jet911

Guys,
I'm in the process of upgrading the front shocks on my '86 911. Have 101 projects. The struts are black and should be Boge. I purchased Bilsteins to replace. According 101 projects, I simply unscrew the top nut (done), push down on the shock and moved it under the fender (done), unscrew the cap (done) and pull the insert out of the strut (won't come out and oil from the old insert or ? is running everywhere). I bummed as it's not going well.

What's wrong? What am I missing? Do I have something other than Boge? I'm really bummed right now...

Help please...
Thanks

ron mcatee

The oil in the strut is for cooling the shock. It can be a mess if you are not careful. I removed my old shocks, made sure the new ones would fit (put them in the strut & tightened the nut) and then pulled it all apart and put back the oil...to ensure it kept the cooling capability.

jet911

Thanks Spider911. How do I get those suckers out? I pulled on the shaft, it stops when fully extended and I can't see how to get it out.

I'll try again tommorw.

ron mcatee

You may be creating a suction when trying to pull them out. The Boge's just drop in, so they ought to come out fairly easily. I would try rotating them or getting a pair of large channel lock pliers and see if it moves with some leverage.

sushinav

I'm doing the exact same upgrade right now. I know this doesn't help, but that's very odd that you can't pull them right out. Mine were original on 133k car and slid right out. Maybe disconnect your brake and pad sensor lines, lean the strut way out of the wheel well so you can get a good pull on it, or use a thin hose to blow air in and break the suction of the oil.

By the way, what is the recommended "cooling" oil to put in the strut housing? Won't oil eat the paint on the strut insert and make a mess?

jet911

Well I got em! Man it was tough. I pulled and pulled and pulled (my legs are still shaking). Finally they "popped" out.

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions!

On to the turbo tie rods.

lightning

Hi Guys,

I've just replaced my Boge original with Billstein Street Sports on my Carrera 3.2 -86 and this is the procedure. Please observe, this description is only valid for Bilstein inserts for Boge Struts!

1. Unscrew the bolt in the lugage compartment by holding the big ring/plate underneath it with a big wrench, otherwise the whole damper will turn as you try to unscrew the bolt.

2. Open the Bogedamper by unscrewing the big black ring on the top of the damper. You will now hear a "pffft" which is from the gas in the damper. Oil will now flow over the edge.

Remember that you are totaly dismantlig the Bogedamper and the oil is what is used for damping, the small amount of gas is used to keep the oil in place. The new billstein damper will fit inside the shell of the old Bogedamper as a "russian doll".

3. You will probably have to unscrew the brakeline (I had to) before you can depress the damper and slide it outside the fender, be carful not to damage the paint. Lift the insert of the damper out of the shell. Remember to have a bowl, or something, for the oil.

4. Remove the oil from the black tube and insert the new damper which will fit "snugly". Take the yellow ring and tightening it securely to the black tube.

5. Take the green "hat" and put it on you new damper and thereafter the little black rubber sealing.

6. Now you have to depress the damper and slide inside the fender again. It will take massive force to dothis and this is also where you will notice how bad you old damper was .

7. Tighten the damper by using the old tray/plate and the new molly bolt provided with the new damper.

8. Remember to remount the brake line and bleed the brakes.


This is what worked for me as an amateur, and I take no responsibility for any other car.
i.e. what works for me may not work for you!

Best regards
Anders

imcarthur

Anders

Great blow by blow description!

Ian

jet911

Well the turbo tie rods were fun as well. They're done. The car is back together and ready to hobble down to the alignment shop this week. Can hardly wait to take her out. This is what I did over the weekend.

Bilstein shocks around HDs front, SPs Rear
Turbo tie rods
Oxygen sensor
New air box (broken clamp receiver on old box) with drilled holes in cover
New deck shocks
New hood shocks
Fuel filter

What a weekend - any my wife still loves me - go figure ;-)

AJ88CAB

Please..more info on the "cooling oil"!

I have changed struts where the original strut housing was the shock tube with the oil being the damping fluid. But the replacements were stand alone inserts that just fit in the tubes and I didn't add oil back in. I was assuming this was all that was required for this change.

Have I been missing an important item?

Thanks
Andrew

DGaunt

The oil is there to provide a thermal coupling between the damper and the outer tube. Without it, the shock can become overheated and stop damping. They 'fade' just like brakes that can no longer dissipate the heat load on them. You should put the oil back in.

AJ88CAB

Dave & Jim,

Thanks for the heads-up on the oil! Makes all the sense in the world when you think of it.

I'll be doing TTR's, ball joints, wheel bearings, and brakes as well so I'll have the strut out entirely. Is the oil anything special in case I loose some in the process.

Andrew

lightning

I guess the oil will prevent corrosion if left in the tube but the real reason for the oil in the first place is for damping and nothing else.

/A

jet911

Andrew,
I'm not worring about the oil, in fact I got as much out as possible. The new Bilstein inserts are self contained and slide into the Boge strut housing. When I pulled the old insert out, it was not self contained, but in has seals, washers, tubes, etc., or in other words, all the pieces came out in pieces not as one unit as are the Bilstein inserts. IMO, the entire Boge strut housing is the "self contained unit." With the new insters, the Boge strut housing is only that, a strut housing to hold the self contained insert.

Hope this made sense.

Also if you are not replacing the inserts, you should not have to worry about any oil escaping from the Boge strut housing and in fact, I don't believe you have to remove the front struts to do the work you mentioned above.

Good Luck!

lightning

Dear Jim,

First of all I havn't ever, never, said that you shall remove the struts.

Billstein makes this damper as an upgrade to the existing Boge struts and uses the Boge struhouse for their damper insert. This is why you have to open the damper and take the inlet out, and doing so you must let the oil out and you will get the seals, washers tubes etc. in your hand so to say. The alternative to this is to buy a completely new billstein strut and then you have to remove the old strut as you mentioned.

Pleas do observe that my description is only valid for the Boge strut with gasdampers from MY 1986 to 1989. Earlier cars is a completely different ballyard.

Best regards
Anders