DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Padgett said: And the bottom. Did the pinch bolt work ? Yes. pinch bolt fits as shown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 (edited) 28 minutes ago, ErnieR said: Nice work. Looks Good! I've noticed that on every shock or strut installation I've done when I first lower the car it always seems to sit a little higher, but settles after a test drive. Also, the weak side may be a little lower causing the side you measured to be a little higher. Meaningless observations if the ride turns out OK then we have proof of concept. Agree… I think that the shocks will settle in after some mileage… Need to wait for sway bar mounts before putting it through its paces though. I bit concerned with the diameter of the piston being 20% smaller. That is one reason I want to fully investigate the front insert for the 1996 Regal. That piston is the same diameter as the OEM, and has a bit longer stroke as well as being able to retain the stock mounting location for positioning in the lower knuckle and for the sway bar. That being said, I am optimistic that this setup may work. Thanks for bringing the Cardone shocks to the attention of Reatta owners. Edited October 30, 2022 by DPS.01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 Looking at the photo below, with the clamp bolt where you show in your photo above, it appears only half of the clamp would be gripping the bottom of the strut body. Is that true or is there something I'm missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErnieR Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 5 minutes ago, DPS.01 said: Agree… I think that the shocks will settle in after some mileage… Need to wait for sway bar mounts before putting it through its paces though. I bit concerned with the diameter of the piston being 20% smaller. That is o e reason I want to fully investigate the front insert for the 1996 Regal. That piston is the same diameter as the OEM, and has a bit longer stroke as well as being able to retain the stock mounting location for the sway bar etc. That being said, I am optimistic that this setup may work. Next time you're under the car could you take a picture of the bottom installation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 I'm impressed guys thanks. Can you do a step by step install write up when you finish with the Allante struts as to what needs to be purchased and where with part numbers? I already have the Allante struts and am waiting on the clamps, but need to know the extensions length/diameter. Also if we use Reatta strut mounts or Allante? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 7 minutes ago, Ronnie said: appears only half of the clamp would be gripping the bottom of the strut body. Is that true or is there something I'm missing? Ronnie: That is entirely true. here is a photo of the bottom. The plan is to use a large diameter bolt through the original mount of the Cardone shock (minus the rubber and metal sleeve) to ensure that the strut stays in place. This is my 1st thought, and rework may be possible for a better solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErnieR Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 11 minutes ago, Ronnie said: Looking at the photo below, with the clamp bolt where you show in your photo above, it appears only half of the clamp would be gripping the bottom of the strut body. Is that true or is there something I'm missing? Maybe a little more than half. My original thought was to match the body of the Cardone to the original and do some careful grinding on the Cardone for the bolt. However, the original mounting was engineered for years of typical 10-15K per year use and mounting the Cardones a little differently may not matter much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 10 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: Can you do a step by step install write up when you finish Will be happy to share. More eyes on it the better… This is just one method, and there are likely more ideas from this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 2 minutes ago, ErnieR said: Maybe a little more than half Agree. I will mark and measure insertion depth when I remove the entire assembly to clean up and paint that area of the undercarriage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 I hate to sound like a Debbie Downer. I think in the end this is going to work but... With a large bolt in the bottom hole as described and the clamp for the sway bar on the top, I don't think the strut will come out of the clamp. I'm just a little concerned that if there isn't enough grip on the body of the strut, it might move a little in the mounting clamp with the pinch bolt. That would throw the camber alignment off and cause the tires to wear unevenly on the inside. I don't know how much force is applied to the mounting clamp when you hit a pothole that might try to do that. It might not be an issue but is something to think about. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 11 minutes ago, Ronnie said: concerned that if there isn't enough grip on the body of the strut, it might move a little in the mounting clamp with the pinch bolt. Agree wholeheartedly with this observation. I will also place a paint mark on the strut and knuckle to see if there is any movement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 43 minutes ago, ErnieR said: Maybe a little more than half. Another view from the bottom with OEM strut installed. Looks to be over 1/2 insertion depth. The pinch bolt is 1/2 way between the top and bottom of the clamping portion of the knuckle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 (edited) I posted earlier hoping the Koni Cut-A-Strut inserts would be available, but no response from Koni and I am not seeing them anywhere. Shifted focus and going down the path of the Adjustable inserts from Koni. Using 6061-T6 tube, an insert carrier can be made such as below. The turned down OD will fit into the knuckle. The threads on each end will accept an M48 Koni Gland Nut. The design needs to be finalized based on the insert cartridge used plus I need to add the stabilizer bar attachment. Using a 2.25 OD x 1.75 ID (44.45 ID) gets us close to a 43.5mm OD of several inserts. A few questions. Does this have merit? Is there enough interest? If so, I can have these quoted up by a few machine shops that I use for work. Edited October 31, 2022 by alchemist Added OD of strut... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 Certainly has merit, and interested in all ways to move this forward for all. Looks good. FYI: The Koni insert for the front of the 1996 Regal has the same position diameter of the OEM unit @ 25 mm; but the body is slightly bigger @ 46 mm than the inserts that you are referencing @ 43.5 mm. Not sure how big of an issue the piston diameter is, but thought it was worth mentioning. The insert valving is another issue that is somewhat of a crap shoot @ this point. Could definitely affect ride height and / or ride quality (soft or stiffness). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 13 hours ago, alchemist said: A few questions. Does this have merit? Is there enough interest? If so, I can have these quoted up by a few machine shops that I use for work. I see a lot of potential. But for it to make sense I think it would need to be produced in quantity on a Mazak CNC or something similar. If you were going to do that you would want to buy all the parts needed and sell it as a strut ready to install. I think with the time involved to set up the part in your drawing in a lathe, turn it down to size and cut the threads is going to be really expensive to just make a couple of them at a time if you get a local machine shop to make them. It wouldn't hurt to ask since you know some machine shops you have worked with before. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philbo Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 On 10/31/2022 at 9:35 AM, alchemist said: I posted earlier hoping the Koni Cut-A-Strut inserts would be available, but no response from Koni and I am not seeing them anywhere. Shifted focus and going down the path of the Adjustable inserts from Koni. Using 6061-T6 tube, an insert carrier can be made such as below. The turned down OD will fit into the knuckle. The threads on each end will accept an M48 Koni Gland Nut. The design needs to be finalized based on the insert cartridge used plus I need to add the stabilizer bar attachment. Using a 2.25 OD x 1.75 ID (44.45 ID) gets us close to a 43.5mm OD of several inserts. A few questions. Does this have merit? Is there enough interest? If so, I can have these quoted up by a few machine shops that I use for work. I think it has merit for sure. Was going to try something similar. I have a question about having threads on the top and bottom. Is that necessary? Maybe I am unfamiliar with the design, but was under the impression it just needed a gland nut at the top? Is that just for putting a bottom on the tube? If so, maybe welding a cap on the bottom might be less expensive than cutting threads? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon L Posted November 2, 2022 Share Posted November 2, 2022 (edited) Why are we making this so complicated? There is a simple way to do this and it will cost very little. Take two old rear shocks and cut them off even with the Sway Bar brackets. Insert into the knuckle and drill a (I'm guessing) 3/8" hole, right thru the knuckle and the old shock. Buy two 3/8" shoulder bolts (hardened) and a lock nut. Buy two standard shocks about 24"extended. Insert shock base into the old shock base and into pinch knuckle, insert bolt thru knuckle and old shock and thru new shocks and apply nut, tighten and insert the top of the shock into top mount. Edited November 2, 2022 by jon L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted November 2, 2022 Share Posted November 2, 2022 On 11/1/2022 at 10:08 AM, Philbo said: I think it has merit for sure. Was going to try something similar. I have a question about having threads on the top and bottom. Is that necessary? Maybe I am unfamiliar with the design, but was under the impression it just needed a gland nut at the top? Is that just for putting a bottom on the tube? If so, maybe welding a cap on the bottom might be less expensive than cutting threads? I thought about welding a plug on the one end, however it would then need to be solution treated and aged back to T6 I figured the threading is readily done and gland nuts are available and cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, jon L said: Insert shock base into the old shock base and into pinch knuckle, insert bolt thru the knuckle and old shock and thru new shocks and apply nut, tighten and insert the top of the shock into top mount. There are a several ways to solve this problem, and this may be a potential fix. If I am understanding correctly; it will be important that the shock chosen have the correct O.D. / must fit tightly into the OEM portion of the strut that is still being used. A bolted connection thru a rubber isolator on the new shock may allow to much movement. There cannot be any movement between the shock and the lower knuckle (inside the cut off OEM strut); otherwise proper alignment will not be possible. Edited November 3, 2022 by DPS.01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 21 hours ago, jon L said: Why are we making this so complicated? There is a simple way to do this and it will cost very little. Take two old rear shocks and cut them off even with the Sway Bar brackets. Insert into the knuckle and drill a (I'm guessing) 3/8" hole, right thru the knuckle and the old shock. Buy two 3/8" shoulder bolts (hardened) and a lock nut. Buy two standard shocks about 24"extended. Insert shock base into the old shock base and into pinch knuckle, insert bolt thru knuckle and old shock and thru new shocks and apply nut, tighten and insert the top of the shock into top mount. You posted this photo of basically what you are describing. It just needs a little work to be what you are suggesting needs to be done. Have you tried to mount a shock in it to see if it will work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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