I'm moving up from KYB AGX to Koni Yellows on my Integra, and have recently learned that the Yellows aren't going to come with brake line holders and you're just supposed to use the ones from the stock shocks. Well, I no longer have my stock shocks, and the brake line holders on the AGX'es are non-removable. Rather than trying to find some stock ones to buy, I figure I'll just fabricate some, since it's a simple part... Has anyone else done this? Does anyone have any tips or ideas to share before I get started?

 

yeah...zip ties.

 

The Konis reuse the stock parts. Pull them off your stock shocks.

 

No need to fabricate anything, just use a zip tie to hold the brake line to the shock body. It is not structural, all it does is keep the brake line from swinging over into the spinning wheel and tire. Those of us who push the shock bottoms further down inside the front wishbone or use braided brake lines with no bolting tab don't use the brake line bracket. I haven't used anything but a zip tie for years on countless cars. Don't make a big thing out of it, it does almost nothing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No need to fabricate anything, just use a zip tie to hold the brake line to the shock body. It is not structural, all it does is keep the brake line from swinging over into the spinning wheel and tire. Those of us who push the shock bottoms further down inside the front wishbone or use braided brake lines with no bolting tab don't use the brake line bracket. I haven't used anything but a zip tie for years on countless cars. Don't make a big thing out of it, it does almost nothing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree with you and that's exactly what I do, but there was a thread last year or so where folks completely discarded this method of attachment. If I can find the link, I'll post it.

 

Cool... zip ties it is. I was mostly concerned about the braided brake line rubbing against the shock body, but I suppose I can just put some heater hose around it, then zip tie that...

Thanks guys.

 

....or get brake lines that have a coating over the SS braid.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I agree with you and that's exactly what I do, but there was a thread last year or so where folks completely discarded this method of attachment. If I can find the link, I'll post it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

There's nothing wrong with it *IF* you isolate the line from the shock body (or anything else) from rubbing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Those of us who push the shock bottoms further down inside the front wishbone or use braided brake lines with no bolting tab don't use the brake line bracket.</TD></TR></TABLE>

How is this possible? Once you install the wishbone, the pinch bolt is sitting in a notch on the shock body. I can't imagine getting that bolt in without that notch being located in just the right place.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94eg! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

How is this possible? Once you install the wishbone, the pinch bolt is sitting in a notch on the shock body. I can't imagine getting that bolt in without that notch being located in just the right place. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i *think* what people do is make another notch. Am I correct Lee? I did talk to Lee once and he told me to do this to gain extra shock travel in front, but can you just shove it further down or do you need to notch the shock body?

s

 

You dont need to make another notch. Just crank the bolt down.

 

Like this, but do not file through the shock body!

 

FILE the shock body??? how are you gonna know when youve gone too far ?(before its already too far?)

bashing a new notch in tokico's worked for me. not sure whats better for koni. i remember lee saying not to do this.

 

On the hole zip tie thing, don't just use one. First put one around the shock body but leave it loosly. Now put one around the breakline but also going through the zip tie on the shock. Now tighten (sp) them up. This will keep line from rubbin againts the shock because if it touches, it touches the zip tie (plastic) and not the shock (metal).

 

Lee said not to do it with a file because some fool was going to cut through the shock body if they did not calculate how far to go and he did not want to be responsible for their stupidity.





Modified by DB2-R81 at 7:00 PM 11/18/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You dont need to make another notch. Just crank the bolt down.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You might be a lucky one. I tried to do this very thing and nearly destroyed the fork as the bolt (rather easily I might add) entered the threaded section just slightly off center and started removing threads. I noticed it before too many threads were gone. I ended up laying a 3/8" socket extension on the shock body and knocking it with a BFH a couple of times to make a very small notch (smaller than the original notch). This was enough to line up the bolt properly with the receiving threads.

 

Since these shocks are twin tube, a new dent won't F up piston travel, correct?

 

Yes, they are a twin tube so a new dent won't screw things up but I have never made a dent and certainly would never file on the shock body. Once I tried whacking a new dent in the body but found I was more likely to just oval out the bottom of the shocks before a real dent got in it.

You guys are making it much harder than it need to be, I have been doing it for years. Leave the brake line bracket off and install the shock, spring and wishbone just like normal with the top and bottom mount bolts and nuts. Using the dent to align and start the pinch bolt, start the pinch bolt by only two or three threads so it is solidly started but definately not being tightened. Now take a large straight blade screw driver tip or a chisel punch around to the split on the back side of the wishbone and use it as a wedge and hammer the end it to further spread the split and make it looser around the shock bottom. Now put a floor jack under the LCA (the car is up on jack stands BTW) and lift the LCA upward loading against the spring and the car. The mouth of the wishbone will slide right up higher on the shock body and the pinch bolt slips up out of the dent. It only uses the dent as a guidepath so the bolt threads properly across the gap. You may need to fiddle with the wedge a bit or knock the top of the wishbone lightly with a hammer but it will normally move pretty easily. Once it stops moving, note how much shock bottom sticks through the bottom of the wishbone and make the other side match. Any amount of extra travel you get at the shock means 1.5 times that amount of free travel at the wheel. The key is that you must first use the dent to start the pinch bolt into the threading, if you don't then the arc of the shock body will deflect the tip of the pinchbolt on a tangent and you risk cross threading the wishbone like Travis did (and I did until I figured it out).

Couldn't be easier, no new dents, no grinding or filing, just free stroke but remember that you must raise your spring perch accordingly or otherwise the car will just be lower with no extra stroke.

BTW, I just use one zip tie normally to hold the braided brake line (older Earls normally) and have had no evidence or concern of it moving or wearing.


Edit- Sorry Tyson!


Modified by CRX Lee at 4:54 PM 11/19/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yes, they are a twin tube so a new dent won't screw things up but I have never made a dent and certainly would never file on the shock body. Once I tried whacking a new dent in the body but found I was more likely to just oval out the bottom of the shocks before a real dent got in it.

You guys are making it much harder than it need to be, I have been doing it for years. Leave the brake line bracket off and install the shock, spring and wishbone just like normal with the top and bottom mount bolts and nuts. Using the dent to align and start the pinch bolt, start the pinch bolt by only two or three threads so it is solidly started but definately not being tightened. Now take a large straight blade screw driver tip or a chisel punch around to the split on the back side of the wishbone and use it as a wedge and hammer the end it to further spread the split and make it looser around the shock bottom. Now put a floor jack under the LCA (the car is up on jack stands BTW) and lift the LCA upward loading against the spring and the car. The mouth of the wishbone will slide right up higher on the shock body and the pinch bolt slips up out of the dent. It only uses the dent as a guidepath so the bolt threads properly across the gap. You may need to fiddle with the wedge a bit or knock the top of the wishbone lightly with a hammer but it will normally move pretty easily. Once it stops moving, note how much shock bottom sticks through the bottom of the wishbone and make the other side match. Any amount of extra travel you get at the shock means 1.5 times that amount of free travel at the wheel. The key is that you must first use the dent to start the pinch bolt into the threading, if you don't then the arc of the shock body will deflect the tip of the pinchbolt on a tangent and you risk cross threading the wishbone like Tyson did (and I did until I figured it out).

Couldn't be easier, no new dents, no grinding or filing, just free stroke but remember that you must raise your spring perch accordingly or otherwise the car will just be lower with no extra stroke.

BTW, I just use one zip tie normally to hold the braided brake line (older Earls normally) and have had no evidence or concern of it moving or wearing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is how it is done.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...you risk cross threading the wishbone like Tyson did (and I did until I figured it out).
</TD></TR></TABLE>
huh? i never did this.

ah, that'd be Travis!


Modified by Tyson at 8:03 PM 11/18/2004

 

That's a good writeup. I especially like the fact that you don't have to alter the shock in any way...

 

Lee sent me those instructions about a year ago and I really like the way my yellows responsed. Seemed more responsive over bumps plus it takes some load off the shock by allowing it to operate more in its "sweet spot".

 

I'm so glad lee posted up those instructions. This method was much easier than just dropping the shock down and stripping the threads.

I have plenty of travel now with this trick and the ground control shock top mounts.