SteveAngry

So, I installed my Bilstein sports today.

I have a couple of questions...

The old bumstops would not fit over the shaft on the new Bilsteins. So I did not use them. Is this bad? Is there a "special" bumpstop? Are the Bilsteins designed to not need one?

Also, How the hell do they expect you to tighten the new cap that screws onto the strut? You know the one with the 2 tabs on it? Is there a special tool that came with the Bilsteins? If so I didn't get one. Because of that fact I could only hand tighten the strut cap. There is no way I can get it to 140 lbs as suggested by the Bentley. Any ideas?

Now, after installing these on the car I get major clunking. It feels like someone is shaking the heck out of the strut assembly. It comes and goes, sometimes while turning, sometimes while going down the road, etc. It doesn't always do it when I hit a bump, etc. If I shake the car or push down on the bumper there are no funny noises. Everything seems "tight."

I did get the strut mounts tightned to proper torque specs alomg with the 22mm nut on top.

Looking for any BTDT, help, etc...

Need to get this figured out asap...

Steve
Michigan

Toxcheap

Hey Steve it sounds likes there's more than a couple things missing. The tool is always supplied and there's sometimes these plastic rings that center the inserts I can't remember if the 5K uses them or not.
It's worth mentioning though. That clunking could be caused by not have those plastic rings or on my brother's fox once he had to clean the threads really good and re-torque the caps to get the clunking to go away.

HTH
LATER
TOX

birdmanmt

that you need to put tranny fluid(?) in the tube with the insert?? i don't have a clue why or if that's right....search for old bilstein posts or my user name. it was only about a week ago. Good luck.

Adam Mowafy

I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. I guess the fluid is there to disperese heat or something? Maybe someone else can explain it better....

MrEd

Hi Stephen,

"there's sometimes these plastic rings that center the inserts I can't remember if the 5K uses them or not." They do...

This would be my guess as well, we forgot to put them in when we did my new shocks and I was getting the clunking you mention. Put them in and haven't had a problem since, so, if you didn't have these rings in your bilsteins kit I would think that is your problem.

HTH

Cheers

SteveJ_in_TX

Think about it, as you turn the wheel the top of the strut stays (reasonably) in place, but the bottom is being torqued and rotated. The oil is a lubricant, and I have used motor oil in the past as well.

Toxcheap

If your struts insert is moving it time for new strut bearings.

Will Ng

After installing my Boge TurboGas struts last week, driving the car revealed noise and vibrations when ever I really had to turn the wheel or over a big bump. Turned out the the 3 nuts weren't torqued enough to keep the strut stationary. Camber was going positive to negative.

I believe your cap isn't tight either. My car seems a bit too 'bumpy' after the install, maybe my caps aren't torqued enough.

good luck.

Adam Mowafy

Actually I've heard both: to lubricate, and to disperse heat.

Toxcheap

The complete housing turns while steering and pivots on a strut bearing up top.