Help! How do I extend/uncompress my shocks?

[jerry S]

I am installing a new export brace. I have the old one off and the new one ready to go on. I was trying to fit the shock tower cap back on and accidentally compressed the shock. I have no idea how to get it back up. It is a Koni. I would appreciate your timely replies.

jS

 

[69 Capecod]

Are you saying that the shock is stuck commpressed it wont come back up. If so buy a new set of shocks.

 

[Max Power]

Konis are stiff both ways. You may just have to remove it and stretch it out.

 

[Edbert]

I'm not sure what you mean by "accidentally compressed". In order to compress any shock worth having it will take significant pressure, once that pressure is removed it should pop back up or into full extension without any effort at all. If it is staying compressed do what capecod said, replace the set (at least the front 2 or probably all four if they were bought together).

 

[jerry S]

I had the shock tower cap off and was trying to manuever it back on when I pushed the shock down a little bit. It was enough not to be able to get the cap back on. And it would not come back up. I settled on forcibly pulling that somebitch up to extend it. I am guessing that the guy who built the car for me has the shocks adjusted for some hard cornering. Anyways, the new export brace is on and it complements the adjustable monte carlo bar Dolfan made for me, the new wires are crimped, and the new billet looms are installed. I cannot upload them because they are too big but the engine is starting to look nice.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

I also find it strange that you shock actually stayed in a compressed position. All the new dampers I've ever seen were wired down so they stayed compressed to keep the boxes smaller. Only the blown-out shocks stayed down....

I cannot upload them because they are too big but the engine is starting to look nice.

Send them to me or anyone with image editing software/Photoshop to cut/compress the jpegs for you.

 

[jerry S]

engine bay pic

here is a pic of the engine bay showing the MPG Heads export brace and the monte carlo bar Dolfan made for me. It is made of 1 inch moa tube an has RH/LH threaded rod ends. Whereas the other guys have to beat theirs' in with a hammer, you can simply rotate the bar and it either extends or retracts, pushing or pulling until the shock towers are in place. This design is superior to everything else. The only drawback is that you have to pull the distributor to do it. The export brace is the same. It has threaded rod ends and you can preload the tension by rotating them. They are very definitely stronger than the export brace that was on there. I was surprised at how flimsy that thing was. It was like a bent paper clip. I set the resolution to low and the quality of the pic is not good but you get the idea.

 

[jerry S]

and this is the

Export brace close up

 

[jerry S]

and one last one

another shot

 

[jerry S]

Konis are stiff both ways. You may just have to remove it and stretch it out.

the odd thing is that it compressed really easy but was a sombitch to get back up. that doesn't sound right to me. It suggests to me that my shocks are not pushing back up. In other words, that I have a problem. It would also explain the rattling and the bone jarring bumps when I drove it last. I was attributing it to having a very stiff suspension. Now I am not so sure. These are brand new, with less than 100 miles on them.