rebuilding 1972 Koni's

[donald]

I have searched the forums to see if the original Koni's on my 72 911T are rebuildable by a DIY. I have read that they can be rebuilt, but nowhere can I find out how to do it. The shocks will go down slowly but are a real bear to open them back up. So the car is sitting a little low right now.

I have 2 original sets of Koni shocks from the 72 era. Does anyone have any idea how to rebuild them? I would rather not send them to Koni for rebuilding.

thanks

[djpateman]

I don't think this is a DIY task. What are the Koni part numbers on the shocks?

[Porboynz]

I am not sure if the Konis on my 72 are original, but they are adjustable. When set to full damping they are almost impossible to open up (rebound) by hand. Closing (bump) seems little changed. They are easy to adjust on the bench, fully closed you can feel the piston engage with the adjuster then turn. I set mine on one full turn out from soft for the street.
In my opinion shocks have no effect on the ride height of the car, so you need to adjust the torsion bars to lift the car up. If you run an early 911 very low (track only) you need to get the shock piston shortened by Koni and a stiffer rebound bubber fitted or they bottom out which is never a good feeling mid corner at speed. I would not consider home maintenance of Koni shocks, I saw all the gear at my local Koni dealer when I had mine shortened, looks very factory only to me and I do most everything myself if I can.

[Tyson Schmidt]

The original Koni insets are not gas charged. They are hydraulic, so what you are feeling is normal.

If there is no dead spot when you pull them out, then they are likely prefectly fine.

You can get a Koni Sport insert for the Koni housing that is externally adjustable, and low pressure gas charged, but you will need special top nuts. Paragon Products can get you these top nuts if you want to go that route.

[donald]

I will get the part numbers on Saturday. Maybe that will help.

The shocks will only compress. I have tried adjusting the shocks, but they will not expand. I have one shock in a vice and it is nearly impossible to expand it. Then it will easily compress.

Since they are originals, they are not inserts.

I am still hoping to rebuild them. I am still looking for ideas.

Thanks

[donald]

Hey Tyson
You said: You can get a Koni Sport insert for the Koni housing that is externally adjustable, and low pressure gas charged, but you will need special top nuts. Paragon Products can get you these top nuts if you want to go that route.

How do I take them apart if I decide to get the insert?

thanks
Don
__________________

[Tyson Schmidt]

You just unscrew the top gland nut, and remove the guts and pour out the old shock oil.

Then the new insert goes in and the new gland nut secures it in the housing.

[donald]

Tyson
I have removed the what I think is the nut you are talking about. But the guts won't come out.
Where can I find an exploded diagram of the Koni shocks?

Thanks
Don

[Tyson Schmidt]

Usually there's an old, hardened rubber o-ring at the top perimeter that you have to remove with a pick tool before the guts will come out easily.

[djpateman]

Originally Posted by Porboynz

In my opinion shocks have no effect on the ride height of the car, so you need to adjust the torsion bars to lift the car up.

Absolutely, shocks are properly shock-absorbers or dampers that act to control the motion of the suspension. The torsion bars control the ride height. Of course, the gas pressure shocks do have some effect on ride height by supplementing the torsion bars. Note that springs are just coiled torsion bars.

[johnsjmc]

If I recall The standard shocks( Koni or otherwise) have considerably more rebound damping than compression damping anyway. The spring or torsion bar provides alot of the effective compression resistance and controls the static ride height setting also.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by donald

I have searched the forums to see if the original Koni's on my 72 911T are rebuildable by a DIY. I have read that they can be rebuilt, but nowhere can I find out how to do it. The shocks will go down slowly but are a real bear to open them back up. So the car is sitting a little low right now.

I have 2 original sets of Koni shocks from the 72 era. Does anyone have any idea how to rebuild them? I would rather not send them to Koni for rebuilding.

thanks

I didn't even try...Rothsport's Jeff Gamroth knows how to machine the 1972 front Koni struts to accept Bilstein inserts...then run rear Bilsteins painted chevy engine block orange, and presto...a good handling car running "billykonis".

Lots of folks peeked under my old beater. Nobody called me on running non original shocks.

Rothsport is located in Tualatin, Oregon.

[donald]

The per on the part number on the shock is
82k 1756
How can I find an exploded view of this shock???
thanks

[haasad]

Hi Donald I'm in exactly the same place as you.

In order to raise the spindles on my Konis ( adjustable like yours ) I stripped them down.

They are obviously intended to be rebuildable. Witness the simple rubber and fibre washer shaft sealing stack which can be tensioned with the brass screw in collar and the fact that all the valving assembly can be stripped to clean and re-assemble. Also there are only two other seals, a shaft wiper and a wedge o ring under the retaining collar. These bits must be available somewhere , I'm pretty confident mine would go again anyway.

I have been unable to find any details of re-assembly I really neeed to know oil weight and volume and where to put it , in the damper tube / in the strut housing or both.

I really don't want to spend out on new inserts for what were perfect shocks and they are so nicely engineered.

Any info you find please share and I will do likewise
raised the spin

[Tim K]

This thread contains images of the disassembled Koni struts.

DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker :: View topic - 75 S to R Homage

Hope this helps.

Tim K

[haasad]

Nice spot... thats me and my project car

I now know to use 15 weight motorcycle fork oil. The mechanical refurb' is easy but you need a lapping glass and very fine ( I used 1200 Grit ) paste. The parts are easy to dismantle being screwed or pressed and peened together in the case of the damper tube base valve. You need to check that the damper rod piston and top bearing are all in very good condition since these are key to smooth operation. Mine had only 4 thou (0.1 mm) diametric clearance.

You need to fill the damper tube with oil plus another 20 mm( which will overflow into the strut body) . trial assembly of the mechanisim filled with oil will reveal if its overfull since on compressing the damper rod if it tries to return its too full.

Only my experience no guarantees implied or given .

take care out there

andy

[Tim K]

Oops. I should pay more attention user names

Nice project BTW.

Tim K