ulrichd

Ok, brief update on the front shock replacement.

The front strut/suspension assemblies are now out of the fenders supported by floor jacks. The pic shows a metal spacer (is this the US ride height spacer?) and the bump stop that came out. Bump stock has a crack in the bottom part (should I replace?).

I am having a bitch of a time getting the notched metal shock cap to turn. Any thoughts? This is where my impatience usually leads to disaster

Thanks in advance.
PS. Yes, I am a newby.

Peter Zimmermann

If your car is stock, original USA, height, put the thick metal washer back in. Of course, if the car's lowered leave it out. It was put there to reduce shock travel for the ridiculously high USA cars, simply to avoid engineering a shock with longer travel.

The upper nut - place a blunt-ended (squared off) heavy duty chisel in first one notch, then the other, and use a heavy hammer to jar the nut loose.

Did you get new bump stops with your new shocks? If yes, use the new ones...
Pete

ulrichd

Pete,
I would like to get the car lowered after the shocks and tie-rods are done (24.5/25), so I guess I'll leave it off. No new bump stops

Thanks for the response.

theiceman

The bump stops on the Bilstein are internal are they not ? , you don't put anything back. By the design of the Bilstein you couldn't get one on if you tried . Ulrich I used an impact hammer , but I know you don't have one so a flat punch and a hammer should work. Or what about a big set of channel locks. Or since the nut will be scrap ant way a big set of vice grips and a hammer. PS let the shock travel back up through the hole for this. it will stay in place easier.

SeattlePorsche

Good job! But you say your car is supported by floor jacks. I hope you mean jack stands, because a floor jack alone is not safe. I don't get why you say you can't get the notched metal shock cap to turn. You must have been able to if you got the shock out, no?

Look at this thread.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...light=epiphany

See the pictures of this guy's solution with a socket. Very elegant I thought. Didn't cost anything (compared to my 149$ impact wrench from Home Depot).

If those are new Bilstein inserts, they came with the rubber bump stops. Mine did at least.

Good luck. Be safe.

theiceman

Actually James you take the strut nut off , push the rod down through, then you can take off the spacer, dust cover and bump stop. That reveals the srut cap , which Ulrich is trying to get off. One of mine came off easy , the other had corrosion and took a little longer. Ulrich I just thought of something, what about a plumbers pipe wrench , theose things grip like the dickens, just be carefull of your fender.

SeattlePorsche

Oh, I see. But, uh oh, I don't remember mine having any strut caps. Is that because I had Bilstein struts?

theiceman

Yes James, yours are held in with a roll pin at the bottom of the shock ( yours are upside down ) , the Boges just drop into the tube and a specail , strut cap is used to hold them in ..

ulrichd

James,
The car IS on jack stands. The strut assemblies are supported by floor jacks to keep the brake lines from being stressed.

Ulrich

SeattlePorsche

Ah Ha!

And, Ah Ha!!

ulrichd

James,
Take a look at my reassembly thread. I need some more help.

Ulrich

theiceman

Push harder..

Capt. Carrera

That's good thinking regarding the brake lines; however, you're going to need them to move. You need to compress the shock, and lower the control arm, to swing the asssembly past the fender lip. Lean on it hard.