Astroman

I have Boge struts. I think I have Bilstein shocks. I'm trying to get them out of the struts but they don't wanna budge...

The "101 Projects" book mentions a pin that has to be removed in order to remove Bilstein shocks... Is this only for Bilstein STRUTS??? I can't find a pin anywhere on the Boge strut...

Can someone please help?? Do I just need to pull harder??? Thanks-

Capt. Carrera

Bilstein struts are green. They have roll pin at the bottom. The pin is readily apparent. Boge struts are black and have "Boge" stamped on them near the top. There is no roll pin on a Boge.

Once you remove the threaded collar on a Boge housing the guts will slide out easily. The housing is part of the dampener assembly. If there is a Bilstein insert inside the Boge strut, you may indeed have to apply some force to remove it. Especially if someone put a bit of oil inside the housing to help cool the insert.

Astroman

Is the threaded collar screwed down to the top of the strut??

theiceman

Sounds like you have at least a Boge Strut aassembly. Is the top part green or black ? if it is green it is a Bilstein insert, if it is Blqck it ia a boge.
Raise car, undo nut at top of strut, push it down through , may take some force, keep compressing the strut until you can lift the dust cover off ( top cover of strut ) . Once you have lifted it off you wull see a " strut nut" holding the insert in. While still in the car ( it is held better that way.) put a pipe wrench on the strut nut and undo it. If it is a bilstein it will come out in one piece sealed . if it is Boge a hydraulic insert will come out and you will have to suck out lots of oil .

I would recomend taping off your fender lip first to prevent [paint chiping.

do a search on shock/ stru replacement , lots of grat detail .


Night all.

KC911

Usually ! I once had a (relatively new) Bilstein insert (in a Boge strut) that simply would not slide out, no matter what I tried. I never did figure it out (it wasn't bent, didn't appear to be suction, etc.), but THAT insert simply wasn't going to slide out like they normally do. I ended up putting a nut on the top on the insert (this is with the strut/insert removed from the car), and using a chisel (against the nut), and a BFH, after a few bit whacks, I was finally able to get the insert to pop out. It took more force than I would have imagined, and I don't think I could have done it with the strut still on the car. Good luck!

Keith
'88 CE coupe