Wagon owners with coilovers (or adjustible shocks)? how to adjust the rears?

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

I've searched and cannot seem to find an answer to this.

I have the Koni inserts on the front of my wagon, and the regular shocks on the back.  They have adjusters on the top of the shock that you can adjust the firmness with.  The front is no problem because the adjuster knobs stick out of the top of the shock tower.  But the rears are buried under the car, so adjustment is not very easy.

How do you wagon owners deal with the rear shock adjustments?  Do you put a hole in your cargo area?  Or do you really take the shocks out every time you want to adjust.

Side question:  one of my front Koni's only has 1 full turn of adjustment and the other side has 2 full turns.  Any ideas what the issue could be?  Supposedly they are supposed to have 2 full turns.

[KZJonny]

It's not *that* hard to get to the top of the shock in the rear of a wagon, tho admittedly if you don't take all the interior stuff out of the way, you gotta squeeze your hand in just a little. Easy enough to get a wrench in anyway to tighten up the shock mount bolts etc...

Might not be available for your specific shocks, but I have seen "remote" widgets or whatever, that attach to the adjustment knob with a peice of metal cable that has another knob on the end. You can drill a tiny hole somewhere and feed the cable through. Use the 'remote' knob to twist from then on.

 

No idea why one of the fronts has 2 turns and the other one. Not twisting hard enough?

[KZJonny]

Summat like this: 

http://www.advancedracingsuspensions.com/product/1-cable-w-knob/

Only you'd need to make it compatible with the Koni adjuster. I've also seen ones that are 12v powered, and controllable with a module, but that's getting a little extreme...

 

This is a "solid" version of what I meant for a Miata, but still for Konis. Less elegant, but you get the idea.

 

https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=727567

Edited September 19, 2023 by KZJonny

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Interesting idea!  You leave it installed all the time or do you remove when not being adjusted?

[KZJonny]

Full Disclosure, I do not have them. Relatively happy with my non-adjusting stuff for now. But there are plenty of people who use this kind of thing for hard to reach strut tops.

 

You leave them there permanently. Tuck the adjuster knob somewhere inconspicuous.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

I might go with that cable idea.  That's pretty cool.

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by Mr. Electric Wizard

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Just removed the cargo area pieces and I can ALMOST get the Koni adjuster knob on.  I even Dremel'd out a notch but still couldn't get it on.  I don't want to notch any bigger because you'd be able to see it over the carpet.  Dang!  So close, yet so far. 

[BoozeRS05]

I made a 5” horizontal cut in the interior there on each side and it acts as a panel to get at the rear upper strut mounts. I can pull it back from the seat portion and it folds open with the carpet. Hardly noticeable in the back there

Little ashamed of this and somewhat proud too

[BoozeRS05]

I swear all of my Koni struts have 1.5 turns of adjustment, just checked them the other day 

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Thanks!  I noticed this flat metal adjuster that Koni makes.  I might get one!

https://www.koni-na.com/en-US/NorthAmerica/Products/Accessories/KNOBS/

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Now I just need to figure out why one of my fronts only has one rotation available.

[blackobxt]

1 hour ago, Mr. Electric Wizard said:

Now I just need to figure out why one of my fronts only has one rotation available.

Send a video to Koni, I’m sure they will correspond with you

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

I've been sending them emails through their site but have not gotten a response yet.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Got a reply this time.  I must not have submitted the question correctly the first time (from my phone).

Here's the reply I got:

Quote

If one adjusters is only rotating 1 full turn from stop to stop there is likely and internal issue with the damper, as closer to 2 full turns is normal. Stuck or jammed adjusters are most commonly related to a bottoming of the damper, or improperly installing the top strut mount nut with a pneumatic impact gun. Working the adjuster rod back and forth to see if you possibly free it up is about the only thing externally that you can do to see if it will free itself from the hang up. The adjuster mechanism is completely housed inside the damper, and what you are turning is a preload nut at the very bottom of the piston rod, and under the piston and valve stack. If the adjuster is unable to be corrected by working the adjuster tab back and forth, there are really only two options in getting both sides to match. Send the shock in for warranty evaluation if you are the original purchaser, or if not having replacing the damper out right.