KONI Sports for Classic Z's

[Zed Head]

Thanks for the clear reply KONI Lee.  You covered all of the bases.

Since the factory struts were designed to be sealed and full of fluid, maybe, for the guys that like to go the extra step, cleaning, priming and painting the inside of the tube would be worthwhile when converting to replaceable cartridges.  Rustproofing via coating, instead of oil.

Oil is kind of messy and can slosh up and cause a grimy strut tube top.  Sometimes people think that their strut is blown when it's just had a cartridge swapped for the old internals.  Just adding a little more to think about.  The old Nissan fishy-smelling oil is what typically ends up back in there.

[DangerBoy703]

can i trouble anyone to tell me if i have this done correctly. i followed the directions as best as i could make them out. i was unable to finish because i needed a spring compressor for the Eibach's so i figured i would double check. gland nut gap is 3.3mm

[grannyknot]

Now is the time to install a bellows or boot to protect shaft.  I've never seen that white plastic disc before, what does it do?

[DangerBoy703]

i dont know what its purpose is. it was in the package with the gland nut and other small parts. that placement is what i took the instructions to say.

[NVZEE]

Plenty of online discussion about these, according to google search, but the Miata gang sums it up well in the meantime:

https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=339914

[DangerBoy703]

i had googled lots before attempting the install but didnt find any Z specific links other than this thread and i do not know enough to know what info i can take from other applications

 

[DangerBoy703]

ok. the reason they gave in that post is the same idea my customer thought of when i was asking him at his garage earlier. thank you for the link.

[KONI Lee]

Those white plastic rings are called "bump plates" and they are intended as an extra layer of protection for the piston rod seals for when the car compresses fast enough for the bump rubber to make contact with the end of the damper body.  The bump plates have two different designs, one a closed ring with a somewhat waffle shape and the other are flat and C shaped with a gap in one side.  Because bump rubbers are round, fast moving, and soft to compress, it is defintiely possible for a bump rubber impact to the top of the strut to drive a puff of compressed air and possibly some road grit into and past the seal lip and into the damper.  The waffle or C shape gives a path for this to just blow out to the side and help protect the seal that much more.  Because KONI dampers are expected to last a very long time, some extra seal protection can be helpful for longevity.

After tightening the gland nut, the first step of reassembly is to just drop the bump plate ove rthe piston rod then reinstall your bump rubber, dust cover, etc.  The Miata forum thread calls the bump plates "packers" which is a relatively common name from the Oval Track Racing world where you might stack several of them to make bump rubber contact happen sooner for a number of possible reasons but you also risk handling and tire grip issues as well.   The comment about them being related to an old, multi-piece style of piston rod seal is something that the poster has made up themselves.  Yes, in the early to mid '80s there was a change in the seal design (I talked about ti earlier in this thread) but bump plates having some involvement with that is just someone interjecting their own assumptions.  I have explained the bump plate installation and usage many times over 23 years but never heard that one before.

  

 

[DangerBoy703]

thank you for the reply KONI Lee and clearing up my question.

[Joseph@TheZStore]

Our apologies to all of the patient 280ZX owners, sorry for the delay, as Koni had to spend some extra time on the more-difficult-to-create rear units to make sure they were right. As far as we can tell, they went into production in mid-July. After that, sea freight generally takes about 6 weeks to arrive to Koni in the U.S., and then from Koni U.S. to our warehouse about another week or so. If all goes according to plan... then hopefully that means we'll have them in stock sometime after mid-September.

We hope to have images soon, and of course will announce it here when they arrive.

280ZX's are awesome!

Why add this in the early forum? First, just in case anybody missed it, all of 70-78 Koni Sports are in stock and ready to ship! And, we know many 280ZX owners in this forum also have earlier Z's. Gotta love Z enthusiasts!

[Joseph@TheZStore]

On 7/31/2019 at 12:59 PM, Joseph@TheZStore said:

Our apologies to all of the patient 280ZX owners, sorry for the delay, as Koni had to spend some extra time on the more-difficult-to-create rear units to make sure they were right. As far as we can tell, they went into production in mid-July. After that, sea freight generally takes about 6 weeks to arrive to Koni in the U.S., and then from Koni U.S. to our warehouse about another week or so. If all goes according to plan... then hopefully that means we'll have them in stock sometime after mid-September.

We hope to have images soon, and of course will announce it here when they arrive.

Oops... Guess what arrived in September just like we said? Our apologies for saying we'd announce it when they arrive, and then neglecting to... Since I had to apologize for my error on the ZX forum, figured I'd do it here as well. Besides, maybe there is a 280ZX in your future?

Here they are! The front 280ZX cartridges look and function basically the same as the 70-78. However the rear shock/spring seat version features a little extra. Note that these are designed with a 3 position spring seat perch. So if you know you will be touring often with lots of luggage and want a bit more ride height, you can set them to the top position. If you want them to ride a little lower, set them to the bottom position (they are set during installation, to change the position later, the struts must be removed). Nice little option to have available, thanks Koni!

So now the Koni Adjustable Sport Yellow Struts/Shocks have been completed for all of 70-83 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, and now 280ZX. We've heard some good reports so far where people like how they function, especially with Eibach Springs.

Thanks again to Koni and Lee Grimes (KONI Lee) for all the great work!

 

[bingo]

Does anybody know if these are digressive or progressive?

Any customer feedback on these yet?