Sonic dB

Cool...sounds like fun process an6drew



BTW... can you recommend a good place to purchase the Bilstein inserts at a great price? I have a place in mind, but it never hurts to comparison shop because they are quite pricey item.

an6drew

I got them through pelican. I remember checking a few other places & the cheapest I saw was only maybe $10 per side less (shox.com?)- I decided it wasn't worth it as Pelican always gets stuff out to me on time.

Got a good deal on the rears though. I found a set of 5000 mile used ones.

Andrew

jet911

sonic - if you are looking for a set of 4, try RD Enterprises http://www.shox.com/lowest_prices.php4

In Panorama they advertise a set of 4 Bilstein or Koni shocks for $399 plus shipping. Sounds like a good deal.

Good luck!

Sonic dB

I have the Bilsteins... and Im gonna do the swap in the morning.

Question... I can understand how the older Boge non-gas insert will "collapse down" allowing me to angle it under the fender to get it out...

But how does the new gas Bilstein collapse to fit it back in under the fender? Ive pushed down on the thing with my hands, and it just doesnt move.

Hope this isnt a stupid newbie question...just want to know before I get too involved in the middle of it and have a problem.

Also... is a brake bleed absolutely necessary after disconnecting the brake line?

Thanks very much

KC911

The new Bilsteins are going to be very stiff compared to the old Boges. With the Bilstein upright on the garage floor and a shop rag on top of the shaft, use your body weight to compress/decompress the shock several times to loosen it up immediately before attempting to install it (at least, that's what I did). Yes, you will need to bleed the brakes after disconnecting any brake line.

Sonic dB

Thanks KC.

Im glad I asked...

Ill be taking a trip up to Kragen for a brake bleeder and some fluid!

Sonic dB

No go on the Bilsteins. Its frustrating...intellectually, Im capable...but apparently I do not have the right tools for the job.

I tried all of the nuts at the strut mounts, none of them would give and all of them turned the shock or strut. How do you keep the shock/strut from turning when trying to get this stuck nut off??

Also...the nuts which hold on the rears at the trailing arms do not budge either. They are on tighter than the lid to Grandmas cookie jar...and thats pretty tight.

PB Blaster was useless.

(sigh) I guess Im taking this to my mechanic and pay him a few hundred $ to do a job that I 'should' be able to do myself.

KC911

Please don't give up so easily! Just a little over a year ago, I was in the same boat you are (with almost no wrenching experience) when I began embarking on numerous upgrades, etc. on my '88. Trust me...get a good nights sleep, and tackle it again when you've got a 'fresh attitude'...you will not believe the pleasure you'll get from doing these things on your own (not to mention the $ you'll save) and you will soon learn that with the excellent advice (...not necessarily mine <g>) that you can get off of this board and the Pelican board that you WILL be successful! Now I must admit, I ended up buying quite a few tools (but that's still a heck of a lot cheaper than garage rates...and then you've got 'em for future use). First of all, do you have air tools? If so, then you can use an air wrench to break loose the nuts on the front shocks and the bottom of the rear shocks (at the trailing arms). I'm guessing that you probably don't, so you could always just go down to your local tire changers, garage, etc. and have them 'break them free', for a minimal cost, then tighten everything back (but not gorilla tight), drive back home and continue. If you don't have air tools, then 'breaker bars' are your friend! Go to your local hardware store, and get a 10' pipe (with a large enough diameter for your smaller wrenchs, etc. to fit into) cut into say 4, 3, 2, & 1 ft. pieces. Using a 4' breaker bar will give you enough leverage to break the lower shock/trailing arm bolt loose with minimal effort. On the nuts at the top of the front shock (without an air ratchet), you can use a pipe wrench to prevent the large 2 1/2" washer from turning. (Use a shop rag to prevent marring the washer, and since it has a notch in the shaft, that will prevent the shock from turning). Again, you might need a short breaker bar to get the nut started. On the top rear nuts, I think I held them secure with a pair of vice grips locked on tight. (I didn't care about marring them, I was replacing them...the new Bilsteins will have a place to use a hex head wrench to hold the shaft secure for installation & future removal.) There are probably other 'better' techniques' that others may offer, but these are things that worked for me a year or so ago (...I've acquired air tools since then). I think I've covered it, but feel free to ask again if you're still having issues. I highly recommend that you don't give up just yet...by doing your own wrenching, you will soon learn your 911 like you never believed possible (at least I did)! Good Luck, and if you're not already on the Pelican board, you might want to do some searches over there, as there are a lot of guys willing to share their expertise, and believe me...we all have to start somewhere, and those guys (and the gurus here) simply amaze me with their wealth of knowledge. Later...Keith

Sonic dB

Thanks Keith for your support and your tips.

Yes, Im a semi regular over at the Pelican board and have done quite a few "projects" on my 911 already.

Part of my frustration with this particular issue...is that I live in an apartment complex, and the nosey manager's husband came by to check things out while I was working (he always does that). While he didnt say that it wasnt ok to work on my car, he didnt seem overwhelmingly happy about it either.

I wish I had my own private garage or at least a stall to work in.

Thanks for the tips on knocking those bolts loose. Im considering spending a good $150 on an air tool.... rather than spend that on a mechanic to install the Bilsteins.

I cant wait to get them in there!

jeeper31

is their anyplace to get detailed instructions how to change my struts. I think they are boge Struts. any advice as to what ti replace them with?

Sonic dB

Do you want to replace the struts...or the inserts that go inside the struts? Unless something is wrong with the strut itself, its more reasonable to change out the insert....which is what Im doing. Bilstein inserts fit inside the Boge struts (as do Boge inserts of course)...and you can pick them up for about $125 each. The actual new strut itself would cost much more and would likely be unnecessary.

Bill Pauling

I used a pair of channel-locking pliers to hold the washers in the rear and maybe in the front as well. You will also need a pipe wrench to unscrew the old insert from the strut and secure the new Bilstein insert in the strut.

Don't give up. The $'s you save and the satisfaction you gain will be worth in the end.

jeeper31

Someone suggested Koni struts. I am assuming that I would be replacing the whole strut in this case and not the insert. Any idea how much koni's cost. AS far as doing the work myself, is it easier to replace the whole strut or just the inserts?

Sonic dB

Bill... I have the Bilstein "tool" is that gonna work, or should I get a pipe wrench.

How the heck do you guys reach the mounts at the rear of the engine...and hold the shock from under the car at the same time?


My mechanic quoted me $280 just to install the shocks. I think Im gonna use that money and buy me one helluva air wrench and have a go at it.

Bill Pauling

I'm not familiar with the Bilstein tool - I just used a pipe wrench. I was assuming that, like me, you are dealing with the Boge struts, which are threaded to accept the inserts. Hopefully, the tool can be used to unscrew the old inserts (Boge?), but I don't know.

As for removing the rear shocks, do the driver's side first, as it offers easier access. I used channel lock pliers to hold the large washer. Then, undo the bottom bolt. For the passenger's side, you'll have to remove the air box to gain access to the top nut.

Dan - It is definitely easier (and cheaper) to replace the strut insert as opposed to the entire strut assembly. Replacing the entire strut assembly requires the removal of a bunch of stuff, including brake lines which requires bleeding the brakes. Since some suspension components are involved the car must be realigned afterword. For me, just replacing the insert was difficult enough.