I'm lookin to install my GC top-hats with my current Illuminas. The dilemma I encountered was this:

How am I suppose to take the illuminas off the OEM tophats? I know that for the stock struts, you can use an allen wrench and hold the rod while you turn the nut with a wrench. With the Illuminas, there is no allen wrench insert at the tip of the strut rod. That's where the dial is to change the strut settings . (Can you take that little red dial off? Is the allen wrench insert, under the dial?)

Some might say use an impact gun, but all I have are handtools. If anybody has done this before, please let me know. I'm not in no hurry to swap these in, since my car rides fine. I just want to know how to take that nut off of the Illuminas

 

most top adjustable shocks use a double nut arrangement

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">most top adjustable shocks use a double nut arrangement</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, if there were double nuts, I wouldn't be posting .

Single OEM nut was used. I was not the installer of the Illuminas. They were swapped from my old EG, tophats n all.

 

The top of Koni sports shaft is hexagonal above the threads, so you can use a deep socket to hold it still while you tighten the nuts w/ an open end wrench. Do the Illuminas have anything like that?

Also, have you tried just wrenching on the top nut by itself. Chances are it would just come off. I would think the hard part would be getting it back on. Even if you had a jam nut, it would be just as difficult to remove the second nut once you loosended the 1st one, so I don't think a missing jam nut is your problem...

Good luck...

 

have both of you, 94eg and epd, ever seen a tokico shock before? its not double nutted.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">(Can you take that little red dial off? Is the allen wrench insert, under the dial?)</TD></TR></TABLE>
alpha, yeah, take the red adjuster off. just take some pliers and itll come off. you can reuse it. then install like stock shocks.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">have both of you, 94eg and epd, ever seen a tokico shock before? </TD></TR></TABLE>

No, and I didn't say it was. I stated that even if it were, it would still be just as difficult to remove...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
alpha, yeah, take the red adjuster off. just take some pliers and itll come off. you can reuse it. then install like stock shocks. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks Tyson.

 

My 96-00 kyb agx are double nutted on the front and in the rear it has a flat part on the top of the shaft that you can use a set of pliers or vice grips to hold onto while tightening the nut.

 

i just did the same exact installation on my EK... u have to take off the little red dial. just use a flat head and pry it off