TheSamba.com :: View topic - A Koni Adventure (lots 'o' pics and quite long) FAQ

Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:45 pm

I wanted to do a writeup on the shock swap I just did today.

(Also available here: http://www.donimages.com/73westy/konishocks/ )

Tools needed (for my 73):
3/8" Ratchet
3/8" Breaker (or lots of time and PB Blaster)
19mm 6pt socket
17mm wrench
19mm wrench (vise grips or crescent wrench can be used instead)

If you fit under your bus (a close thing for me!) you do NOT need to jack up your bus. The instructions that came with the shocks said to keep the suspension at normal road extension. In otherwords, if you must raise the bus do it from the suspension, not the body.

New Konis
The box came from BD as two Koni boxes stuffed with newspaper and taped together. I love the way they don't waste packaging! :) Props to BD again for recycling and avoiding waste!!

As you can see in this pic, the rear shocks are MUCH longer than the fronts. No worries about mixing them up! ;)

I'm slightly bothered by the following pics. Apparently Koni was in such a hurry to get these out they didn't let the paint dry completely before boxing them up. Also, there are many places where the paint was chipped off before receipt. Not like they won't get messed up during use, but I don't like sending rust a printed invitation. Not enough of an issue to return the shocks, just a bummer that they weren't "perfect" for $100 a pop.

I set them out of the box to full stiff on the rears and half stiff (one full turn from full stiff) on the fronts.

To adjust, hold the shocks vertically and compress as far as they will go. Then turn! You will feel it engaging a cam or something. You get two full turns of adjustment. Adjust all the way in one direction or the other so you know where you're starting from. Clockwise is stiffer, counter-clockwise is softer.

Rears
The fasteners on the rear shocks were easy because I just replaced the original shocks with KYB Gas A Justs about a year ago.

I *strongly* recommend loosening both ends of the shock a few turns to start with, then removing the bottom one. Reason being that, especially if you have gas shocks, the shock will expand down. I also recommend some sort of cage to catch the bottom of the shock in case it expands quickly. Not an issue with oil shocks, but these KYBs were under quite a bit of pressure. Because they were in good condition they didn't expand enough to get caught in my jackstand/cage. But still, I've seen old gas shocks with worn seals shoot the end off when the bolt was removed.

Undo bottom bolt with the 19mm socket on the bolt head and the 17mm wrench on the nut at the other end. Pull the nut out and let the shock extend. Undo the top bolt with the 19mm socket (captive nut on other side).

Clean up the bolts and nuts with PB Blaster and a toothbrush. Dry off with air (if available) and apply a drop of thread lock. Smear oil or grease on the smooth sections of the bolts. The only reason I used the thread lock was because when I installed the KYBs one of the bolts came loose a few days later. :oops:

Install top first finger tight, then bottom. Tighten both. I don't have a torque wrench, so my 6" ratchet was my guide.

Fronts
My front shocks were still the original Sachs plastic body shocks. I don't think those nuts had been off since 1972. Even with the breaker bar I needed a few minuts of PB Blaster to get them loose.

In the fronts, the bolts on the bottom thread straight into the knuckle. The top bolt has a nut on the other side of the frame that, of course, can't be reached from under the bus. Luckily the gap between the tire and the dogleg was large enough to get in there.

Again, loosen both then remove the bottom. My old shocks weren't gas shocks so it didn't really matter. Just convenience of having the shock hang instead of flopping in my way. ;)

I spaced on taking after pics of the fronts. Sorry... :oops: I was too excited and wanted to try the new shocks!

But here's the old shocks out of the bus:

And the label of the Sachs that were on the front:

The front shocks were VERY worn. My 2 year old could easily compress and expand these. The KYBs still felt like they did when new however.

Conclusion
I should say that when I replaced my Sachs on the rear with the KYBs I was completely stoked! They made a huge difference! Since the front didn't appear to stick or bounce I left the original ones with the intention of replacing them with Boges or something. Until the Koni deal came along.

But I was pretty skeptical. I trust Richard's description, but it's one of those gotta-see-it-to-believe-it things. Busses wallow and are subject to the wind's every whim. Everybody sez so. So how much difference could shocks make to that situation?

An amazing difference.

Lateral stability improved 80%!! Yes, that number is correct. Winds barely move the bus now. Even the twisty-turny winds here in Colorado.

Longitudinal (sp? it's been a long day...) stability improved at least 50% if not more. Brake dive and take-off crouching are cut at least in half.

I don't believe these are exaggerations.

Not only that, but the bus feels much more surefooted. Confident. It feels like a much newer vehicle. In fact, it feels more stable than my Volvo. Bumps in the road are still felt but they don't control my bus anymore. I'm in control now and the bus goes where I point it. Not where a bump in the road or a crosswind decides it needs to go.

That said, the ride is very stiff. I definitely feel every little bump and plate in the road. I think I want to take the fronts down another 1/2 turn. But I'll give 'em a few weeks first to decide I want to do that.

Whew. That was long. Time to read stories to my daughter!

Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:51 pm

awesome! this is a great write up and will help lots of people. thanks!

Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:57 pm

I've got mine on full soft and experience all the benefits you describe plus my ride is not overly harsh at all....I may stiffen the rears but I want to drive it as is a little longer 1st. My bus drives so much better with these shocks, it's very much like a modern truck. The wind and bumps in the road do not effect my buses direction to the degree that they used to, a semi passing me is no big deal anymore.

Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:15 pm

Nice write-up.

It must be nice. I have neither the opportunity or money so I'll just be jealous instead. :wink:

Back when you could buy a brand new seventy-something VW van, a neighbor swapped his factory new shocks for Konis. He said the difference was startling. His wife wouldn't even ride in the van before the Konis were installed.

Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:19 pm

I'm with on that... I've sunk about 3K into this bus this year after buying it back in April for 3500.... thus I'm about topped out. I just layed out about 200 for tools yesterday so I can start doing some of my own maintenance. The shocks would be great.. but I've got other priorities... such as fuel lines and tires. Muffler is on the distant list as well.

Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:43 pm

Thanks much for the great information. My full set should be on their way as I write this. I'm reading everything I can find on how everyone with Koni's has adjusted them and finds the ride. I have Go Westy's 15" tire and wheel setup, new KYB's, along with front and rear sway bars and it handles really well now..except in strong wind conditions. But after reading all the great reviews on the Koni's I went ahead and ordered a set for myself...and can't wait for that first drive! Thanks to everyone for sharing. I'm still skeptical on how shocks can be that much help in strong gusty winds, but I'm willing to get the best if they work as well as everyone says.

Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:54 pm

The set I got from Classic Garage had the same kind of scratches too. I had some red spray paint and taped them off and touched them up so they wouldn't rust at the bare spots. I set mine at factory soft on the front, and 1/2 turn on the rears and it seems very nice right now. I had new KYB's all the way around, and this is a much improved ride by far.

Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:02 pm

Damn you Duroc!!! Now I have another project that Im just gonna HAVE to do. I just finished a trip with that rattling sound where the front shocks hit againts themselves.

Every stinking time I get on the samba and start reading I find another must do. :x

Good write up though, thanks.

Fri Jul 08, 2005 10:28 pm

Thanks, this is really helpful! I ordered a set too and look forward to improving the bus' handling in the wind. (As you know, there is a lot of wind here in the summer).

Sat Jul 09, 2005 3:59 pm

thanks for the info and pics, i am awaiting mine and still feeling a bit sick about the price, but you've definately eased my mind a good bit.
great post,
keith

Sat Jul 09, 2005 4:23 pm

Nice post you lucky sod! If I had the money I would have got some too, but still, something to aspire too after my new heads and paint and Audi wheels.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 4:45 pm

Devon-Dyno-Soar118 wrote: something to aspire too after my new heads and paint and Audi wheels.

:shock:

AFTER?!?!?!

Trust me on this. You want these yesterday. There are some sets available in europe judging by the posts by ratwell and others. Get them while you can.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 5:12 pm

DurocShark wrote: Devon-Dyno-Soar118 wrote: something to aspire too after my new heads and paint and Audi wheels.

:shock:

AFTER?!?!?!

Trust me on this. You want these yesterday. There are some sets available in europe judging by the posts by ratwell and others. Get them while you can.

Without doubt truer words have not been spoken, these shocks make the bus ride like a dream! I have spent most of the day finding all the roads that used to rattle my bay window bones, and now I just :D .

Get 'em while ya still can, even if ya have to resort to eating beans and rice for a month. You will love yourself later for it.

Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:51 am

I could use a set for my 71 westy. I was thinking about KYB Gas-A-Just but you all have some pretty compelling arguments for these Konis...Soooo, where can I still get them? I did a cursory search on Google and came up with squat. If it turns out that I can't get these bad boys, what's the next best alternative?

Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:20 am

Rear koni's should be fairly easy to find as they are being made.....The front are another story.....I've heard there's another batch bein made but I don't knoe squat more than this.

Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:52 am

Those Konis all came out of the Bus Depot IIRC.

There are some other oil filled shocks on the website. Gas Adjusts are a little stifff for the front. If you do go gas, GR-2s are better up front.

Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:22 pm

Randy in Maine wrote: Those Konis all came out of the Bus Depot IIRC.

There are some other oil filled shocks on the website. Gas Adjusts are a little stifff for the front. If you do go gas, GR-2s are better up front.

I went to the Bus depot website but could'nt find them anywhere.
Anywhere else where they might be found?

Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:30 pm

any of you koni drivers wanna donate a set of lightly used KYB's for my 73 beater?

Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:36 pm

http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=AL1462

Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:42 pm

If I can talk my wife into letting me buy another set of koni's from Europe, I have a great set of cofabs on my 73 I will give you. This will have to happen after my move however.
Best regards,
John