Quick question regarding GC/Koni w/tophats.

My shocks came with different metal washers (thick and narrow, thin and wide) 2 of each, which lead to confusion.
(I noticed difference was minimum in both grith and width of metal washers)

Which am I suppose to use?

Also, the installation papers GC supplied mentioned using the bottom half portion of stock shocks, and upper half of bumpstops that comes with tophats.
What if I don't have stock bumpstops?

Would it produce a significant difference between shock travel and/or ride quality if I use the bumpstop supplied by GC without cutting?

The illustration below is my ideal installation on the bumpstops if using GC bumpstops cut without stock bumpstops.

Please correct me if this picture is incorrect as I am trying to get the best of this set-up.

TIA

 

You shouldn't cut the GC supplied bumpstops. They are significantly softer than the OEM ones, and won't do much to prevent bottoming if you cut them.

Your picture does look like the correct install to me, but its been a while since I did my install. Hopefully someone else will chime in and reaffirm that.

 

Sounds like GC bumpstops are made from some type of foam is true. Appreciate your input.

Anyway to the lazy folks that don't read everything,

- Which metal washer do I use? (thin or thick)

- Can I use the bumpstop w/o cutting?

One more,

Should bumpstop size be modified according to ride height (i.e. lower height=shorter the bumpstop)?

 

In for washer info too

 

The smaller washer that comes with Koni shocks is equivalent to the "bumpstop plate" on the stock shocks, which is that weird shaped washer w/ the tapered hole that the bumpstop fits against. The Koni shocks have a metal collar welded to the shaft (the black square in your diagram) and the smaller, thicker washer sits on top of that.

If you were to use regular springs on the shocks w/ the stock dust covers, then you install the dust cover over the smaller washer, and then the larger, thinner washer on top of that. I installed both washers even when I had GC's and no stock dust covers, but you really only need the smaller, thicker washer.

 

you don't cut the bumpstop unless it's stock bumpstops. however, the lower your car is, the longer your bumpstop should be to help prevent the shock from bottoming out

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DefiantGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you don't cut the bumpstop unless it's stock bumpstops. however, the lower your car is, the longer your bumpstop should be to help prevent the shock from bottoming out</TD></TR></TABLE>
Can anybody else confirm this?


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you really only need the smaller, thicker washer.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Thank you sir.
I'm using GC coilovers with tophats and Koni sport shocks.
I already have a hard time installing the tophat using one washer, which is why I asked if it is possible to install with two.
(read below for more details)


I tried installing the tophats with one washer(thick) on and bumped into another problem.

- How do you leave some extra threads on top of the shock while using both nuts supplied? (and possibly both washers?)

I've read that you have to keep on wrenching with a deep socket until you 'hear' the bushings inside the tophats compress and only one nut is necessary for the tophats. Is this true?

This is as far as I could get and you can notice there is not enough room for another nut.



note:
- The tophat is actually sitting on top of the metal washer, as oppose to this picture which shows a gap between washer and tophat.

-The spring was not drawn in this illustration. This is already challenging my artistic abilities.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DefiantGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you don't cut the bumpstop unless it's stock bumpstops. however, the lower your car is, the longer your bumpstop should be to help prevent the shock from bottoming out</TD></TR></TABLE>

Absolutely not. The lower your car is, the more likely you're going to bottom out with stock-length OEM bumpstops. So you have to cut them to gain a little extra shock travel.

Now I've never had the top hats before so I can't comment on assembling those.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The lower your car is, the more likely you're going to bottom out with stock-length OEM bumpstops. So you have to cut them to gain a little extra shock travel.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Would this apply to GC bumpstops as well? I've read that these bumpstops are made of softer materials than OEM bumpstops.


The instructions supplied with GC is confusing,

- On one page, it says use bottom portion of OEM bumpstops (cut in half) and upper portion of GC bumpstops (cut in half).

- On another page, it says use GC bumpstops uncut.

- On the last page, it says use bottom portion of GC bumpstops cut in half.

 

I think you should call up GC and get them to clarify it for you.

But think about this: why would GC provide you with their own bumpstop, and then tell you to cut it in half? They would have just made it smaller if it needed to be smaller.

 

That's what I'm saying. As stupid as it sounds, that's what it says in the instuctions.

I tried calling GC and spoke to 3 different people who had NO IDEA what I was talking about and said the person who works in technical division was not there. Ended up putting me on hold forever and just when I thought the line was clear, they hung up on me.

I'm suprised all the GC/Koni people didn't jump on this topic, when almost everybody on HT claims experience/ownership on this set-up.

 

I do not believe that you are to cut the bumpstops included with the GC tophats. I did not cut my included bumpstops and based my judgment off the fact that they say "includes custom bump stops" on their site. If you look at the bottom of their bumpstops it looks like they've already been cut to their specs.

I have had zero problems and have plenty of travel.

 

Thanks for confirming the bumpstops.

One last question,
When putting in metal sleeve/shaft on the topmount bushings,
Should the end of sleeve sit on top of bottom bushing?
Or should I push it down more so both bushings are held by sleeve?
As of now, top of the sleeve is sitting flush on the upper bushing, while if I look from under the tophat, I can see that it only fills up the upper bushing barely touching the bottom bushing. Here are illustrations to help further understanding.





When I wrench the top nut down would the sleeve sit in between the gap by itself?
If so, how would I replace the bushings if damaged down the road?
These sleeves are a bitch to pull out.

 

hmmm that's odd that it would be like that. On stock upper mounts, the metal sleeve goes through both bushings, and actually bears against the washers above the bump stop. This means that when you tighten the top nut, the washers above and below the bushings (w/ sleeve) are actually tightening up against the metal sleeve, and not squeezing and deforming the bushings.

Did those sleeves come with the GC upper mounts? Without it being long enough to go through both bushings, I would think that bottom bushing would get squished between your washer above the bumpstop and the washer on top of the bushings where the top nuts go.

 

As you tighten the bottom of the two nuts on the shock the metal sleeve should pop through and sit inside the bottom bushing and eventually reach the bottom of lower bushing. Look at some peoples install photos and you'll see their top bushings curve a little bit like an umbrella. Make sure the washer thing is setting so the dish is facing up.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the metal sleeve goes through both bushings, and actually bears against the washers above the bump stop.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Good info!
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did those sleeves come with the GC upper mounts?</TD></TR></TABLE>
It came with the Koni package and are to be used with GC tophats.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by the weasel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As you tighten the bottom of the two nuts on the shock the metal sleeve should pop through and sit inside the bottom bushing and eventually reach the bottom of lower bushing.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Thank you, I have read and heard of this but, it feels like I'm gonna break something (I'm known for unintentionally over-tightening and breaking).

For some reason, my 21mm keeps popping out after about 5-6 turns. Am I using the wrong size?

I disassembled everything to check if the sleeve moved down. No luck.
This thing's starting to get on my nerves. My partner went to pick up some brew after I started kicking a tree over some bushings haha.
Helllllllp!!

While I'm at it, this is how my bumpstops from GC looks.
Please ignore the numbers and lines drawn across the bumpstops.
Does this look right?
Still no cutting necessary?

 

man i never thought this could be so complicated.

Bump stop length isn't super important, but as a rule of them when i installed many sets i always made it so that the bump stop sat completely in the upper mount.

The metal sleeve you fit in both. Because the GC mounts come with Urethane and not rubber in the top hat, the sleeve is just a tad short. You can get the metal sleeve into both with the mount out of the car, but when you put it in it will go into both so it really doesn't matter.

 

21mm? The 2 jam nuts that go on top of my Koni shocks take a 19mm socket. Deep socket of course to make sure you don't damage the adjusting tab on top.

 

Though I couldn't leave much threads on top of two nuts, got everything assembled!
Appreciate the help y'all!!



Modified by doubleshotz at 4:53 PM 10/3/2007

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by doubleshotz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Though I couldn't leave much threads on top of two nuts, got everything assembled!
Appreciate the help y'all!!

Modified by doubleshotz at 4:53 PM 10/3/2007</TD></TR></TABLE>

Enjoy the ride

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by the weasel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Enjoy the ride </TD></TR></TABLE>
Thank you sir

 

nice MS Paint work!