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Thread: L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

  1. #1
    turbo addict
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    L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

    I bought a used set of Koni coilover for my GLH. They came with stock strut mounts and no boots for the shafts. I wanted to use a camber plate with the coilover since it doesn't have a rubber part in there.

    Here are the parts I used to improve my coilovers

    EMPI 86-2199D CV Boot Kit to cover front struts
    EMPI 88-1510K Bellows Kit to cover rear struts
    Blank camber plates http://www.ebay.com/itm/141173611966 (offered him $90 and he took it)
    Special nuts for the camber plate http://www.ebay.com/itm/161148529225
    2 x Mopar 5204595 stock strut mount bearing for L body

    Below are optional, but highly recommended!
    Much better nut than what came with the coilover, can get more threads into the rear shafts. http://www.ebay.com/itm/161148531028
    Monroe ak28, strut to knuckle bolt kits. One of my washer was cracked, I thought I'd replace both side with new parts, on the safe side.
    Rear shock bushings http://polybushings.com/pages/1077.html
    Rear axles bushings http://polybushings.com/pages/moparaxle.html
    Front control arm bushings http://polybushings.com/pages/moparfwdaarm.html


    I'm going to start with the rear, I didn't take any picture but it was super easy. Cut the boot to fit the shaft, get some small zip ties, clean the shaft/shock, put on the boot and zip tie it down. Use an unibit to open up the hole on top mounting plate for the bigger nut, put in new bushings and install. Adjust the ride height after install, then torque everything down.

    This is a cut boot for the front.


    The Koni rear shaft is really short, while using the polybushigs, I found my self running of of threads on the shaft to bolt on the nut that came with the Koni. The "better" nuts is deeper and can compensate for the shorter shaft. I used blue loctite as well.


    For the front,

    Forum search says Neon camber plate would work. It's close, but not close enough for me. Neon is 133mm - 134mm while Omni is 139mm. I would need to enlarge holes on both strut tower and strut bar which I didn't want to do. So I bought blank camber plates instead.

    I marked where I wanted to drill and tap the holes on the blank plates,



    Then I used loctite and bolted two bolts in there. All prepped.


    I cut the boots and used zip ties to hold them down.



    I machined my Knoi coilover shaft to accept a Mopar strut mount bearing which is made in Germany. A pair of bearings is under $20 shipped as well, and the bearings were made exactly for this purpose so you know it will last long. My Koni shaft is 14mm on the small end and 22mm on the big end, the bearing is 14mm for the top hole and 21mm on the big end.




    I clamp down the two hats in a vise, and put the shaft in between them so I can rotate the shaft while I grind



    Cleaned it up with wirewheel


    Test fit








    Installed then adjust ride height. Then torque everything down.



    I swear, it is lowered! Running 205/55R16. Will go back to 205/50R15 soon.



    I probably will go back in and put grease on the exterior of the bearing just on the safe side.
    Hope this thread will help someone.

  2. #2
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

    Keep an eye on those plate. Jon Trotter had a thicker looking plate on his GLHS and it broke.

  3. #3
    turbo addict
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    Re: L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

    Quote Originally Posted by cordes View Post
    Keep an eye on those plate. Jon Trotter had a thicker looking plate on his GLHS and it broke.
    Thanks for the warning, I had a talk with Jon.

    Here's what Jon had, it was Rich's old design prior to the BC stuff he sells now.

    It has a very strange looking off set




    Here's what broke.


    My plate looks to have a lot more material so I think I'll be fine.




  4. #4

    Re: L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

    Well the strut on the side that broke was blown, so I'm thinking that the plate was not the real issue, but after some repeated abuse on the street and track it simply couldn't take anymore stress. I will say the new plates that Rich makes with the kits are thicker. The one that broke was on my car for a while, maybe 8-9 years.

    Having said all that, a steel plate is the way to go and a reinforcing plate underneath is even better. My current setup is camber plate, strut tower metal, ring plate and then two point per strut, strut tower bar. I definitely would do something like the above, looks really good Harry!
    [SIZE="3"] [B]Jon Trotter[/B][/SIZE] [B]1985[/B] Dodge Shelby Charger, Currently decommissioned [B]1987[/B] Shelby GLHS, #937 [B]1987[/B] Shelby Lancer, #628 [QUOTE=Reeves;587010]I can be ready. Please send pics of wife. _____DodgeZ add comments here______[/QUOTE]

  5. #5
    Supporting Member II Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

    Good thread.
    John Laing

    "The sole condition which is required in order to succeed in centralizing the supreme power in a democratic community, is to love equality, or to get men to believe you love it. Thus the science of despotism, which was once so complex is simplified, and reduced . . . . to a single principle."
    -- Alexis de Tocqueville

    "One of the methods used by statists to destroy capitalism consists in establishing controls that tie a given industry hand and foot, making it unable to solve its problems, then declaring that freedom has failed and stronger controls are necessary."
    --Ayn Rand

    "To evolve, you don't need a Constitution. All you need is a legislature and a ballot box . . . . things will evolve as much as you want. All of these changes can come about democratically; you don't need a Constitution to do that and it's not the function of a Constitution to do that."
    -- Justice Antonin Scalia

  6. #6
    turbo addict
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    Re: L body Koni coilover with camber plates and other improvements.

    At max negative camber setting.


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