Well, I'm installing the suspension stuff today, rear dampers installed fine, but the front I'm having serious problems with. The damper piston rod seems like it's too large in diameter. I can't even get the stock upper damper mount to fit onto it (won't even go past the threads on the piston rod). I'm at a complete loss, the part number appears to be the right one: 8041-1152 Sport. If ANYONE can help me please do, I have to use this car to get to work on Monday. Thanks for any info.

 

The piston rod on the Koni Sports are a little bigger than the stock shocks. The shocks should have come with a new set of metal rings that take the place of the stock units inside the spring hat...tighter fit tho...so you have to squeeze them in with some effort. My kit came with these pieces anyway.

The shock dust cover is also too small and will have to be bored out with a dremel or drill.

 

What he said. I went to install my fronts last night (I love working on cars in the dark ) and found out the same thing. The kit should have some metal washers and a metal tube. You use those in place of the stock pieces in the spring hat bushings. I'm not exactly sure how you'll get the old small washers out of the bushing but I'm sure that you (and me) will figure something out. I'm pulling it apart again tomorrow now that I've had time to think about the install... don't forget the most important tool of the install!!!

 

Thanks a lot for the replies guys, I'm going to take another look at it right now. By the way, what did you do about the bumpstops? Do they go over and past that one part of the piston rod that's a little bigger than the rest of the rod? Thanks again!

 

You should put the bumpstop's back on adn the put a metal washer above them. The washer will only go down to where the piston gets wider. It will be basically the same setup as on the old strut. Don't forget to put on the plastic washer thingy on the very bottom of the piston... not sure why it's there but the directions show it being installed.

I was wondering if it would be a good idea to shorten the bumpstops but kinda decided against it since I'm still running stock springs and don't need the extra travel

 

Did you guys have to drill out the stock bushings in the upper mount also? (the ones that you have to squeeze that new metal pipe into? Looks like there's some metal built into them. Thanks for the help!

 

you can pry the bushings out of the spring hat... there is one bushing up top and another on the bottom. Once these come off you sill see that there is a meatl sleeve that can be removed. This metal sleeve will be replaced by the one that came with the Konis. There is also a metal washer attatched to each of the rubber bushings... This will either need to be removed and replaced with the washers from the box or will need to be drilled out to accomodate the larger piston

 

i had to kinda bore out the bumpstop a bit to get them to fit onto the konis.

 

hmmm...? FWIW, mine went on fine. I'm guessing that the ITR has a different size/rate bumpstop from the GSR since it has different damping and spring rates... just guessing though

 

Yeah. Mine slid right down. Mine is lowered 1.3" and I only cut the bottom section off the front bumpstops.

Since nobody's outlined it yet, it should go (top to bottom):

metal sleeve/spring hat
second washer
dust cover
first washer
bump stop
plastic ring