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I'm assembling the shock and coilovers. The instructions show the white plastic slit washer goes on top of the shock body. How do I get it on to the shock? The washer feels as if its going to break when I try to open it to get over the shaft of the shock And the top hat weld prevents the washer from just sliding down the top of the shaft



Also want to confirm that I have the GC hardware correct before I assemble everything. The washer laying down to the left is suppose to go on top of the OEM dust cover. I'm using custom rubber boot covers so it's not needed. Also, the metal hollow shaft is inside the bumpstop.



Thanks for any feedback



Modified by Hybrid93Hatch at 1:07 AM 8/28/2006

 

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1106020

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slammed_93_hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1106020</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've already looked at that thread and numerous other related threads.
I can't even tell in the one pic if the white washer is installed or it's the light from the link above

 

the white plastic washer, which is the dust cover as listed in .RJ's thread goes where you were trying to put it.....undernieth the bumpstop. Just put it over the shaft. It won't break unless you're doing something very wrong.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Also want to confirm that I have the GC hardware correct before I assemble everything. The washer laying down to the left is suppose to go on top of the OEM dust cover. I'm using custom rubber boot covers so it's not needed. Also, the metal hollow shaft is inside the bumpstop.


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This is not quite right either. The Hollow shaft does not go in the bumpstop. It replaces the hollow shaft inside the two rubber bushings in the top hat. on the shock it goes.....white split washer, bumpstop, thick metal washer and then the tophat with the concave washer on top and the two nuts. Hope this helps.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Erik95LS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the white plastic washer, which is the dust cover as listed in .RJ's thread goes where you were trying to put it.....undernieth the bumpstop. Just put it over the shaft. It won't break unless you're doing something very wrong.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What is the best way to get the washer onto the shaft? It doesn't give much when trying to open the slit


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is not quite right either. The Hollow shaft does not go in the bumpstop.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Now I am really glad I posted this

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It replaces the hollow shaft inside the two rubber bushings in the top hat. on the shock it goes.....white split washer, bumpstop, thick metal washer and then the tophat with the concave washer on top and the two nuts. Hope this helps.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Will I even need the metal top hat hollow shaft with the GC extended top hats?
I'm at work and can look when I get home.

Thanks for the help!

 

There's a slit on the white plastic C-washer so you can bend it and put it on the shaft. It feels like it's going to break because it's brand new.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK k kay &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There's a slit on the white plastic C-washer so you can bend it and put it on the shaft. It feels like it's going to break because it's brand new.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Worked

Now since I obviously don't have a clue to what I am doing

Will I be using the hollow shafts w/ the GC top hats as seen in the picture below:



Thanks again guys

 

yes you have to use those collars/sleeves with the tophats. they are a pain to push into the poly bushigns' hole but its not that hard.

 

sounds like you've got it now.

 

Just finished installing washers, top hat shafts, and dust boots.



How the hell do I add the 2nd nut? It seems that the top hat is all the way down on the shock weld. When I push the top hat down the shock compresses. I can'
t even see any threads with the first nut in place hand tightened. If I tighten the nut down with a wrench, I need to hold the shocks shaft so it doesn't rotate, right?

 

yes...thats what i did i found a ratchet and used a socket to hold the shock rod, and then just used a open ended wrench to tighten the nut all the way down untill it stops on that sleeve thing you put inside those bushings and then added the second nut, the second one doesn't require all the much torque, just prevents the first one from rotating.

i'd use the flat washers that the tophats came with rather than the stock-"C" cup like washers that you have on right now. At least, thats how my top hats came directly from GC.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chrisw85 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yes...thats what i did i found a ratchet and used a socket to hold the shock rod, and then just used a open ended wrench to tighten the nut all the way down untill it stops on that sleeve thing you put inside those bushings and then added the second nut, the second one doesn't require all the much torque, just prevents the first one from rotating.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I took the top hat off of one and placed it back onto the shock w/o the hollow tophat shafts. I notice there was about 1" of thread for the nuts to be tightened down onto. Upon further investigation I then realized the problem and why there are no excess threads on top for the 2nd washer:

The hollow shaft was pushing the bushing underneath the top hat down toward the shock rather than sitting up top against the top hat It's a PITA to get this right, but I've found a pretty effective way to get this done. Now without even using any tools besides my hands and the a$$ of a screwdriver, both nuts are on with 4 threads remaining (I have pics of everything that I will post when all is done)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
i'd use the flat washers that the tophats came with rather than the stock-"C" cup like washers that you have on right now. At least, thats how my top hats came directly from GC.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you are referring to the white plastic washer, it came with the Konis
My top hats did not come with any washers.

 

As you tighten the first nut down on the end of the shock shaft, it will begin to compress those two stiff *** bushingsinside the top-hat. Just keep going until they compress enough for the end washers to bottom out on the metal sleeve inside. I had to use a medium sized rachet w/a deep socket, a open-ended wrench, and a friend to screw each one down. It's a Pain in the *** and it takes forever, but thats how it must be done. You don't put the second jamb-nut on until the other one is all the way down. If it's done correctly, you should have quite a bit of the threaded end of the shock shaft sticking up out of that second nut...

 

Damn, one of the two top hat threads is not holding in the top hat. So, the nut just spins on the thread and I can't tighten the shock to the inside of the hatch

I removed the thread from the top hat, put it back in, and it will not seat/thread tight

 

Those studs are just pressed into the top hat. I have heard that this is a common problem. You can try installing them & putting the car on the ground. The weight of the car pushing against the back-side of the stud may be enough to hold it steady as you tighten the nut. The only problem is that the nuts have nylon inserts, so they create a lot of drag on the stud as you tighten them down (causes the stud to spin).

If that doesn't help, give GC a call & see if they will replace them...

 

seems like it would be a warranty issue.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94eg! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Those studs are just pressed into the top hat.</TD></TR></TABLE>

They are threaded. You can see the threads when the stud is removed.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have heard that this is a common problem. You can try installing them & putting the car on the ground. The weight of the car pushing against the back-side of the stud may be enough to hold it steady as you tighten the nut. The only problem is that the nuts have nylon inserts, so they create a lot of drag on the stud as you tighten them down (causes the stud to spin).

If that doesn't help, give GC a call & see if they will replace them...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm going to try that and see if I can torque the nut to spec. Hopefully I can still get a proper function hat since they are brand new.

Thanks guys!

 

I had the problem with the top hats studs spinning. Just bounce up and down on that corner, or roll the car up and dwn the driveway to unsettle everything. The weigh of the car will eventually get it to grab. If you live on a quiet street, maybe CAREFULLY and SLOWLY drive down the block and back. That should surely set it on good.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The hollow shaft was pushing the bushing underneath the top hat down toward the shock rather than sitting up top against the top hat It's a PITA to get this right, but I've found a pretty effective way to get this done.
</TD></TR></TABLE>


the easiest way i've found to get that bushing sleeve/collar inside is to put the fisrt bushing inside the tophat on top, then push the metal sleeve in from under neath, and then push the other bushign onto the metal sleeve from underneath. Really, if you put just the metal sleeve thing on the shock shaft (with that thick bumpstop washer on), the remaining threads is what you should have seen when you tighten the nuts down, minus the thickness of the top bushing washer, and the two nuts.

 

oh and the quickest thing to keep the top hat studs from spinning, jb weld them. but then they could spin again when removing the nuts. you could try tack welding the alum to the steel studs...