[vqman]

B13 CSK Thread - OE diameter springs

Koni Part Number: 8610 1409Sport
The above part is designed for Spec-V front strut housings
Found them at Summitt Racing for $$147.00 each

You will need a pair (left & right) of B13 OEM FRONT STRUT HOUSINGS
(yes for front housings for the REAR of your B13)
(2) B13 OEM FRONT STRUT DUST BOOTS
(with these you can remove the OEM bump stop and replace with a better Koni Bump Stop)


Koni Bump Stop Part Number:
(need to dig around and find this)

The rest of the parts are OEM Rear B13 parts:

^strut dust boots in above pic are FRONT strut dust boots

Here are some part numbers for what you are looking at. The kind gentlemen at G-Spec got them all shipped to me awfully darn fast.

comes with everything you see here:

aside from the strut insert itself, here's a close up of the parts it comes with:

 

[vqman]

It's about time to start my B13 rear CSK project using B13 front OEM housings, front OEM dust boots, Koni Bump Stops, Koni Yellow B15 Spec V inserts (PN listed earlier in thread)

depth the strut would go into the OE housing without shortening:

depth the strut would go into the OE housing with the CSK process:

Koni Bump Stops on the ends, OEM in the middle:

 

[vqman]

also worth noting, in THE ultimate suspension thread that Shawn B put together for us (great friggin thread by the way) they have these pics (w/out ghostbusters sign) as a "how-to" install your koni bump stop:

IMO, this is NOT how it is done properly because you are essentially "doubling up" on bump stops with the above setup.. (unless Isfahan pulled the OEM bump stop and didn't fit the Koni bump stop inside the OE dust boot for some reason)

The whole reason for using the B13 OEM front dust boots (even in the rear) is that you can remove the OE bump stop (on right in pic below) and replace it with the Koni Bump stop (in the middle on pic below)

the boot on the left is a B13 OE front dust boot without any bump stop. It turns out, this is what Isfahan was doing with those original pics.. (which i modified with read ghostbusters emblem) which doesnt' double up the bump stops anymore. But with this setup, the koni bump stop material is not directly hitting the strut. Instead the (relatively) thin rubber top of the dust boot would serve as first line of protection in a hard bump. The conical shape of the inside of the koni bump stop wouldn't get used, nor its "special" material that cost $75 for all 4 corners..

here is an "aerial" view of the bottom of the front bump stops:

left to right:
no bump stop - koni bump stop - OEM bump stop

 

[vqman]

ok i got to my buddies shop today so I could start this

WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES

1) mount strut housing firmly in vice

2) tap starter hole to drain fluid from rear

WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES
you may have to hit your tap (with hammer) 5 times to ensure it makes a dent in this relatively thick metal

3) drill hole with 3mm metal drill bit
ON THIS STEP; TWO OF THE FOUR STRUTS I DID TONIGHT RELEASED A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURIZED OIL THAT SPRAYED LIKE RON JEREMY AFTER 6 MONTHS OF ABSTINENCE - SAFETY GOGGLES ARE NOT OPTIONAL!!

from Wes's thread on motoIQ - a tip to keep this from spraying all over you

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 12:01 PM
a little trick i did when depressurizing the shocks i did, was to drill through a Gatorade cap and leave it on the bit, then drill through the shock. This way you can see what you are doing and it doesn't spray oil all over you when you break through.

source: http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_arti...project-200sx-overhauling-the-suspension.aspx


ON THIS STEP; TWO OF THE FOUR STRUTS I DID TONIGHT RELEASED A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURIZED OIL THAT SPRAYED LIKE RON JEREMY AFTER 6 MONTHS OF ABSTINENCE - SAFETY GOGGLES ARE NOT OPTIONAL!!

20 year old strut oil smells GREAT!

drain as much as you can:

4) use hack saw to start a straight line

^don't take much off of rear strut^
WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES
take of about an inch of the front struts:

5) if you are confident you can cut straight with a reciprocating saw, have at it.. that's what I used, but I've used them a lot in the past, and only recommend this if you know how to use one well.

for step 5 i've heard people say to use a large pipe cutter, here's a pic I found of on nasioc.com doing it that way:

it seems much safer and much easier to get a clean cut. but i did an all right job with the dewalt reciprocating saw.

after you go all the way around, cutting about 1/8" into the housing on all sides it should be ready to come out

6) pull out OE strut guts:

7) dispose of oil and guts properly in accordance with your local standards

8) using a 7/8" metal hole saw, cut out hole in bottom of strut housing for koni nub to attach to the bolt provided by koni (FYI, i used a 1 1/8" hole saw which is WAY to big - as you can see) If I were to do this over again, I'd use a 7/8" bit if i were to do it over again and then use a die grinder as needed to get a "perfect" fit.

(FYI, i used a 1 1/8" hole saw which is WAY to big - as you can see) If I were to do this over again, I'd use a 7/8" bit if i were to do it over again and then use a die grinder as needed to get a "perfect" fit.

WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES

(FYI, i used a 1 1/8" hole saw which is WAY to big - as you can see) If I were to do this over again, I'd use a 7/8" bit if i were to do it over again and then use a die grinder as needed to get a "perfect" fit.

WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES

that's it.. it's ready to be sand blasted, primed and painted... (rear housing in this pic)

 

[vqman]

THIS POST ABOUT THE B13 FRONT STRUT HOUSINGS

DRY FIT

The B15 Yellow Koni Insert slides right into the B13 Front strut housing

but it only gets this far:
top view

bottom view

the nub should be sticking out the bottom of that hole
(note, the hole is bigger than it should be, i didn't have a 1" hole saw, I used 1 1/8" hole saw.. )
with a large enough diameter washer and PLENTY of JB weld, I think i should be fine.




so i'm curious about forcing the Koni insert into the front strut housing.. I guess I need to wait until i'm ready to paint because it won't be coming out easy once it's in there..

do I need to force it in?

 

[vqman]

THIS POST ABOUT THE B13 REAR STRUT HOUSINGS
for the heck of it, I also tried the B13 rear strut housings, the Koni Yellow's DO NOT FIT, as I had read previously

DRY FIT

B15 Yellow Koni won't go into the B13 rear strut housing:

I didn't cut off much of the B13 rear strut housing, here was what the
inside looks like:

the indented ring about 1/2" into the housing appears to separate a thicker wall of the
housing from a slightly thinner wall in the housing, but I think even if I cut off that 1/2" or so, it would still be too narrow to accept the yellow koni insert.

 

[vqman]

THIS POST ABOUT THE B13 FRONT STRUT HOUSINGS

blah blah blah

so i'm curious about forcing the Koni insert into the front strut housing.. I guess I need to wait until i'm ready to paint because it won't be coming out easy once it's in there..

do I need to force it in?

it looks like there is some amount of force required to get it in all the way

EDIT: but this is NOT how you force it in:

 

[eric96ser]

A 1" hole saw is way too big. I used a bit that was slightly larger than the nub on the Koni, and used a file for the rest. I wanted it to be a tight fit.

 

[coach]

I did it like the video on the one set I ever made. I found a drill bit that was one size bigger than the nub on the insert and drilled the hole with that bit.

Brent

 

[vqman]

This build has me wanting to just get a nice set of progress coilovers... LoL

thanks for the feedback fellas...

I'd have liked a tighter fit for the nub, but I don't believe there will be any safety issues, the insert itself is so darn tight and if I find or make a washer big enough to cover the hole that extends clear to the edges of the housing...

Or do you guys think it's unsafe?

 

[_M7_]

Sorry but if Im not mistaken Koni alrready sell a complete suspension with variable camber too...and even more Ive seen it on this forum

 

[vqman]

They don't make anything but strut inserts for a B13 chassis...

 

[eric96ser]

For the fronts, you need to cut more of the top of the housing off. I think mine are cut to where the 2nd set of nubs fit. I cut a little at a time until it was a tight fit. On the bottom, you need to leave enough material for the bottom of the insert to rest on.

That Celica video shows exactly how NOT to install inserts. They have enough money to buy Konis, but not the proper tools. Brilliant.

 

[coach]

Progress setup is nice man, can't go wrong there. I had that setup on my old B13 and loved it.

Brent

 

[vqman]

For the fronts, you need to cut more of the top of the housing off. I think mine are cut to where the 2nd set of nubs fit. I cut a little at a time until it was a tight fit. On the bottom, you need to leave enough material for the bottom of the insert to rest on.

That Celica video shows exactly how NOT to install inserts. They have enough money to buy Konis, but not the proper tools. Brilliant.

Judging by the shape of the koni above the second set of nubs, I don't think it'll go in much further either... What did you use to cut the strut housing? A pipe cutter was a pita, I did that when I shortened the front strut a little further...

 

[PhorB13]

so, I had a set of CSKs made for my B13. OEM built them and shortened the rears. Is there a way I can reuse the Koni inserts on OEM rear housings , if they are cut as little as possible? I was told since they were used once, I'd have to put in spacers...

They are just sitting in my garage for now, never been mounted...

 

[eric96ser]

Judging by the shape of the koni above the second set of nubs, I don't think it'll go in much further either... What did you use to cut the strut housing? A pipe cutter was a pita, I did that when I shortened the front strut a little further...

I used a hacksaw, that was all I had at the time. I remember talking to Steve Foltz about it, and he would cut more of the housing than I did to give himself more room. I wanted a tighter fit, but he didn't see an issue with either method.

so, I had a set of CSKs made for my B13. OEM built them and shortened the rears. Is there a way I can reuse the Koni inserts on OEM rear housings , if they are cut as little as possible? I was told since they were used once, I'd have to put in spacers...

They are just sitting in my garage for now, never been mounted...

If they used Spec V fronts, I would remove them from the housings and see how much of the nub was cut off. If they cut too much, I would look into selling them, and redoing just the rears with the proper housings.

 

[vqman]

so, I had a set of CSKs made for my B13. OEM built them and shortened the rears. Is there a way I can reuse the Koni inserts on OEM rear housings , if they are cut as little as possible? I was told since they were used once, I'd have to put in spacers...

They are just sitting in my garage for now, never been mounted...

this thread's title is going to be modified again. B13 front housings will only work in the rear of a B13 when you are using coilovers. (see below explanation)

I think you're best option would be to convert them to a coilover setup.. the more I read, I'm finding out that front B13 housings with B15 inserts will only work as coilovers in the rear of a B13 chassis.. Overkill never should have sold you those... the spring perch is not at the right height compared to where the knuckle mounts.. with coilovers - you can adjust that... heck, I will take 2 of them off of you.. but not just yet, I have a few hundred dollars in purchases already this payperiod.. I may convert them to coilovers and sell my hypercoils...

It's funny how you listed a Nissan OE/USDM part as OEM and an Overkill part as OEM.. it makes threads fun to read!!! LoL


i get all anal about calling the strut housing a strut housing, and a strut insert a strut insert!! sometimes you'll see CSK threads where they will be typing a sentance and use "strut" interchangeably - i know they know in their mind what they are talking about, but someone else reading it needs to know what exactly you mean.. lol

 

[vqman]

my other option, I've heard (on that other SR forum) that you can send struts to Koni to be rebuilt. and that they can convert a red insert to an externally adjustable strut insert.. if this is true, i'm going to probably go that route... because then I can still use my B13 rear housings and have easy adjustment.

 

[vqman]

i really need either rear strut housings for a B13 or some measurements on the length of the entire rear strut casing..

basically from the very bottom to the top of the black painted part that houses the strut -> not to include the shaft that moves up and down ... just the black section.