Kyb shockers around are in !

[Febrile]

What part exactly are the locking rings?  I'm not sure if my originals would still be on there - don't know the history of the car except for when I've owned it.  Is it something that would be hard to find a substitute for?

[weasel]

The locking ring is the octagonal shaped part that the piston for the shockie comes out of, it sits inside the springs themselves but up about 1-2inches.

if you undo these you can pull out your shockie (watch out for the oil and shit from the cylinder)

they aren't very hard to find just reasonably expensive cause the wreckers cannot sell the complete shockie if they've been removed so they'll either want you to buy the shockies or pay enough for the shockies and only get those parts.

when i say reasonably expensive i mean the cheapest quote i got on them was $80 for the two (another reason why mine aren't in yet). also they are not listed on any parts catalogue so no aftermarket parts and nissan don't even stock them, again you'd need to but the whole shockie off nissan

[SaMmYJ]

 i mean bargan with the guy say somewere else gave u a beter qoute

[Febrile]

BUT i don't have my original locking rings (i threw them out when i got my monroes put in)

I have been told that if you do have the original locking rings then it's no problem you just need to take out the rubber inserts and they will fit.

I'm still unsure whether I want to take the risk that I'll have troubles installing them - you say you don't have your originals, weasel, but why aren't you able to use the ones from the munroes?  ie, will I be able to use whatever locking rings that are on my car now, even if they aren't originals?

[weasel]

the ones supplied with the monroes are a different size i.e.

lets say the kyb shockie is 65mm across                                  please note sizes
the monroe shockie is 85mm across                                        are only examples

the ring that comes with the kyb's sit's around the shockie perfectly holding it quite snugly but it is therefore too small to screw into the housing to 'lock' the shockie in place

the ring that comes with the monroe will screw into the housing perfectly and does it's job with the monroes perfectly aswell but due to the larger internal diameter the kyb shockie moves about inside it (not a good thing when doing your suspension)

the stock rings apparently when you remove the rubber seals and stuff from the inside of them should be the right size to hold the kyb shockie but the out side will still be big enough to screw into place in the housing i.e. they have thicker walls on the locking ring

i know this is really hard to understand without ever seeing a locking ring but thats the best and easiest way i could think of describing it.

Cheers >weasel<

[Febrile]

I think I understand, your explanation was clear enough   I'm pretty sure I'd rather not have to be concerned with this if it does become an issue for me.  So, how does KYBs for the front and Munroes for the rear sound?  Do you think there'd be any strangeness in the handling etc from having 2 different types of shocks equipped?

[SaMmYJ]

u can do that bro , i got kyb all around n i am happy wif em i been in my cusson who has monroes in his corsair n his seem harder so sounds good !

[weasel]

i think its Flogtara that actually has that exact setup (kyb front, monroe rear) and from all that i've heard he's very happy with them

but yeah if your not sure about it and don't want to risk it then play it safe and go something that will do the trick nice and easy (wish i'd looked into it a bit more )

[Febrile]

Well, I was just checking out my incredibly bald rear tyres and I glanced at the shock and what do you think I noticed?  The locking ring!  Of course, I still have no idea whether it's the original, but now I know what it is and where it goes, at least! 

I take it, from looking at things, that the width of the rod is the issue.  Weasel, or sammyj, or anyone, if you in fact have the KYB's handy, could you give me a measurement on the width of the KYB rods?  That way, I can check how big the difference in size is, and if it's mere millimetres, I can probably safely assume that I have original locking rings, or at least that my current ones can be modified to work!  Yay! 

[SaMmYJ]

ahh how am i gona measure em if they are in the car and parscle shelf is on n ye,,, sorry bro

[Febrile]

Well, I didn't want you to feel left out, so I thought I'd include you too

[SaMmYJ]

bro , if u got standard shockers all u do is , get the kyb put it in the shocker place because they are inserts , then u get the old locking ring off the standard monroes , u take off the rubber that is around it and put it arround the kyb shocker , then u tighten it and bang all ready to go , trust me i did it myself n i aint no shock absorba shop but only thing is u gota watch out for the spring if they are standard they gona spring back in your face

[Febrile]

Ah but the thing is sammy I can't be 100% sure that the locking rings on my car are the originals, that is, the suspension may have been changed in it's lifetime.  It's probably unlikely, as the suspension units do look pretty farking old, but I'd like to be sure in any case.

[weasel]

Narxysus i just got the locking ring supplied with the kyb and measured the hole where the piston comes through is approx 20mm

[Febrile]

Thanks weasel - I'll go check that soon!

Just checked that - the width of the rod on my current shocks is pretty much right on 20mm, so I guess that means KYBs are the go!

[Febrile]

....or maybe not.  I emailed the dealer who had given me a quote for the KYB's asking how soon I could get them, and he replies "Sorry, but they don't make them for the rear anymore."  <sigh> I KNOW, dipshit! <sigh>  Seems to me he just looked in the little suspension guide book they have, and didn't bother ringing KYB up.  So, fuck it, I'll just get Munroe's all around an save my time and money.  Most people seem to just get munroe's anyway, so, meh, I'll just be another face in the crowd.

[SaMmYJ]

they do make em i got them in my car !

[Febrile]

It seems to me sammy that they may have put a similar shock for a different car in yours, hence the reason why they had to use original locking nuts and not the ones that came with the kybs.

[SaMmYJ]

naa mate
i went and got them myself from bursons in brunswickl i go to the guy i want kyb for u12 pintara he called up ordered them n piked them up next day went to tyrepower in sunshine and installed them for 55 bux so yea _

[weasel]

well the shockies i got the guy rang up and ordered them and he "told me" that they were for the U12 but whether he was telling the truth or not is another story (although this bloke seemed like he knew what he was on about)

also i emailed KYB about the shockies i bought and about how they didn't fit and they emailed mne back saying that they have sold those shockies (same serial number and all) to plenty of people and they haven't had any trouble, but like they actually checked my problem out for real, they would've just got my email and given me a generic reply.

in that email i also pointed out the fact that on their website they never listed any rear shockies for the U12, but got no reply to that part.

But Narxysus if you want to save the hassle go the monroe's they are a direct swap over. just one thing though

can i buy your original locking rings off you

Cheers >weasel<