Koni adjustable shocks Options

[914itis]

I have a set of koni's adjustable rear shocks in my car. I noticed that one side is lower than the other. Any instructions on how to adjust them?

[pcar916]

I have a set of koni's adjustable rear shocks in my car. I noticed that one side is lower than the other. Any instructions on how to adjust them?

The shocks don't set the ride height, the springs do. Assuming you have adjustable springs, don't have a problem with the suspension console, and all else is ok then the spring collars need to be made equal. There is a set-screw that keeps the collar tight. Loosen it and the collar will turn on the threaded body. I've never tried that adjustment on the car.

Once that's done, to adjust the shock stiffness the screw on the top is turned counter-clockwise to stiffen and clockwise to soften. That'll be done as you correct for over or understeer assuming your springs are correct front-to-back..

Good luck

[brant]

it could also be a front torsion bar adjuster that is unequal to the other side... I safety wire my fronts now a days.

[914itis]

The front is leveled.

[brant]

if the front is leveled, then something else
but the shock itself doesn't estabilish ride height

so if it has adjustable rear spring perches, then one has come out of adjustement...

if it has stock rear spring perches (non adjustable) then you've got something else in the mix

it could be as big as a failed torsion bar or collapsed suspension console

or more likely its got aftermarket replacement rear suspension bushings and one of them is hanging up (stickion was the word coined for this)

I'd still get a tape measure under the front crossmember and recheck for precise torsion bar adjustment

[914itis]

I have a set of koni's adjustable rear shocks in my car. I noticed that one side is lower than the other. Any instructions on how to adjust them?

The shocks don't set the ride height, the springs do. Assuming you have adjustable springs, don't have a problem with the suspension console, and all else is ok then the spring collars need to be made equal. There is a set-screw that keeps the collar tight. Loosen it and the collar will turn on the threaded body. I've never tried that adjustment on the car.

Once that's done, to adjust the shock stiffness the screw on the top is turned counter-clockwise to stiffen and clockwise to soften. That'll be done as you correct for over or understeer assuming your springs are correct front-to-back..

Good luck

Why are they adjustable? To adjust the stiffness?

[914itis]

I am about to readjust the torsion Bar, it is possible that I did not do it right.
The way i did it was adjusting the 13mn bolt and check for front ride height with a tape measurement until both front sides are even.

From what I read here, it should be measured elsewhere at the at the bar or adjuster itself , Can someone be clear as to where I should be measuring this.

[brant]

I always measure on the bar right next to the adjuster

I believe it's an 11mm bolt (at least on mine)

the body itself can vary from side to side, so I mearure on the crossbar close to the adjuster that should not be variable unless bent.

the adjuster nut itself can be a different number of turns out from right to left depending on the clocking of the torsion bar.


the rough description of shocks and springs are like this:
springs (including a torsion bar spring) lift the body up from the suspension points.

when you go look at a 1983 used chevy caprice with bad shocks, it is still held up.... when you bounce on the corner of that same car it will just bounce and bounce and bounce... because its shocks are shot.

the spring hold the body up. The shocks dampen the bounce or rebound, out of the spring.

coil over springs (like the rear of a 914) often sag or loose some of their original stiffness. Its not clear how much or how torsion bar springs sag to me. Probably they do some?

thats a very simple description
but shocks don't hold the body up
they control the rebound

when you turn the shock adjuster you are changing the dampening, not the height of the spring setting.

[914itis]

I think I found the issue. It looks like they added to shims under the trailing arm on one side. The side with the shims I the highest one. I checked everything else on the suspension and they are in giid shape.

Should i start removing them?

[jcd914]

I think I found the issue. It looks like they added to shims under the trailing arm on one side. The side with the shims I the highest one. I checked everything else on the suspension and they are in giid shape.

Should i start removing them?

They are alignment shims, used to set camber.

Where are you measuring the ride height from and how much higher is 1 side that the other?
I found that the driver side almost always sits lower that the passenger side, 1/4 inch or so.

Also don't forget that anything you do that changes the ride height also changes the weight balance of the car, it is easy to get the weight out of whack.

Jim

[914itis]

Passenger side is higher .

[TargaToy]

Has the car had any structural repairs made to it? Accident or rust repair to the longitudinals?

[jcd914]

Never trust the body work, it is often not quite the same side to side even from the factory. Yours has flares added on and I would trust them even less.
I measure the front cross bean to the ground (flat concrete) and from the center of the round pivot section of the rear trailing arms to the ground.

Jim

[914itis]

There was structural rust repair done to the car, I also measured other areas. You can visually see that one side is lower. That's what got me to start measuring. The front is fine.

[rgalla9146]

There was structural rust repair done to the car, I also measured other areas. You can visually see that one side is lower. That's what got me to start measuring. The front is fine.

Paul
To know if one end of the car or the other is level do the following. Place the car on flat ground.
Place a narrow board on your jack, place the board so that it is parallel with the direction of travel. Roll the floor jack under the middle of the front of the car and lift the front wheels just off the ground. You can now measure the rear height on one side and then the other. Don't trust the wheel well height, especially with flares, metal or glass. Measure to some known feature or flange under one side of the rear and compare to the other.
To check the front put the jack under the middle of the transaxle and get the rear wheels just off the ground. Measure one side of the front and compare to the other.
Any adjustment should be followed by a drive to settle the suspension.
For an approximation of corner balancing do this with a driver on board.

[914itis]

There was structural rust repair done to the car, I also measured other areas. You can visually see that one side is lower. That's what got me to start measuring. The front is fine.

Paul
To know if one end of the car or the other is level do the following. Place the car on flat ground.
Place a narrow board on your jack, place the board so that it is parallel with the direction of travel. Roll the floor jack under the middle of the front of the car and lift the front wheels just off the ground. You can now measure the rear height on one side and then the other. Don't trust the wheel well height, especially with flares, metal or glass. Measure to some known feature or flange under one side of the rear and compare to the other.
To check the front put the jack under the middle of the transaxle and get the rear wheels just off the ground. Measure one side of the front and compare to the other.
Any adjustment should be followed by a drive to settle the suspension.
For an approximation of corner balancing do this with a driver on board.

Thanks Rory. I Will try that and report back.

[TargaToy]

Since your car has had structural work AND flares added, there may be a slight twist in the chasis (ie: the longs are not perfectly parallel to each other) or one new fender opening may have been installed high/low in relation to the others.

If the car is solid now, I think you may need to average out the fender arch heights from the ground using torsion bar settings and adjustable rear perches to achieve a visual level. That being said, doing so could cause one bumper or the other to not appear parallel to the ground.

I know I was concerned about this too with my car. It's presently leveled and on stands. I placed a 360 laser level in the center of the car underneath it and repeatedly measured up from the beam and shimmed the stand points until all 4 suspension points were level. Now, I have a 7mm disparity between my front right fender arch and the left rear vs the same measurement for the opposite 2 corners.

As it's been mentioned. The cars weren't all perfect originally AND there's no way to know what jolts and repairs they may have encountered along the way.

I say average out your height much the same way you would corner balance it.

[brant]

I agree with all of the above
never measure to the body
the body is the result of the skill of the person who put the flares on...

nothing to do with the chassis being uneven

after you are done adjusting you will have changed your alignment and need to get it reset

[rhodyguy]

every time you turn one of the front adjusters you need to roll the car back and forth to settle the suspension. i would use a dif point for measuring, not the center of the wheel arch. you might try the front point where the rocker cover meets the rear of the wheel well or the point "b" illustrated in fig 7.14 p106 of your haynes. a framing square is going to be more accurate than tape measure.

k