aalb1

I have a set of Koni Reds and Ground Controls. I'm interested in adjusting the Koni's to a stiffer setting w/o messing up the alignment. I don't feel like paying another $75 bucks to get it re-aligned.

Here is a link on how to adjust them...http://www.koni-na.com/adjustment.cfm

And here is my thoughts on adjusting them while they are still on the car...
1) Jack up the car and throw some stands under it.
2) Take off the wheels
3) Take the jack and jack it up so it's just supporting the rotor
4) Drop the springs below the coilover sleeves
5) Remove the nut from the top hat and compress the struts
6) Adjust them to a stiffer/softer setting
7) Pop em back up into the top hat
8) Slip on the springs again
9) Roll on em!

Well what do you guys think? Will this mess up the alignment? If it does I guess I have to deal with my setting that I have on it now since I don't want to pay the alignment fee.

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Don't ever jack underneath your rotors!!! Use the LCA instead.

Some company makes a tool that you can just remove the nuts on the end of the shock shaft. Then you put the tool on top of the shaft & push it downward (tool has a long shaft). Once the shock has bottomed out, you simply turn the tool to set the shock. Good luck finding that one. Do some searches for "Koni Reds" or "Koni Red" in the archive...

CRX Lee

You did not actually say what your car is and that is the most important bit of info as to whether or not it will need realignment or not. With the mention of the Koni reds, if it is a Honda then it will be a Civic, Accord, CRX or Integra most likely and your alighment will not be changed by removing, adjusting and reinstalling your shocks if you do not alter your ride. If it is another car, then let me know what it is.

If you simply lock your threaded perch on your GC sleeves and reinstall the springs on the perches as they are now, you can remove your shocks in the standard manner and make your changes and reinstall just fine. I would not suggest that you try a modified way of doing the work (supporting the rotor with the jack, etc.) if there is any risk of safety issues as a normal system with the suspension will be fine. You can remove the dampers completely from the car and do your adjustment just like you normally would.

I have read about those homemade tools that let you adjust the damper on the car and honestly, I would stay far away from them especailly in the case of a Honda that a normal removal is only a small number of bolts and nuts and the allignment is unaffected.


Modified by CRX Lee at 4:50 PM 2/16/2005

aalb1

My car is a 2000 civic coupe. And I thought every time you remove the suspension you need to align the wheels. How come all the articles I've read say that an alignment is neccessary?

CRX Lee

Your 2000 Civic has shock absorbers (spring-over or coil-over shocks to be thorough) and not MacPherson struts. Most strut cars have no upper control arms so the damper itself is a geometry stating device and almost always require realignment after installation. A shock on a car like your does not have any effect on the alignment geometry or pivot points of the suspension so long as you do not also alter the ride height.

Some people may incorrectly say your car has struts but they are using the wrong terminology. Take your shocks off, adjust and reinstall without changing ride height and your alignment will remain the same.