This thread would be worthless without pics soooo here's the install of just the front koni struts. I've had the prokits installed for three months already. Next month I'll have the rear koni's. Car rides nice. Low speed handling is better. I'm still testing the different settings for cornering. Suspension also feels more solid going over speed bumps.
The piston travel on the koni is about an 1 1/2" longer than the oem's. The oem dust boot is therfore a little shorter. A zip tie around the bottom of it holds it in position perfectly and looks ok. The paint on the lower part of the koni strut is thicker so it has to be sanded down a bit to make it fit into the lower control arm easier. Other than that there is no difference than installing an oem strut. TIP: Unclip the bottom of the dust boot before you try to pull the stock spring off the strut. You won't loose the bearings that way. TIP: Putting the strut back into the lower control arm hole is the biggest problem. Sand the bottom paint on the strut then wipe grease on it. Place it on the hole and line up the fin on the strut with the slot in the hole then put a jack under the contol arm and jack it up till the spring is compressed a little bit. The strut will only go in when it is perfectly lined up and perpendicular with the hole (not easyto do). Take a rubber mallet and tap the strut lightly all the way around. When the strut is exactly perpendicular to the hole it will snap in with authority (boom). There will be no doubt that it is fully seated.TIP: Check the brake dust guard after the install (especially the bottom part) they will rub and make noise in turns if they are even close to the rotors. They are thin metal so just bend them away.
Note: Disregard torque settings in the pics; the following are the correct settings
Torque settings Front:
14mm upper mount bolts 25 lbs
17mm upper mount nut 40-50 lbs (If you don't have a crows foot socket to torque it just tighten it firmly with loctite.)
14mm endlink nut 40 lbs
17mm lower control arm bolt 55 lbs
Torque settings rear:
17mm lower control arm bolt 55 lbs
14mm endlink nuts 40 lbs
It's best to finger tighten bolts and then torque in increments with a load on them. So what I mean is to place a jack under the control arm and jack up a little then torque the bolts. Same goes for swaybars. Your install will be tight and clunk free. Oh yeah, use Loctite or Permatex blue on everything.
My install went perfectly and I've had no problems.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
The piston travel on the koni is about an 1 1/2" longer than the oem's. The oem dust boot is therfore a little shorter. A zip tie around the bottom of it holds it in position perfectly and looks ok. The paint on the lower part of the koni strut is thicker so it has to be sanded down a bit to make it fit into the lower control arm easier. Other than that there is no difference than installing an oem strut. TIP: Unclip the bottom of the dust boot before you try to pull the stock spring off the strut. You won't loose the bearings that way. TIP: Putting the strut back into the lower control arm hole is the biggest problem. Sand the bottom paint on the strut then wipe grease on it. Place it on the hole and line up the fin on the strut with the slot in the hole then put a jack under the contol arm and jack it up till the spring is compressed a little bit. The strut will only go in when it is perfectly lined up and perpendicular with the hole (not easyto do). Take a rubber mallet and tap the strut lightly all the way around. When the strut is exactly perpendicular to the hole it will snap in with authority (boom). There will be no doubt that it is fully seated.TIP: Check the brake dust guard after the install (especially the bottom part) they will rub and make noise in turns if they are even close to the rotors. They are thin metal so just bend them away.
Note: Disregard torque settings in the pics; the following are the correct settings
Torque settings Front:
14mm upper mount bolts 25 lbs
17mm upper mount nut 40-50 lbs (If you don't have a crows foot socket to torque it just tighten it firmly with loctite.)
14mm endlink nut 40 lbs
17mm lower control arm bolt 55 lbs
Torque settings rear:
17mm lower control arm bolt 55 lbs
14mm endlink nuts 40 lbs
It's best to finger tighten bolts and then torque in increments with a load on them. So what I mean is to place a jack under the control arm and jack up a little then torque the bolts. Same goes for swaybars. Your install will be tight and clunk free. Oh yeah, use Loctite or Permatex blue on everything.
My install went perfectly and I've had no problems.
