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Date:         Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:36:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Warning about KYB front shock hardware
Comments: To: swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

I won't buy KYB GR-2 shocks again. I put a pair on the front and 5 years later they were out of gas.

I replaced them with Bilsteins- much better ride than the KYB.

Robert

1982 Westfalia 1986 Westfalia 1991 Syncro

----Original Message Follows---- From: Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA> Reply-To: Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Warning about KYB front shock hardware Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 07:44:42 -0700

As has been covered here by a few people now, the KYB GR-2 gas shocks for the front of Vanagons come with cheap rubber bushings and metal washers, and the instructions clearly state to NOT re-use the old ones. This is WRONG, and will result in clunking due to the bushing being far too soft. Ok, I know that now. But what I did not expect was this: the replacement nylon locknuts that come with the shocks are *crap*. They are too deep so that the threads are still engaged well past where the flat spot on the end of the shock disappears into the but when removing it. This requires ones to use narrow vise grips to hold the shock from turning to remove the ^*^*@# nut, all the while trying not to destroy the threads. That was the story on the first one I did. The second one started to bind so badly that it was requiring as much torque as I could exert on a 14mm combo wrench while hold the "key" on the shock rod, which was rapidly disappearing into the nut. It actually was getting tighter, so I finally cut the stupid nut off with a dremel. I was amazed how soft the nuts are - took about 5 seconds to cut it off! Of course, the threads on the shock are very hard, so they appear fine.

I recommend buying replacement nuts that are not as deep, and probably harder, so that you don't have to destroy things to get them off someday! I'm fairly certain the size is M10 x 1.25, but I have not confirmed this yet...

Has anyone else run into this, and perhaps can confirm the thread size? My thread gauge is hard to read way in there, and the nut is in two pieces now...-- Shawn Wright http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright ~This message sent by Pegasus Mail, the safe E-Mail alternative~ "Friends don't let friends use Outlook"

Robert 1982 Westfalia 1987 Wolfsburg

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