Planning to install Koni yellows with H&R springs next Monday. I've been reading up on the installation, but I'm puzzled on how to tighten the top nut on the front strut assembly with the Konis.

The Konis do not have the 6mm socket in the top of the strut shaft as the OEM struts do, to use to counter-hold the shaft while tightening the top nut.

My question to those who have installed Konis, is how do you hold the strut shaft stationary down in the strut bearing while you tighten the top nut? I'm prepared to buy the 19mm strut socket to tighten the nut, but without being able to keep the shaft from turning, I don't know how I'll get the required torque on the nut.

Or, does the Koni shaft stick up farther out of the strut bearing than the OEM strut, so you can get an open-end wrench on the flats on the shaft, and a box end wrench on the top nut?

Many thanks.

 

I don't have the Koni's, but I had a similar situation with my coilovers. I didn't really like the method I used, but it worked. I placed the socket on the nut, and then put a long allen wrench through the middle of it into the top of the strut to hold it still. I had a friend hold the allen wrench while I tightened the nut. Hope this helps.

 

That's an interesting question. As you know on the Yellows the top of the rod has the adjustment tab so you can not utilize the allen wrench method. The spec is for 46 lb ft. I assembled everything and released the spring. The pressure from the spring held the rod in place enough to get it fairly tight. Before I went back to the instructions from Koni I brushed up on my Sand Scrit. Feeling good about my review I went over the instructions again and from my interpretation of the instructions, I took a rag, grabbed a pair of channel locks and grabbed onto the rod as near the top as I could and finished tightening. No marks on the rod and they work cherry. It worked for me. Do proceed with caution.

When you see the instructions tell me you come to the same conclusion as I.

 

Thanks, folks. And yes, JasonB, applying my knowledge of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics has helped a little in trying to understand the Koni "instructions". So, the strut shaft does stick up far out of the strut bearing to get the channel locks on it? It's not buried down in the bearing hole? There are 10mm flats just under the adjustment tab. If the rod is up high enough, an open end on the flats and a box end on the top nut should work, right? Just can't get a torque wrench on the top nut in any scenario, it appears.

 

I realize this is an old thread but wanted to offer an alternative to tightening the top nut on the Konis for anyone else about to attempt this DIY project. The pics were taken after installation because I forgot to take them earlier, but it should still be helpful for anyone that needs a visual.

-I ground flats on a 19 mm 1/2" drive deep socket using a bench grinder to fit a 22mm crows foot socket for my torque wrench
-Place and 11mm 1/4" drive socket on strut shaft for the front (9mm for the rears).
-Place modified 19mm deep socket over the 11mm socket for the strut shaft nut.
-Place 1/4" drive extension through the 19mm socket to connect to 11mm socket
-Used a 1/4" to 3/8" adapter to connect extension to a breaker bar to hold down strut shaft.
-Torqued down to 37 FT-lb per Koni assembly instructions

Hope someone finds this handy in the future.

 

I did this about a month ago, and just used a box wrench on the nut and a open end on the shaft. I didn't torque them, just got them tight. I'm scratching my head reading this, because I didn't think it was a big deal, maybe I underestimated something? I tightened them before I put them in the car.

Mike