I decided to add threaded collars to my Boge rear shocks so that I could adjust the ride height (rear too high)

Normally, one buys Koni Yellows or Bilstiens and simply just slides the threaded collar w/adjusting nut over the shock and uses 2.5" diameter springs.

Due to budget constraints, I opted to keep my Welt. 140 springs (would work with stock springs) and my Boge shocks which seem to function just fine.

First step is to take the springs off, then the perch...on the Boges, the perch is held onto the shock by means of 3 formed protrusions on the shock body, I was able to just hit the perch with shock upside down to remove the perch.

I then cut the perch to fit both the adjusting nut and the inside of the collar. After the modifications, the perch is now 2 pieces instead of 1.

In order to get the smaller ID perch over the 3 protrusions, I cut a slot in it to be able to spread it apart so that I could move it lower on the shock body, I also made 3 holes in it for rosette welds to the shock.

The pictures should be pretty self explanatory of before, during and after.

I can now easily adjust the ride height....total cost was about $60 including shipping for the collars and adjusting nut.

.....

......

here you can see the lip to hold the collar:

finished shock, all painted and ready to install.

That's really cool Mike,but what happens to the shock when you weld on it?... any concerns about the heat?

SteveSr

QUOTE (SteveSr @ Jun 20 2005, 01:01 PM)

That's really cool Mike,but what happens to the shock when you weld on it?... any concerns about the heat? SteveSr

these shocks do not use the main housing tube for the piston, there is an internal tube for that, so unless one punches a hole in the tube or used way, way too much heat and welded 360° around the tube with the heat cranked up, I don't see a problem......

famous last words when I'm replacing my shocks in a few weeks, hahahahaha

Mike,

Very ingeneous! Yeah, I too would've been concerned with the heat....guess it's ok??

Andy

QUOTE (andys @ Jun 20 2005, 01:18 PM)

Mike, Very ingeneous! Yeah, I too would've been concerned with the heat....guess it's ok?? Andy

I would have preferred TIG welding them, but no real option since I don't own one

nice and cheap option..it'll work until I decide to spend some "real" money

I think a clamp type device could also be made to work as well as long as it didn't slide down........

Not bad, Mike.

But someone has to ask, so...Will welding the shock body void the Koni warranty?

Mike,

You know i've got the MIG and stick welders....

Call me on your next strut conversion... k?

I wanna' do mine also.

What was your source for the adjuster nuts and collars??

QUOTE (rogergrubb @ Jun 20 2005, 01:35 PM)

Mike, You know i've got the MIG and stick welders.... Call me on your next strut conversion... k? I wanna' do mine also. What was your source for the adjuster nuts and collars??

Roger, I have a MIG (gas) and oxy/acet. just no TIG (yet )

Coleman Racing products*, there are a few different kits, mine are the 2.04" ID collars X 5" in length...the threaded collar can be opened up somewhat if the shock body is larger.....the Boges are much smaller so it worked out great.............

*google it

That looks great Mike,,

I was kicking around a similiar idea. In my research, I saw some of these on evil-bay,,,

http://search.ebay.com/coil-over_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

Do you think these can be trusted not to fail? These are priced pretty cheaply.

QUOTE (Rotary'14 @ Jun 20 2005, 02:18 PM)

That looks great Mike,, I was kicking around a similiar idea. In my research, I saw some of these on evil-bay,,, http://search.ebay.com/coil-over_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8 Do you think these can be trusted not to fail? These are priced pretty cheaply.

i almost went with those dirt cheap units, but they couldn't tell me what the ID of the collars are and I didn't feel like hunting down the car they list them for to measure a shock/strut.

the coleman racing units seem a better quality unit, I have 1 threaded collar with nut that i found at a pick-n-pull, looks just like the cheaper kits as seen on eBay...the fit is a little sloppier between the nut and the collar.

mike,

did the bottom gold piece come in your kit that you ordered?

whats the proper name for that gold piece?

Where did you get the parts?

Or did you say where already?

QUOTE (URY914 @ Jun 21 2005, 06:19 PM)

Where did you get the parts? Or did you say where already?

Coleman Racing Products

Dave,

Adjusting nut???

koni calls it a spring perch,

Im sure the good ole boys at Coleman call it something else

Damn, $25 for the set? The coilover kits that come with springs (which are $60 a pair) go for $250. OOOhhh the CSOBSC hindsight in me...

QUOTE (Travis Neff @ Jun 21 2005, 06:46 PM)

Damn, $25 for the set? The coilover kits that come with springs (which are $60 a pair) go for $250. OOOhhh the CSOBSC hindsight in me...

$25 each X 2

yea, but with the kit you bought, I'm sure it bolted right on....the Coleman kit even with the correct 2.5" dia. springs still needs some fabrication to the top spring perch according to them...I didn't use mine since I kept stock dia. springs so I do not know for sure.........also, I'm betting your kit came with Eibach springs which are top of the line or darn near close to it.....you didn't pay too much for what you got.....

So, you gonna start doing these for other people?

--DD

QUOTE (Mueller @ Jun 21 2005, 05:51 PM)

sure.........also, I'm betting your kit came with Eibach springs which are top of the line or darn near close to it.....you didn't pay too much for what you got.....

Mike,here's what I got from Ground Control for $199

I did a similar thing many years ago on my -6 with konis. I made my own adjusters so that I could use the stock welded band that was on the koni body, I just have a c'bore in my threaded collar at the correct height. I used perches from the old set of original housings.

I did pretty much the same for the front of my 944, except that I used the perch as it was cut off the existing strut. Just put the strut in a lathe and cut off the perch, it leaves behind the welded part of the perch to use for retaining the collar.

"Warning: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm."

Excuse me... what the hell is that all about?

http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/produ...43b5cd81eab4a90


M

Sorry...................

QUOTE (redshift @ Jun 22 2005, 09:56 AM)

"Warning: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm." Excuse me... what the hell is that all about? http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/produ...43b5cd81eab4a90 M

you like that warning don't you????

I still couldn't find any chemicals on or with the parts I got from them

You should see the MSDS reports Enco sends when I buy tool bits or other chunks of metal...no liquids, just hard metal with tons of warnings......

QUOTE (Dave_Darling @ Jun 22 2005, 09:21 AM)

So, you gonna start doing these for other people? --DD

I could, but I don't see anyone willing to let me take a welder to thier shocks

I'd be nervous doing this mod on nitrogen filled shocks unless I had a TIG welder

the other night, i ordered the 2.08 kit for KONI reds. already have 10" springs

[not doing stock perch ]

soooo, i got the larger diameter [2.08] threaded collar. too tight right now . koni reds, painted black [need to loose the paint].

QUOTE

the threaded collar can be opened up somewhat if the shock body is larger.....

how, by you? mines close but no fit

Hey Mike,

Forgot to ask....

How did you cut/enlarge the perchs so cleanly?

QUOTE (Korijo @ Jun 25 2005, 12:48 PM)

soooo, i got the larger diameter [2.08] threaded collar. too tight right now . koni reds, painted black [need to loose the paint]. QUOTE the threaded collar can be opened up somewhat if the shock body is larger..... how, by you? mines close but no fit

Dave,

the Koni Reds are larger in diameter Andrew took his down to a machine shop and they opened them up for I believe $25 (damn good price)

Not sure what your time frame is, but I could open those up for you if you cannot find a local shop. I'd need to know the OD of the shock. Turn around time about 1.5 weeks at my pace

QUOTE

Hey Mike, Forgot to ask.... How did you cut/enlarge the perchs so cleanly?

I have a decent sized metal working lathe..........

i measured 53mm, 2.086614". talk about "a gnatt's ass".

i'll send 'em to you, if you dont mind . i'm in no hurry.

you need the adjustable perch? or just the collar?

QUOTE (Korijo @ Jun 26 2005, 01:43 PM)

i measured 53mm, 2.086614". talk about "a gnatt's ass". i'll send 'em to you, if you dont mind . i'm in no hurry. you need the adjustable perch? or just the collar?

just the threaded collar...what diameter springs are you running? 2.5"

pretty sure they're 2.5's

got them from Joe O. 200lb 10" Hypercoil...

same address?

Hey Dave,

I got your parts today, i should be able to put them on the lathe on Friday

Hey Dave,

Can you verify the dimension A on your shock??


If I read your PM correct, the OD should be 2.17" along the entire length until you hit "B"???

Thanks buddy

yes, A = 2.17 "

i measured down by the shelf.

on one end of the collar, there is a lip about 3/4" inside. the collar fit on the shock, but catches that lip. dig it?

do the adjuster nuts have any kind of locking mechanism? 'cause otherwise i'd think you'd find them slowly unscrewing unless you used an additional nut as a jam nut...

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 7 2005, 10:39 PM)

do the adjuster nuts have any kind of locking mechanism? 'cause otherwise i'd think you'd find them slowly unscrewing unless you used an additional nust as a jam nut...

on the Ground Control units, the adjuster nut is actually a clamp that is tightened by an allen bolt

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 7 2005, 02:39 PM)

do the adjuster nuts have any kind of locking mechanism? 'cause otherwise i'd think you'd find them slowly unscrewing unless you used an additional nut as a jam nut...

mine have a setscrew which presses a small piece of rubber against the threaded collar to eliminate twisting.

Korijo,

I'll be shipping your collars back to you today via Fed-Ex...

SWEET!! looks great.

you shipped with the label i sent, right?

QUOTE (Korijo @ Jul 11 2005, 01:33 PM)

SWEET!! looks great. you shipped with the label i sent, right?

YEP...thanks for including that.....hope they work for you...

As an alternitive to welding you can use a "shaft collar". You will need to bore the center to match the shock OD, then just bolt it on - it won't move. My friend did this mod about 15 years ago on a pretty serious AX car and it's still working fine.

QUOTE (Mueller @ Jun 20 2005, 03:26 PM)

QUOTE (andys @ Jun 20 2005, 01:18 PM) Mike, Very ingeneous! Yeah, I too would've been concerned with the heat....guess it's ok?? Andy I would have preferred TIG welding them, but no real option since I don't own one nice and cheap option..it'll work until I decide to spend some "real" money I think a clamp type device could also be made to work as well as long as it didn't slide down........

Tig creates much more heat than mig...I think something like mig is 2000 and tig is 3200...I may be wrong with the numbers, but it creates alot more heat...

I would have stuck with mig on that one...

Rich