 34-340?

 

the main shock stud that passes through the rubber bushings and attaches the shock to the center of the upper mount

25 ft-lbf

 

gotcha! now I know what to look for. checked with a service manual and it says 23.2-34 ft/lbs.

thanks for the detail

 

I would recommend the light side of the spec

 

Well I sort of joined the club... Just days before heading out to the Houston tour I ran across some nasty road construction. Looks like I blew the seal out of the left front as it will pump oil out as the car goes up and down. Koni said I should be able to run it as long as there is fluid in it. So I put a rubber cap over the end and went for it as I had no time for them to send me a replacement. Well a 3200 mile road trip and 12 runs later it is still working.

 

That may be true for the stock shocks.... However I just replaced my front Konis and the great Koni instructions ask for 37 ft lbs for their shocks. Not that it matter anyways as at about 10 lbs the top washer bottoms out on the collar.

 

And then the washer craps itself....

 

While Koni shock may be leaky, Koni far exceeded my expectation regarding the exchange process. Here is the timeline of my experience:

5/15: faxed in the paperwork (invoice/vehicle reg/claim form)
5/16: new shocks sent out and charged for advanced replacements
6/29: old ones received by Koni
7/05: credit posted back to CC

So Koni does back up its lifetime warranty with flying colors. I'm sure Jason had a similar experience as well.

 

Sort of.... Found leaky shock. Drove 3000+ miles round trip and ran Houston tour. Ran local event. Sat on my @ss for a few weeks. Filed out paperwork and got new front pair in about a week. Sent the old set back. I have not checked my credit card statement yet. They were very easy to work with.

 

sorry, I never actually used a torque wrench, just stated backing off the nut after bottoming it out per advice from Jay Fizer/Koni Motorsports after he inspected them at Nats, it seems that the collar must be too short for the bushings