RJ80

If anyone needs a set of 951 or S2/968 strut housings already cut to accept Koni inserts, I have sets for both cars ready to go -- projects I never used for my cars. They're even painted a close match to Koni yellow so they'll match the rear shocks. Feel free to PM me.

fristajlo

Thank you!

neunfünfeins

Seems odd. So... what's different about S2 struts exactly? And more importantly, why?

Endoman

As far as I'm aware it's onlY the M030 struts which have smaller dianeter springs.
Std S2 and 968 Springs are interchangeable but different lenghts and rates. I have a set of 968 Sport springs which will fit an S2 shock but went for the Paragon coil over kit with Koni inserts.

audi49

Jason (or anyone)... i'm in the process of doing this job on my '88 944 base. Going well (very good tutorial). Any recommendations for the settings on these koni's... relative to full soft? My use is weekend/street driving. Thanks.

mel_t_vin

Believe you misinterpreted what was said. The springs between S2 struts and 968 struts are interchangeable.

But neither springs are interchangeable with 944/951 struts, as the S2/968 perches/hats are smaller diameter.

neunfünfeins

Thanks. Well, no, I was asking about the struts actually... because of an earlier statement that you couldn't mix springs and struts. I think between the various responses, I have a clearer picture.

Thing I still don't really get is why.
Chassis-wise and weight-wise, Turbo & S2 have more in common than Turbo & NA. 968 is a different animal, and heavier. Seems kind of arbitrary to have made S2 diameter smaller, and then use same geometry for 968.

Best I can come up with is, of the 944 models, the S2 is the "newest" design.

fristajlo

So I'm pretty much done with this procedure, no big problems on the way. New inserts are in their place. There is one thing though that I'm struggling with. The top centre nut (with spring washer beneath) is supposed to be torqued to 80 nm, pretty much in other words. Tried to use a torque wrench as far as I could, not sure if I managed 80 nm. Anyway in this case it's a matter of tightening as much as possible. When I do this it is no longer possible to turn the top bearing assembly by hand. Is it supposed to be that way? It is completely stuck. I have not done this kind of operation before so I don't know what the top strut bearing is supposed to feel like with the strut out of the car.
All input into this matter is welcome!

thomasmryan

the upper spring perch should rest on the center race of the upper mount bearing only. does your model show a spring washer between the two?

fristajlo

My description was unclear, sorry. English is not my first language. The spring washer is directly under the top nut (the nut is an ordinary one, not a lock nut). There is nothing between the parts you describe (if I understood it correctly). I assembled the top parts exactly as they were when I took them apart.

fristajlo

Top nut and washer
These are supposed to be able to rotate if I'm not mistaken. Not possible when torqued.

thomasmryan

yes, the koni supplied lock washer goes under the upper mounting nut.

you may need to disassemble and add a spring washer on top of the upper perch that is the size as the inner race of the strut hat/mount. are the bearings ok in your upper mounts? the early version is a cheap repair but the later version is costly.

thomasmryan

that is the early version of the upper mount.

fristajlo

thank you. Should there be washers there from start? Were not present when I took it apart. Possible that previous owner messed it up. Does it have to be spring washers?
Bearings are replaced as the old were shot.
(This could explain why the previous top nut pretty much was finger tight)

fristajlo

Just to make sure, the extra washer goes in between 16 and 9(10)? My number 9 goes in from the top of 10, so this diagram isn't exactly like my setup.