Front Strut 911 conversion puzzle, Koni struts in Boge (?) housing Options

[harlenl]

Well here's a puzzle for you guys that even Eric and the guys at Paragon couldn't figure out. I purchased a 911 strut assembly for a 5 lug conversion from a fellow club member. I was told at the time it was Boge strut assembly from an early 911, possibly a '71 (3" caliper).

Eric redid the calipers (beautiful job) and as I was test fitting putting it all together I ran into a problem. When I inserted the new Koni yellow struts (for the Boge) into the newly powder coated boge housing, the gland nut will only turn a couple of times on one side and I can't it started on the other. The gland nut will fit over the "crown" of the strut, but will bottom out on the Koni housing. Measuring the inside of the housing to the top was 14.5" and so is the Koni strut. According to the Paragon guys, all Koni's are the same length so it wouldn't matter if it was a Koni or Boge housing.

There are two things that make this curious (and frustrating), there is about a 1/2" stand-off on the bottom of the insert that if whacked off would allow it to fit. Also, the diameter of the gland nut that came with the struts are too wide by about 1/16". Luckily the gland nut from Eric fits the threads just fine, just can't get it pass the strut insert housing to gain more thread.

Any thoughts? It seems like I should take a grinder to the strut insert and cut off the stand-off, but I don't want to ruin it if I don't have to.

Thanks
Harlen

[SLITS]

There should be a Porsche part number on the strut and the Boge struts I have seen are marked "BOGE".

Powder coating hopefully will not have hidden it. Also I hope they didn't powdercoat the inside of the strut housing ... it adds thickness and the threads won't work anymore like they should.

If the struts were the ones that were oil filled, there will be a spacer in the bottom of the strut housing (valving mechanism). If that "spacer" didn't come out with the strut insert assembly, well it's gonna be to short for the new insert.

That's all I've got ..................... I would really like to see the part number on the housing.

[jcd914]

I am at work so I can't go look at a Koni insert so I am going off memory here. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

If I remember correctly (big if here), the top of the Koni insert should have a step to it. There is a flat surface where the seal for the shock shaft is located and then the insert steps down 3 or mm and has a 4 or 5 mm wide thrust surface. The gland nut you need has to be big enough to fit around the upper flat on the insert and press down on the stepped thrust surface on the insert, it should not put pressure on the metal right next to the seal. I always kept a box full of used gland nuts since there are several different variations to them.

On a track car where we were lowering it as far as possible we sometimes cut off the nub on the bottom of the Koni insert to shift the insert lower in the strut. We had to add a spacer on top to keep the proper location and clamping load on the insert. We never did it to make an insert fit a stock strut though.

Pictures and part numbers might help.

Jim

[harlenl]

Thanks for the input guys. Unfortunately, the powder coating covered up pretty much everything so I can't read any writing on the strut. Here's a picture of the inside of the strut, the insert with the gland nut, and the insert in the strut. (Sorry I have to load them one at a time since the server is not allowing more than one.)

The picture of the inside of the strut also shows the insert with the 1/2" stand-off.


As you can see the gland nut will only get as far as the body of the insert and once placed into the strut, I can only get a couple of turns.

I appreciate the help.

[harlenl]

Here's the second pic of the gland nut on the strut. You can see that it will only get as far as the body

[Eric_Shea]

Harlen,

Jim's multiple gland nut thing may be it. The strut looks like it fits. It seems the gland nuts are not getting past that step in the body.

I was unaware of any different gland nuts. If anyone could elaborate...??

[harlenl]

Sorry for doing this one at a time but the server times out when I try to add more than one pic at a time.

Here's the inside of the strut showing the wear pattern at the bottom from the previous strut and the insert laying on it's side with that 1/2" stand off.

[harlenl]

One more thought, would the gland nut and/or the Koni strut from the 914 work?

[Eric_Shea]

Not sure what you mean by Koni Strut from the 914? The gland nut might...??? But if you're referring to a 914 strut, no; not with the calipers (offset) and hubs (smaller spindle) you have. The "insert" would fit the 914 strut but the strut is different.

[Jeff Hail]

I believe he needs (Gland nut )part # 73.25.01.011.1 for the Boge/ Koni insert to work. Can be obtained from Koni. Call Koni and ask them if the part # is for a male gland nut not the later female.

[Wes V]

Contact (through e-mail) Lee Grimes at "lee@koni-na.com" and see if he has an answer for you.

He is an SCCA racer and runs a Honda CRX. He has been a great help on the Honda-Tech website. He holds a manager position at Koni, but I don't know exactly what he does.

If he asks where you got the e-mail address, say that it was fowarded from a Honda-tech individual.

Wes V

[harlenl]

Thanks guys, I will contact Koni. Eric, my inquiry about the 914 Koni strut was the insert; if the Koni insert in the 914 would fit in the 911 Boge strut insert and if I could use that gland nut from the 914. Sorry for the confusion.

Harlen

[jcd914]

I think if you had a Koni gland nut from a 914 Boge strut it would work in the 911 Boge strut with the Koni insert.

My understanding is that Koni inserts for 70-88 911 are dimensionally the same as the 914 inserts. The valving and such are different.

When I put 72 911T struts on my 914 I used the Koni inserts that were in my 914 struts.

Jim

[neo914-6]

also bought Koni's from Paragon including a specific gland nut (left) for my 3.5" 911 Boge struts.



Don't forget the plastic spacer and metal cover...

[harlenl]

I received an email from Jason at Paragon today. I sent him dimensions of the gland nut that came with the inserts and a picture. Apparently the Koni's that they sent me is for a newer Boge strut which is why the gland nut didn't fit. So Koni is going to send me a couple of new gland nuts that will fit over the new inserts and thread into the old Boge strut. I'll let you know if it works.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Harlen