Tightening upper shock nut?
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Boston, MA
Tightening upper shock nut? I'm replacing my factory springs off of my koni shocks.
To install them last year, I just used an adjustable wrench for the flat part, and a box end for the nut.
Needless to say it takes forever to tighten and loosen the nuts...
Would just using an impact gun work? Or would that ruin the shock seals?
To install them last year, I just used an adjustable wrench for the flat part, and a box end for the nut.
Needless to say it takes forever to tighten and loosen the nuts...
Would just using an impact gun work? Or would that ruin the shock seals?
I certainly wouldn't hold the nut steady, and spin the shock. Too much potential for damage to the shock, IMHO. My suggestion is to purchase a "gear wrench" in the size of the hex nut on the shock, then use your Crescent wrench to hold the shock shaft, and spin the nut with the Gear Wrench.
I did the old fashioned, hard way. Used an offset box wrench on the shock nut and vice grips on the shock post. If you had a ratcheting box wrench, all the better. The nut probably has a plastic insert to keep it from loosening up, which is why it's difficult to turn.
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
I certainly wouldn't hold the nut steady, and spin the shock. Too much potential for damage to the shock, IMHO. My suggestion is to purchase a "gear wrench" in the size of the hex nut on the shock, then use your Crescent wrench to hold the shock shaft, and spin the nut with the Gear Wrench.
The Konis have solid boots on them that make it impossible to hold the shaft down lower.
Yessir. Spring is compressed
I don't know which type of Koni's you have, but my DA's (and SA's also) have the threaded rod as part of the top hat, and the top hat tightens to the top of the shock rod with a large nut under the hat. The nut has a seal around the edge of it.
If yours is the same design, maybe something below will be useful to prevent the rod from turning when you need to R&R the shock nut:
* You could try channel locks on the large part of the top hat
* You could buy a 15/16" offset box end wrench, then cut out enough of the offset box end to allow it to slip over the shock rod and over the nut (after sliding down the seal)
* You could buy a custom tool such as this to grip the nut under the top hat (not my photo, but this is what I use to remove the top hat to R&R the coilover sleeve)
* Another customized tool based upon a modified impact socket so far as I can tell (not my photo)
If yours is the same design, maybe something below will be useful to prevent the rod from turning when you need to R&R the shock nut:
* You could try channel locks on the large part of the top hat
* You could buy a 15/16" offset box end wrench, then cut out enough of the offset box end to allow it to slip over the shock rod and over the nut (after sliding down the seal)
* You could buy a custom tool such as this to grip the nut under the top hat (not my photo, but this is what I use to remove the top hat to R&R the coilover sleeve)
* Another customized tool based upon a modified impact socket so far as I can tell (not my photo)
