Just installed my front D-Specs last night. According to the instructions, each front strut comes with a "front piston rod (shaft) top nut" (12mm). These do fit on the end of the piston rod (the part that is in the engine bay), but they don't seem to serve a purpose, and the protection caps don't really fit if the nuts are installed. Just to be clear, I did install the 17mm shaft nut that keeps the top spring seat on.

So the question is, are these needed?

 

You can use the stock or the ones they supplied. Should be 4 nuts 2 on each side for the fronts. I used them and they fit. I just followed the instructions.

 

The shaft has two diameters, the bottom part fits the stock 17mm nut, and the top fits a 14mm. The cap doesn't really fit if there is a nut on the top part, and again, I don't see what having a nut on the top would do. The instructions are crap.

 

I agree.. instructions are definitely sh*t.. I didn't even think to use those smaller nuts as I wasn't sure what they would even be useful for so they stayed in their respective plastic baggies

 

can you post a quick pic plz?

 

ditch that top nut and screw the cap on - you'll be good to go.

 

That is what I did. I wasn't really worried, just curious what Tokico was thinking by including those nuts.

 

let me check tonight.. Cause i know i used 2 nuts they supplied for the shaft in the rear or the front and ditched the stock one. Unless i f'ed up and install it all wrong. But i have no problems.

 

any of you guys install the extensions in the rear? I have a rattle from my rears when I go over bumps.. wondering if you had the same thing happen.

 

Nope. I have the sedan. To adjust the rear struts, I just have to remove the rear seats, which is just two bolts per seat (non-reclining).

 

no extensions for me.. big mistake cause i took off my rear shocks like a good 3-4 times already. And finally i got it to the right settings. Im running DF210(****ty spring rate) with 2 turns befor full front and 3 turns befor full rear.

 

Sounds like you need those extensions too! I ordered my set from Stillen about 3 weeks ago...they STILL haven't come yet grr.

But I did drop my rear shocks two weeks ago to soften up the ride. I have them set to 6.5 turns from full stiff and the car rides pretty damn smooth with my htechs!

When the extensions get in, I'll probably adjust the rears to 7 turns from full stiff to see how luxury I can get for a while at least until it warms up then I'll go back to 4 turns from full stiff.

Installing the extensions won't make the rattle go away. Search my dspec review thread to see why....

You'll have to make sure you have the 2 top 12 mm nuts that bolt the shock to the car tighten all the way along with the 17mm shock nut/bolt to fix the problem.

Which side is the one that makes the noise? My problem was the driver side. Sounded like the top of the shock metric screw shaft was scraping something each crack/crevice/ bump I drove over it was VERY annoying.

 

I actually already have the extensions installed. I'm not sure exactly what you mean. My front are fine, the rears sound like metal tapping plastic when I go over bumps. I tried putting a rubber vaccuum hose around each extension thinking they were hitting the plastic things where the child seat attaches but that didn't fix the problem. When installing, I only used a 17mm nut to tighten down the dust cover and I don't know if I torqued it down enough because it wasn't getting any harder to turn so I stopped at like 10 rotations. Then I slapped on the extensions but they only go on a little bit. I did not use any other nuts. Also my passenger side extension must be faulty because I tightened it down as far as it will go but it isn't long enough to make the shocks on full stiff setting (the little rod inside screws in and thus farther away from the key as you go stiffer) the extension actually "falls off" the rod if I go to the full setting and I had to take the extension off and loosen the shock with the key provided. ;( anyways your help would be appreciated but I'd rather not take the shocks out again if I don't have to.

 

my fronts..

 

Sounds like your problem is from your extensions and not from the shocks themselves.

That's a different circumstance. My problem came from the shock itself. The shock tower wasn't secured tightly bc the main 17MM bolt was stripped and the nut wasn't torqued as tight as it should be.

I replaced both the nut, bolt and had them torqued down properly. My problem went away ( at least the rear rattle..the front was another story)

I have yet to receive my extensions from Stillen. So I can't vouch as to how exactly you could solve your problem. This is assuming your problem has to do with the actual extensions rattling around your read deck lid.

Did you see the DIY Dspec extension install? Have you tried PMing the OP of that thread?