Adamant1971

Finally got around to putting the Konis on my 87. Removal was fairly easy, and the threaded rings came off without too much trouble.

But damn those pins are a bitch to get back in when your car is only on jack stands. I had to quit before I got the big hammer out.

I'm thinking I might try removing the callipers and rotors so I can work the pin in from the front. I have searched and it seems that might be easier.

I also read that loosening the three mounting nuts may help align it as well.

Any other tips or tricks?

jcorenman

Adam, are the shocks oriented the correct way around? There is a slight angle to the bottom mount, if reversed then the pin is exceedingly reluctant to go back in.

Adamant1971

Yes, they are oriented correctly. I had the pin through the shock, so that part is good. The car is on jack stands below the 88 that I'm restoring for a client, so work space is more than tight, that and a long day wrenching probably played a roll in my pin frustrations.

The conical washers kept dropping out as I was trying to wiggle everything into alignment. I will try some thick grease on those to hold them in place. But I think I may just pull the brakes and insert the pin from the front, at least then one of conical washers is not going anywhere, once the pin is partially in.

Speedtoys

Patience...patience...once you get the 'feel' its a 60 second job to tap em in nice and gently.

Ive always done them from the rear..no issues...i only slide the washers in..once the pin gets far enough to hold them there.

FredR

Yes it is a bit tricky - I found it helps by feeding a dowel of some kind from the other side of the bolt to retain those washers and then as you feed the bolt back in it pushes the dowel out. On one side I used both pins and when I fitted the other side I then used a long extension bar from my socket set.
As Jeff says just a question of patience.

The second one went in much easier that the first one I reassembled.

Rgds

Fred

Ad0911

I put in the pins with the banana disconnected from the subframe and front mounting. Very easy that way. But you will need new alignment after that.

Adamant1971

New shocks all around and I'm lowering it a bit so it will be aligned.

That sounds like a good option.

RET

This made things simple and easy. I cut a piece from a scrap pivot pin, tapered one end and bored a hole in the other end to clear the threads of the pin to be installed.

Sorry for the picture quality.

Adamant1971

Nice

mark kibort

i sometimes use a large screwdriver to "move things around " as i push the pin through all the holes and washers.
this bored out and threaded pin is a nice idea .

FredR

Mark,

I rather thought you would have used your baseball bat -

Rgds

Fred

StratfordShark

Very elegant work.

That horizontal support bolt for crossmember is also much easier with a taper. I wish I had your metalworking skills and tools to do either!

For the suspension pins I used long extension to help align things from other side, and pushed pin through one hole/washer at a time. It could be really frustrating at times, other times it's been quick and easy. One of those jobs when taking a break works magic!

Mrmerlin

make sure you have the lower sway bar link removed from each LCA

MFranke

Having recently done 4 of these, the main thing is finesse it. Be patient. Push the assembly down to help line it up.

dr bob

My toolbox includes several sizes of roll-head bars and other alignment bars and pins. . Tapered on one end so it works well for piloting pins like this, a slipper -foot on other end for odd-angle prying tasks. Medium one for the suspension pins, small one is perfect for getting those braces by the motor mounts lined up in advance of the bolts.