84 SVO Front Suspension Problems

[blueboss]

What wheel & tire set-up are you running?

Stock/stock

[Jack Hidley]

Raven855,

I've never heard of either problem you mentioned. I've installed the spindle adapters on an SVO with original Koni struts and there were no interference problems. Can you send me photos?

[fxps02]

I have finally found the time to test fit a set of 03 Cobra LCA’s in my 84 SVO, and I am going to want the flexibility of coil-overs to get the right stance. My understanding is that the stock Koni’s will not work with a coil-over conversion. My two part question is am I correct in the previous statement, and if so what application do I need to source replacement struts from? (87-93 Fox, SN95)

[svopony]

yellow koni will work along with the coil conversion kit from MM you will also need camber and caster plates

MM sells the whole package or just the parts you need

Bar

[MikeFleming]

The top strut [cartridge] nut on the stock SVO KONO struts must come off the strut for the CO adjuster to slide down over the strut body. Next, there are a couple spot welds on the strut body (stock SVO KONIs) that will need trimming/grinding to allow the CO adapter sleeve to seat fully. Lastly, if you lower the car at all, the stock KONI struts will be too long and bottom easily.

Get KONI SA or DA struts for a Fox 87-93 (all same). And a good low-profile CC plate setup. Make sure the sheet metal in the upper strut towers is fully intact - perhaps even seam weld the whole tower assembly - ALL of the front suspension loads will be passed through the upper mount area when using a CO installation

If you're also going CO in the rear, you will want to add some rear rear shock tower upper mount reinforcement. The stock sheet metal leaves a lot to be desired. The MM reinforcement kits for the rear are a joke, imho.

Then you get to select spring rates and lengths. Fun stuff.

[Jack Hidley]

The welded cap on the top of the Koni strut performs a function. It is to keep the bumpstop from getting shoved into the strut shaft seal. It is better to grind the OD of this cap down so the threaded coilover sleeve can be slid over it, rather than remove the cap. The Koni SA and DA aftermarket struts have a smooth top to the housing and use a plastic washer to perform this same function.

If you install MM c/c plates with the coilover kit, the car will gain over 1" of bump travel, so the SVO struts will work ok.

I'm not sure what Mike is referring to as an MM rear shock tower reinforcement kit. We don't make one.

[fxps02]

Mike & Jack, thanks for the tech info. Projects like mine would not be possible without resources like this for information.

I need new struts & shocks anyway, so the Koni yellows should do the trick and fit easier. One follow-up question, if at some future point I wanted to install SN95 spindles, would the 87-93 Fox struts still be correct?

[Jack Hidley]

Yes, 1987-93 struts will bolt to any SN95 spindle.

[svopony]

Jack,
if he is still using the SVO spindles he needs to use the red Konis

also he needs the bushings for the ball jiont

when he changes to the SN95 spindles that is when you need to switch to the yellow konis (main reason is the red Konis will hit the SN95 spindle and the bolt pattern is differant between the 2 spindles

I remember doing the same conversion.

Bar

[Jack Hidley]

Bar,

My measurements show that the c-c spacing of the bolts for SVO, Fox V8 (11" brakes) and all SN95 spindles are 57mm. The Fox spindles with 9" and 10" brakes have the bolt spacing of 53.7mm.

[svopony]

Bar,

My measurements show that the c-c spacing of the bolts for SVO, Fox V8 (11" brakes) and all SN95 spindles are 57mm. The Fox spindles with 9" and 10" brakes have the bolt spacing of 53.7mm.

?

all I know is when I did the swap he is doing with the SVO spindles and SN 95 A arms I needed the spindle bushings for correct contact and I could still run the red Konis
but when I upgraded to the SN 95 spindles and cobra brakes I could not use the red Konis and had to switch to the yellows

Bar