Koni Strut Blown

[Racecomp Engineering]

So since we all agree on the REAL issue.....

MAYBE A MODERATOR can change the title to NOT have RCE SPRINGS in it ?

We can agree on what ever WITHIN the thread but if every 7400 rpm bangin FRS/BRZ owner is reading that title and thinking bad things....it doesnt help either !

RIGHT?

Myles Williams
OWNER RCE

[vubaru]

Myles and Andy, I PM'd Ichi to change the title to "Koni Strut Blown".

Seriously, what is with the personal attacks in this thread bringing up my family? Completely inappropriate and off-topic. Wow. Let's please try to stay on topic, if you've got a problem with me, take it to PMs.

[grodenglaive]

back on topic, I had a bad koni on my MINI (leaking top seal), no problem they have a lifetime warranty. They sent me a brand new one. It took 3 months for the replacement to arrive though - that kind of sucked.

[vubaru]

Originally Posted by grodenglaive

back on topic, I had a bad koni on my MINI (leaking top seal), no problem they have a lifetime warranty. They sent me a brand new one. It took 3 months for the replacement to arrive though - that kind of sucked.

Thank you for staying OT.

Here, it appears to be a leaking top seal as well given the photos and also given that I do not see fluid leaking from the strut assembly from the bottom . I also do not see fluid on suspension components at that location.

When my OEM struts blew after the improper spring install, there was fluid all over the bottom of the cross-member and I believe the front sway bar as well.

At least this time, that does not appear to be the case, so maybe the leak is coming from the top seal and is smaller in magnitude.

The front right strut does seem to "squeak" over hard bumps so it's clear it's having an affect on ride quality. July 2 I'm going into WORKS so its only a matter of time, now I just have to iron out the warranty issue!

[simpleisbest]

I just warrantied on of my front struts as it was leaking from the adjuster. The process was pretty simple. Go to Koni website, fill out warranty form and print it out, fax it in with copy of original purchase receipt, and vehicle registration. I got my replacement strut inset within a week or so.

[wgnzlz]

Anyone know the specs of the bolt and cup washer that hold the front inserts to the oem shock body? I heard a weird sound on the way home from work today. When I got home I took a look underneath the car and noticed that the driver side bolt/washer was missing! SCARY! Looks like the car will be parked until I find a replacement. Anyone else ever have an issue with this happening?

I apologize for posting the same thing in two threads but just trying to get the car back on the road.

[feldy]

Just had my drivers side blow this morning as I was pulling into the pump to get gas. In my case there was fluid everywhere all over the top, the bottom of the shock ect. 5k miles maybe 6ish. put on in april.

whiteline c-coms. rce springs koni yellows. I dd on full soft and ran half turn off full stiff when having fun.







These blow all the time. I had a bud who has a 2012 wrx and has the same insert that we do. Ran 1 autocross and one of the fronts blew.

[feldy]

Got the shock off tonight and taken apart. This does not look good.

[Sccabrz192]

It's the truth that struts do fail... all struts, regardless make, style or cost.

Typically a leak type of failure is due to:
1) manufacturer defect from an imperfection on the rod... when you remove these to ship them back off, check the rods for any rust, scoring, or weld slag... if there is anything there, you have your culprit.
2) ingestion of debris into the seal stack. if there is a lot of dirt buildup at the top of the shock body, chances are some of that got ingested and created a leak path.
3) when the damper was installed the installer didn't properly install the top nut in 1 of 2 ways first they used a gun or let the rod spin or two used a clamp on the rod and nicked/marred the rod which defaults back to failure type #1.

[Sccabrz192]

Originally Posted by simpleisbest

I just warrantied on of my front struts as it was leaking from the adjuster.

This... Shock oil from a leaking seal shouldn't reach to the top of a mount and pool like that.

[feldy]

I really hope this is just a koni defect and not the whiteline top hats. These top hats have been having bearings seize left and right. even now when i took mine off the top hat bearings would rotate just fine had a little roughness to it.

[Sccabrz192]

It's tough to tell from your picture with the two ends set back near each other, but if it were caused by a top hat bind, I would have expected a more spiral pattern to the fracture, that looks more like a side-force shear to me.... but again, tough to determine from that picture.

[feldy]

I have two more leaky front konis. Not sure when they started as its been a rough winter here. Not sure how much fluid is gone doesn't seem like much. Koni warranty time. I do hate how long they take to get it done though.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by feldy

I have two more leaky front konis. Not sure when they started as its been a rough winter here. Not sure how much fluid is gone doesn't seem like much. Koni warranty time. I do hate how long they take to get it done though.

Koni warranty is slow as molasses. I should probably check mine aren't leaking either.