RS Motorsport :: Classic Speed Restored

Hi

I am off to the UK in 3 weeks and have the chance to pick up some discontinued NOS Koni 86-2016 Sport that they say will fit an mk2 rs2000 strut!

what i would like to know is if they will fit the OZ 2L strut and is that part number right?

stu

Hello,

86-2016 is the yellow (Sport) Koni for a std Escort 2.
86-1835 is the yellow Koni for a Capri/RS2000 strut.

Don't know what strut you guys have in the Oz 2 litre car.

Leon.

The Std Mk2 Strut in Europe has a smaller diameter tube than a Capri or RS Escort
It also has a smaller hub and bearing, with a cast in steering arm (not bolt on like Capri/RS)

I am not 100% sure as nobody has ever shown me a set here to check carefully, but I think the Aussie RS Escort strut is the same diameter as the Capri one, but it has a one piece knuckle with cast steering arm.

If someone wants to measure the O/D of a Aussie RS strut, and maybe post some pics would be easier to identify.
If O/D is somewhere very close to 50mm, (possibly 2" as they seem to come with metric and imperial tube) it is the same size as Capri or Euro RS Escort.

I cannot remember exactly what size the lesser standard MK2 strut was, but it was significantly smaller.

I am 90% certain that all 2Litre Escorts in OZ had the same Big struts and bearings etc with cast-in steering arms.

In Oz we got two types of struts for MK2's.

1300/1600 struts which are 46mm OD (I think) and 2L struts which are 50mm OD. Both types have the same bearing sizes which are the small ones and have the steering arms cast in with the hub.

UK RS, Capri and Twink struts are all 50mm OD with the larger bearings and the bolt on steering arms. Capri 1600 & 3L struts are not different between themselves, but they are shorter in tube length than Escort struts, hence the different Koni part numbers.

The correct Oz Koni part number for 2L struts are 86T-2016.

Oz RS2000 struts are no different to any other Oz 2L strut.

I know this topic is starting to age, but the up to date info I have may be of help to someone out there in Ford Country.

We actually got at least three different types of strut legs here in Australia for the Mk2 Escorts, they are:

1300/1600 Type, 48mm Outside Diameter (OD) on the strut tube, with integral steering arms.

2 Litre Type, 51mm OD on the strut tube, (actually 50.8mm or 2") with integral steering arms, fitted to Sedans and Panelvans fitted with the 2L Pinto Engine. I have a pair of these and they are clearly stamped 'ARMSTRONG AUSTRALIA'

RS 2000 Type, 51mm OD on the strut tube, (actually 50.8mm or 2") with bolt on steering arms, fitted to genuine 2L RS 2000's only - similar to the Capri Struts, but not the same item. (Definitely NOT the same strut as fitted to the standard 2L Sedans and Panelvans)

I telephoned Toperformance in Melbourne earlier this week (the official Australian Koni Distributors) to discuss cartridge replacement options for my standard 2 Litre struts.

The correct 86-2016SPORT cartridge for my struts is discontinued and no longer available in Australia. It's dimensions are: 662mm Open, 476mm Closed, 378mm Body Length.

A substitute cartridge, 86-1835SPORT is available, and will fit the 2 Litre Escort Struts & is the KONI cartridge most people are now using in 2L Escort Struts. It's dimensions are: 628mm Open, 473mm Closed, 379mm Body Length. (This is the cartridge designed to fit Capri Struts) It should be noted that it is 34mm shorter on maximum open length than the discontinued 86-2016SPORT cartridge. Other dimensions are close enough for it to fit with no problems. Toperformance's recommendation was to use it with 1" or lower lowered suspensions only, as they had concerns about it 'topping out' when used with standard factory height suspensions.

Both of the Koni Cartridges listed above are rebuildable, within reason, provided the chromed shafts are undamaged and that parts are still available. Toperformance advised that they would need to inspect the cartridges first before committing to rebuilding. Unfortunately, I discovered the 86-2016SPORT cartridges that came out of my 2L struts are beyond repair, as the bodies have corroded through in places, and have pinholes in them

Cheers

This information is current as @ 14th January, 2011

I gold told from a suspension guru that the nylon washer is to stop the retainer nut coming loose if you were to bottom out and turn at the same time.
And I woud NOT go putting any oil in the tube.