Purchase Koni Yellow front inserts from wherever you choose. I bought mine from carcustoms. Major props to Karo for giving me a good price and exchanging 32 emails with me to work out the various problems with the order (most my fault :oops! They went to a good cause! Don't forget your rears from Tirerack aswell before they run out!


Special thanks to Gus of BCJ-Body for discovering that the 3rd gen inserts basically fit in the 2nd gen housing. And for the idea to fix problem number 1.

Special thanks to my Dad aswell for coming up with the solution to problem number 2. And for taking apart my front suspension so many freaking times!

Refer to Cinny's Koni Installation Guide if you do not know how to hack up your front strut housing.


Addressing problem number 1

The threads on the Koni inserts are too short. So we are going cut the spacer to make room.



Remove the spacer from the mount.



Cut it in half. About 7/8" from either side.


This is what you should get.


Put the smaller peice back into the mount. Don't forget to de-bur the piece you cut!


We now have enough threads for the washer and nut to hold on to.


The only con from this that can be seen is that there is less rubber between the spacer and the mount. So more noise may occur from hitting hard bumps in the road than before. Chances are most of you have atleast 17" rims so bumps are already noisy. :lol:


Addressing problem number 2


Movement of the insert inside the strut housing will cause lots of klunking while driving. You will also never be able to get a proper alignment done. Toe and camber will constantly move around.


Purchase two small peices of 2" OD / 1 7/8" ID exhaust tubing. We will be making a spacer to stop the insert from moving around.


Cut 1/4" inch out of the exhaust tubing. You can probably cut less. 3/16" outta do it. I don't think 1/8" will be enough. You will see why two pictures down.


Powered cutting tools make the work easier.


With a small peice cut out, you can now close the piece of tubing around the koni insert.


You have now made your spacer! Probably less the 0.001" of movement in it. i.e. It fits perfect!


A little bit of grease on the inside and outside for easier insertion and rust prevention.


Rubber sleeve to cover it all up.


Voila! You are done. Now assemble your front suspension as normal. You will now have a 2nd Generation Cavalier with front Koni Yellow Suspension! With the rears installed aswell the ride is amazing. Kiss those KYB GR-2's goodbye!


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very imformative, good work man

I'm impressed. Great job.

nice work

this is very cool nice write up, and I agree power tools make this job much more enjoyable. and planning ahead ids good too, and a spare car is case you didn't plan ahead...you get the idea hehe

i do have a couple of questions...

its been awhile since i had my 2nd gen so bear with me... 1. Is the flared end inserted into the bottom of your strut mount? the flared end sitting on the Koni and then up through the hole in the mount? read it twice and I'm missing it some how lol.

and 2. where is the steering attached to the assembly i forgot ( probably only of interest to me )

did you think of using a set screw in through the housing an din the space left by the exhaust piping to help locking it into place from the side to help cut down on the possible rotation of the strut inside of the mount? or am i over thinking this?

1. Is the flared end inserted into the bottom of your strut mount? the flared end sitting on the Koni and then up through the hole in the mount? read it twice and I'm missing it some how lol.

You mean that spacer I cut? It is in the bottom of the mount. The 5th and 6th pictures should show it easily.

About the rotation. As long as the mount rotates, it is probably fine where it is.


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