Hi,

I recently installed Koni Yellows + H&R Lowering Springs+Lower End links this Sunday, then got an alignment on Monday. Last summer had a rear sway bar installed. Anyways, I started to notice some deep knocking noise coming from the rear end on Tuesday, and Today I'm noticing the knocking is more noticeable. I took the car back to the alignment shop and they said one of the end links bolts was lose and they tight it up. I left the shop, and the noise is still there. I read on other threads this issue maybe caused by the top shock bolt is loose.

I'm taking a look at the shock tomorrow or Friday to check for any loose bolts. I had few questions in mind I wanted to pass by you (And sorry for the noob questions some of you might find):
1. what's the torque amount needs to be on the top shaft bolt?
2. the rear shocks came with 3 washers(1x white plastic, 1x inside grooved metal washer, 1x open metal washer). I understand the grooved washer sits in the shaft to replace the original washer because too small, and the plastic washer is used to replace the smaller metal washer that sits on top of the upper shock bushings, which i replaced with a similar metal one I picked up from a home supply store nearby, but I'm not sure the other open washer is for. Any ideas where it goes? and Do i need to swap out the metal one i picked up from the home supply store with plastic one provided with the shock? Can anyone confirm the plastic washer sits on top of the upper shock bushings and is not the wash that goes first in the shock?

3. i found one of the oem bump stop bushings has a crack in one, if i decided to replace the oem ones with powerflex bushings. will i need to make any modification to fit the thicker Koni shaft like i did with the oem, or do you guys suggest sticking with the oem bushing?

4. Also, if i already got an alignment, if I'm deassembling the rear shocks again, do I need to get alignment again?

Many thanks in advance and all input is appreciated.

Regards

 

You won't be able to put much torque on the top nut since there is a very small hex/allen to counter-hold the shock shaft. Just get it good and tight. I don't know if there is an actual torque spec or not but you wouldn't be able to put a torque wrench on it anyways unless you had a crows-foot extension and did the torque calculations for using an extension.

Are you talking about this plastic spacer? If so then that does not go on the top of the shock mount. This is split so you can fit it around the shock shaft and it sits all the way down below the bump stops. I keeps the bump stop from forming a seal when the shock is all the way compressed and potentially "sucking" the seal out of the shock body. It's not really an issue any more but Koni still includes them since they don't hurt anything.


I wouldn't bother replacing the OEM bumpstops with Poweflex unless yours are damaged beyond use. You did cut them shorter like Koni recommends?

There are only 3 bolts holding the shock into the car. 2 at the upper shock mount and big bolt holding the bottom of the shock to the trailing arm. You won't mess up your alignment if these are the only three bolts you mess with.

 

Thank you for your input v10climber;
the koni yellows don't have a hex/alen on the shaft's top like the oe struts to hold the struts shaft from rotating so i just used a regular wrench to torque the top bolt, maybe i didn't torque it tight enough but i will try to hold the shaft from moving with a strap wrench i guess.
The plastic spacer was never used during my install, but i guess i will add it just to be safe.
the bumpstops were never shortened(there's no where in the instruction that states that, i just trimmed the washer groove so it fits the bigger koni washer. i wasn't sure if i needed to shorten it since i wanted to keep the progressive travel of the spring.

there's another washer i didn't install beside the plastic spacer that came with the rear shock kit. see image

 

found the issue..top bolt was loose.
Thank you

 

Do you mind telling me if you did an alignment again after tightening the top bolt?

 

yes, i did

 

I found top bolts loose too. I tightened them up without doing another alignment though.

 

glad to hear it was a simple fix as well. you should be ok. I only did the re-alignment because the shop promised it was free because they messed with the lower control arms.

 

I had noise going on like a symphany doing the suspension overhaul both front and back.

Solved the noise issues one by one:

1. Sway bar endlink bolts loose
2. Lower control arm bolts loose
3. Strut top bolts loose
4. Sway bar bushings worn or lack of lubrication

Now they are all quiet! Except, of course, some interior plastic minor rattling, which I learned to ignore completely.