Koni Shock Install

Every time we go into a driveway or over a speed bump at an angle, the Sprinter likes to jostle side-to-side. Sometimes it can get bad enough to toss things around that are not tied down. The van rides soft which I don't mind, but the jostling effect is annoying, especially to the passengers when they least expect it.

I've read a lot about replacing the oem shocks with Koni's to alleviate the jostling. Retail prices on a set hover around the $700 and up. The cost was the one thing that kept me from purchasing a set, until now. I got a set for $595 shipped.

Part numbers for the Koni's
87-2638 (all Fronts)
82-2440 (3500 rear)
82-2434 (2500 rear)

I have a 2006 T1N 2500, so I bought two 87-2638's and two 82-2434's from Dustan in this post. I did place an order at Summit Racing for $622.75, but decided to cancel and order from Dustan. My order came in a week earlier than the ETD of the Summit order.

Driver's side view.

Rubber mat is covering the top of shock.

24mm closed-end wrench for nut and 8mm allen wrench needed for the shaft.

I didn't have the 24mm open ended wrench, so I had to use a 15/16 socket and impact wrench to remove.

Two bolts (19mm) towards the front.

It's best to turn the forward side of the wheel out to access these bolts. The sway bar ends get in the way.

Two bolts (19mm) towards the rear.

Lots of room on this side of shock.

OEM hydraulic jack positioned on the recommended jack point on frame.

Wheel removed using impact wrench and 19mm socket.

There's no way you could replace the front shocks without jacking up the front and removing the wheel. The shock does double duty by damping and positioning the hub. I thought I could just turn the wheel, remove the old shock, and replace with the Koni because the vehicle is supported by the front leaf spring. After looking at the design, the hub would just fall out of position. So much for easy work.

I think I wasted a lot of time trying to find the easy way when it finally dawned on me that it was not possible. This is the one time I didn't refer to the service manual before tackling this. Maybe I should've before wasting time.

Remove the ABS sensor line.


Since I didn't have the right close-ended wrench (24mm), I used an impact wrench (15/16 socket) to remove the nut.

To prevent the shaft from spinning when removing the nut, an 8mm allen wrench can be used. I didn't need it since I was removing the nut using an impact wrench.

Rubber backed, metal washer.


Four (19mm socket) bolts removed.


Compress the shock to clear the mount in order to remove it.

Make sure to use something to support the hub before moving the shock.

The hub will fall away from the van and you will risk damaging the brake line.

I eventually replace the jackstand with a hydraulic floor jack. I really needed to adjust the hub up and down to mount the Koni. The jackstand couldn't do that.

Dust boot removed from the oem shock and compared with the Koni.

The oem shock seems to act like a spring/damper (shaft wants to pop back out when I attempt to compress it) while the Koni acts like a damper (shaft stays put at whatever position I compress/extend the shaft to).

8mm Allen wrench was used to turn the shock to max. Shaft needs to be pushed all the way in and then turned clockwise (looking from the shaft end).

You don't really need the 8mm Allen wrench to adjust it. It just makes it easier.

OEM dust boot on the Koni

I used the oem nut to hold the rubber mount while I extended the shaft. You don't have to do this. If the shaft is already extended, you could probably just slip the dust boot on and fish it through the mount.

Since I was the only working on this I had to slip the shaft through the top and rest the bottom on the hub.

This way I could go back into the cab and slip on the nut. Notice that the dust sleeve can be separated from the rubber mount.

The top nut on the shock was just spun on loosely. The bottom four bolts were bolted on snuggly. I mounted the tire and lowered the van. For only the front shocks, tightening the four bolts and the top nut is done with the weight of the vehicle on the shock. I torque the four bolts to 136ft-lbs and used the impact wrench to snug the nut on top. I went on to use an open-end 24mm wrench and an 8mm Allen wrench to tighten it.

You would think replacing some shocks would be easy. It is, but for some reason it was taking me forever on the front driver side (first side to work on). I bolted the bottom of the shock to the hub first and then attempted to mount the top numerous times before I decided to do the top first. I think I wasted an hour trying to do this.

So if you want to have an easier time, attach the top first and then attach the bottom to the hub.

Or heck, just do the bottom first and have fun with it. I'm sure I was doing something wrong.

Driver's side front all done.


Passenger side top mount near the jack with the mounted Koni.

The passenger side took me less than 30 minutes to finish believe it or not. After wasting my time on the driver's side, I knew I wasn't going to make the same mistake, afterall, the sun was going down pretty fast.

As you can see by the rear installation, it was already dark. Lucky for me, the rear was much easier. It took me 30 minutes to do both sides. I think I could've finished it in half the time if it wasn't so dark!

21mm bolt and nut (through frame) on top.

And 18mm bolt and nut on bottom.

Again, I adjust the rear shocks to max by compressing the shock and turning the dust cover side clockwise.

I extended the Koni shock to match the eyes on the oem for easy mounting.

Driver's side mounted Koni.


Put the tools away, changed into cleaner clothes, and went for a short drive around the block. My, my, just exiting my driveway, I could feel the difference. The van feels more planted when exiting the driveway and the jostling effect out of my driveway is definitely gone. A left turn to the main drag was more assuring than before. The ride was definitely firmer on the same road, but not harsh. I went through the usual speed bumps at the mall just down the street and the damping effect to the jostling is a definite improvement. I didn't have a chance to take it on the freeway, but I'm so far very happy with the damping that the Koni's are doing.

So, hows the ride, whats the verdict on the jostling?

AzteK said:

So, hows the ride, whats the verdict on the jostling?

Click to expand...

I have the shocks set to max. The ride is firm, but not harsh. The jostling is definitely gone. It's awesome!

I've only gone through speed bumps and driven into driveways. I haven't taken it on the freeway to see how it rides at speed, but there is a definite difference on the slow turns.

If you can swing the funds, it's definitely worth it.

Sikwan, Great write-up!

I found it interesting that you went with full firm right out of the box.

I just put Red Koni's on my wifes Golf and they were set at about 50% and are firm but absorb the bumps very well and give a nice ride.

Is the consensus that leaving the shocks at full soft while they wear in just to soft?

Nate said:

Sikwan, Great write-up!

I found it interesting that you went with full firm right out of the box.

I just put Red Koni's on my wifes Golf and they were set at about 50% and are firm but absorb the bumps very well and give a nice ride.

Is the consensus that leaving the shocks at full soft while they wear in just to soft?

Click to expand...

Great Job Seek,


I read in the older post someone mentioning that if you set it full firm out of the box, that the shock looses its stiffness quicker, did you consider that before you adjusted to full firm?

Also, does anyone know what the warranty is on these? Bilstein's are lifetime, but after reading this persons comment on the konis losing some of its effectiveness within a year, I was shocked, to say the least......

Anyone ever get warranty on them?


So basically you turned both front and rear shocks clock wise until the end, and that is the full firm?


Thanks again for the writeup.


Mr. T

Thanks guys.

Nate said:

Is the consensus that leaving the shocks at full soft while they wear in just to soft?

Click to expand...

For me, I decided to go firm and then back it off a bit to soften the ride. It feels good, to me, on firm so I won't know until I've spent some time on this setting to see whether I should go soft. It will be a pita to remove the fronts for readjustments.

kkanuck said:

So basically you turned both front and rear shocks clock wise until the end, and that is the full firm?

Click to expand...

Yes clockwise for a firmer ride.

Don't drive too far before you retorque the strut to hub bolts because the 2003 service manual calls for 136 lbs ft for them. I don't know why there's such a large disparity between MB and Koni, but it appears that MB has been using the same bolts from 02 to 06, so I'd be more likely to go with their torque value.

The torque value for the top nut on the strut is 74 lbs ft.

Byron

Thanks Byron. I figure that was the case.

Seek, thanks for another terrific writeup.

Thanks Bill.

I had my tires aired up to 60psi all around when I did the initial test. Every little bump in the road felt like a sharp hit, so I lowered it to 55psi. It soften the hit and it didn't follow every crack in the road. I now know why they recommend setting the front tires to 55psi.

As for the Koni's, it does make the van feel a lot more planted. Racing through uneven surfaces on the freeway, entering/exiting ramps, and going over speed bumps that caused the van to rock side-to-side are a thing of the past. I think I'm going to leave it at max firm.

sikwan said:

Thanks Bill.

Racing through uneven surfaces on the freeway, entering/exiting ramps, and going over speed bumps that caused the van to rock side-to-side are a thing of the past. I think I'm going to leave it at max firm.

Click to expand...

So would you recommend for me the same settings Seek?

Remember, I carry a load a fair amount of time in mine....


I do not mind a firm ride, but my only other concern was someone mentioning that the Koni shocks deteriorated within 1 year on him (not as firm as 1 year earlier, not a complete failure or nothing) and he set to full firm as well. What do you think?


Is there been any mention of warranty on these shocks?


I think I will too set to full firm....

kkanuck said:

So would you recommend for me the same settings Seek?

I do not mind a firm ride, but my only other concern was someone mentioning that the Koni shocks deteriorated within 1 year on him (not as firm as 1 year earlier, not a complete failure or nothing) and he set to full firm as well. What do you think?

Is there been any mention of warranty on these shocks?

Click to expand...

This is the warranty info from Koni...

http://www.koni-na.com/warranty.cfm

I would recommend that you try the firmest setting, afterall you bought these shocks for a reason and that is to firm up the ride. If you don't like it that firm, you can always back it out. It's hard to say whether the firm setting is right for you because we have different butt-o-meters.

On the shocks wearing out because they were set on firm, I don't think it has anything to do with the setting. The firm setting just makes the oil passages smaller. The shock age of the oil, how often it is used, how long the seals last to keep dirt, grime, and moisture out of the shock determines the life of the shock.

The Koni's did their job for me and that is to rid of the rocking side-to-side. I haven't heard my wife complain about me exiting a parking lot too fast nor have I heard her say the ride is too hard. So the firm setting for me (passenger version with only 3rd and 4th row seats, and bicycle with trailer) is the right setting. Besides, I'm too lazy to crawl back underneath the van to do a full study on the different Koni settings and how it affects my ride.

sikwan said:

This is the warranty info from Koni...

http://www.koni-na.com/warranty.cfm

I would recommend that you try the firmest setting, afterall you bought these shocks for a reason and that is to firm up the ride. If you don't like it that firm, you can always back it out. It's hard to say whether the firm setting is right for you because we have different butt-o-meters.

On the shocks wearing out because they were set on firm, I don't think it has anything to do with the setting. The firm setting just makes the oil passages smaller. The shock age of the oil, how often it is used, how long the seals last to keep dirt, grime, and moisture out of the shock determines the life of the shock.

The Koni's did their job for me and that is to rid of the rocking side-to-side. I haven't heard my wife complain about me exiting a parking lot too fast nor have I heard her say the ride is too hard. So the firm setting for me (passenger version with only 3rd and 4th row seats, and bicycle with trailer) is the right setting. Besides, I'm too lazy to crawl back underneath the van to do a full study on the different Koni settings and how it affects my ride.

Click to expand...

Thanks Again for the great right up, and tips........



Cheers,

AzteK said:

So, hows the ride, whats the verdict on the jostling?

Click to expand...

Great write-up; I struggled with my installation back in November in the rain. Would have been easier with Silks instructions.
I installed rear Konis only but also put on an after-market anti-sway bar from Upscale Automotive in Portland, OR.
Handling improvements on my Leisure Travel Van were nothing short of DRAMATIC!!!!
Slow speed rocking...GONE
Excessive corner lean...GONE
Wind buffeting...GONE
Undesirable side affects...NONE
The improvement was so pronounced that I am thinking about installing front Konis as well; trouble is the handling is so good now it is hard to imagine how it could be better.
Rear Konis and Sway-bar cost about the same as full set of Konis. I can't debate which is better...both seem to do the trick from all reports.
Has anyone done the full Koni switch first and then added the Sway-bar?? Or the sway-bar without the Konis?
So why do we think Mercedes skimped on the shocks and sway-bar and left such a glaring problem for it's customers? Is it the same reason they refuse to do a recall on the Turbo-resonator?

sikwan said:

Every time we go into a driveway or over a speed bump at an angle, the Sprinter likes to jostle side-to-side. Sometimes it can get bad enough to toss things around that are not tied down. The van rides soft which I don't mind, but the jostling effect is annoying, especially to the passengers when they least expect it.

I've read a lot about replacing the oem shocks with Koni's to alleviate the jostling. Retail prices on a set hover around the $700 and up. The cost was the one thing that kept me from purchasing a set, until now. I got a set for $595 shipped.

Part numbers for the Koni's
87-2638 (all Fronts)
82-2440 (3500 rear)
82-2434 (2500 rear)

I have a 2006 T1N 2500, so I bought two 87-2638's and two 82-2434's from Dustan in this post. I did place an order at Summit Racing for $622.75, but decided to cancel and order from Dustan. My order came in a week earlier than the ETD of the Summit order.

Driver's side view.
View attachment 6473
Rubber mat is covering the top of shock.

24mm closed-end wrench for nut and 8mm allen wrench needed for the shaft.
View attachment 6477
I didn't have the 24mm open ended wrench, so I had to use a 15/16 socket and impact wrench to remove.

Two bolts (19mm) towards the front.
View attachment 6474
It's best to turn the forward side of the wheel out to access these bolts. The sway bar ends get in the way.

Two bolts (19mm) towards the rear.
View attachment 6475
Lots of room on this side of shock.

OEM hydraulic jack positioned on the recommended jack point on frame.
View attachment 6476
Wheel removed using impact wrench and 19mm socket.

There's no way you could replace the front shocks without jacking up the front and removing the wheel. The shock does double duty by damping and positioning the hub. I thought I could just turn the wheel, remove the old shock, and replace with the Koni because the vehicle is supported by the front leaf spring. After looking at the design, the hub would just fall out of position. So much for easy work.

I think I wasted a lot of time trying to find the easy way when it finally dawned on me that it was not possible. This is the one time I didn't refer to the service manual before tackling this. Maybe I should've before wasting time.

Click to expand...

Sikwan please post Dustan website I get no response from Google on Dustan.

Thanks Kurt.

kurt said:

please post Dustan website I get no response from Google on Dustan.

Click to expand...

Dustan W.
thinkfastinc@shaw.ca
www.konidirect.ca
P. 001.604.351.1253

sikwan said:

Dustan W.
thinkfastinc@shaw.ca
www.konidirect.ca
P. 001.604.351.1253

Click to expand...

Thanks for your replay however "FYI" Summit price $622 (no FRT charge) Koni price $760 including FRT charge.

Kurt.