Got my front shocks back from Bilstein on Friday and decided to get the front Eibachs from the recent group buy installed this weekend. The turnaround to my door from Bilstein was only 10 days from when they got them. Total cost to refurbish back to stock was $207 including return shipping and machining of two new rods. The suspension went back together without a hitch. The PO had the adjusters installed upside down so I turned them back the right way and cleaned them along with cleaning/painting the lower perches and giving all the threads/sliding surfaces a good coat of anti-sieze. I also took the opportunity to put new boots on the lower ball joints. Before installation I lubed up the lower control arm bushings with a paste of PAG oil and graphite as I could not get the WSM specified MolyKote U paste (PAG oil and molybdenum disulfide powder.) Put everything back on the ground yesterday afternoon and put the final torque on the two rear bolts on both lower control arms once the weight was on the springs per the WSM. I took the car for a short drive this morning to fill the fuel tank and settle the suspension some so I could set the initial ride height. I can only get the front up to 155mm on the right and 150mm on the left. I lowered the rear from 167mm down to 162mm right and 165mm left trying to get the front to come up some more The left front adjuster is nearly all the way to the top of the threads while the right is near the bottom of the threads. This seems pretty odd to me. I know the Eibachs tend to lower the car 1"-1.5" but the drastic difference in the pre-load on the front springs seems strange. Could I have a bent lower control arm or bent frame?

With stock springs and the height at ~160 to ~167 all around I was not able to get enough front camber during my last alignment. I was hoping that the new springs would help alleviate that issue by allowing me to get a little more height in the front. But with the ride height even lower than before I'm figuring my negative camber issue will be even worse. The only other thing I can think is to take four new eccentrics with me next weekend when I go in for alignment and have the tech replace them on the theory that my eccentrics are worn or flat spotted from some previous alignment tech forcing them. The hex openings on the existing eccentrics are pretty beat up.

The difference in the front handling is pretty dramatic with the fresh springs and shocks, even with just a few short jaunts around town.. I just hope I can get the car to align properly so I don't have to worry about eating front tires.

Mike

 

Something is not right.

 

for the eccentrics you should clean them and add some anti seize to them so they all turn easily the tech may strip them otherwise .

If you have new ones then put them on before you get to the alignment shop.
For the spring/ ride height something is clearly amiss why not use the Bils with the stock springs?

It would also be a good idea to post pictures of your setup someone may see an issue

 

Thanks Stan. The last time I had the car in for alignment I was out in the bay with the tech. and he removed and cleaned all the adjusters but did not have any anti-seize. I figured to take some with me the next time I went in for alignment.

The car had stock springs and Bilsteins when I bought it. The ride height was way low (you spotted it from the pictures I posted when I got the car on the road after the first round of maintenance) so I raised it up to meet factory spec, albeit on the low side (used the additional -10mm downward tolerance for older springs.) At that alignment the tech could not get enough camber front or rear. After my road trip this summer and the adjusting of the crossbrace mounts at your place I raised the car further to the 163mm-167mm range and had it aligned again. This time the rear camber came right in to spec, but the front was still negative (-1deg vs -0.5 deg spec IIRC.) I figured that the issue was sagging springs as they appeared to be originals (3 Brown stripes.) When the Eibach buy cam along I jumped on it to get one more thing knocked out in putting this car right again.

In trying to get the ride height correct in the past I posted here about the difference in the position of the adjusters left to right on the front, but no one had any ideas. Some even suggested that the difference was irrelevant as long as the heights were correct.

I'll get some pics posted and see if we can pin down anything.

Thanks again to the community for all the support.

Mike

 

Check the total length of the front springs in compression if you can. Compare side to side, and report back with where that side's adjusters are.

 

BC, the left side measures 6-3/8" from the lower to upper perch edges. The rights side measures 7". I took these measurements after jacking the car to remove the wheels and snap the pics. The right side adjuster has about 5 threads showing.

These are the left side
L-side Top 2.jpg
L-side upper.JPG
L-side adjuster.JPG
L-side Aarm.JPG

These are the right side
R-Side Top 2.jpg
R-side Upper Mount.JPG
R-side Adjuster.JPG
R-side Aarm.JPG

Thoughts?

 

Mike,

Questions about the Bilstein refurb

1) what do the shock bodies look like after you got them back? Do they blast or refinish the exterior case in anyway. I would assume not at all but I thought I would just ask.

2) Can you post contact information for Bilstein. Ive never looked to actually have this done, but i think it would be great to list PREFERABLY in a new thread with JUST that information. Contact number, person of interest and so on.

$207 sounds like prices from the 80's I LOVE IT. Does Custom valving change the price much, not sure if you inquired on that. I assume it may change the price slightly, perhaps another $100 for the set.

THANKS

 

The right spring is not seated all the way on the top perch.

 

Ryan,

The bodies were cleaned VERY well, but not plated. However, new bodies are available. Look at the pics above to see what mine look like. The service is on Bilstein USA's web site at this LINK It looks like custom valving for non-adjustable shocks is the same price as a standard rebuild. I asked for new eye bushings but ended up not getting them as they were only available from Germany with a 3-4 week lead time. There is a link on the page to a PDF to fill out and ship with your order detailing what you want done.

Mike

 

Aryan, the spring is fully seated in the perch. The appearance is a trick of perspective. The end of the coil that butts into the notch in the seat is backed away from the stop slightly from my unscrewing the adjuster to lower the right side.

Mike

 

You said you can only get 150 on the left - and that spring package is 6 3/8 - but the right is HIGHER at 155 and the spring is less compressed at 7 inches.

I have the same issue with a car here.

Suggestion - loosen the lower a-arm bolts again, as well as the upper a-arm bushing nuts. Drive the car to see if it settles.

I almost feel like sometimes there are some serious differences between these aftermarket springs - side to side.

 

Hmm, I'll have to go check, but my memory is that the WSM says to install the front lower control arms with the bushings dry - which is why you don't torque the bolts until the bushings have had a chance to correctly locate once the car's down on the ground.

I thought it only said to use Molykote U on the rear suspension bushing faces?

 

I just checked and I think you're right Hilton. The WSM calls for MolyCoat U on the shock mounting eye bushing and upper mount for the shock/spring, but nothing else on the front suspension. I bet the lube I put on the rear bushing of the Front LCA's has allowed too much movement of the suspension. I'll get it cleaned off next weekend after i get back home and see if my situation improves.

I knew someone in the group would point out the error of my ways. Now I need to edit my chart of lube and sealant application so I don't make this mistake again.

Mike

 

Mike,

Thanks for posting that link

 

your adjusters are very different this means either the chassis is bent,
the springs are different
or the perches are different side to side.
OR the car has not fully settled
The only clue i have is to remember when we were hitting the crossbrace with the sledge to lower it
I think that its a possibility that one side of the chassis is twisted.
This can happen from hitting a curb with one of the lower tie down mounts.
BUT there are other possibilites to consider as well.
.


The other possibility is if your driving out of a driveway entrance at a 45 degree angle, if so then try going out so the other wheels come out first.

I had a similar issue with my 86.5 after fitting new Boge gas shocks, when i parked it, it was leaning to one side so i was chasing my tail trying to figure out why , I had more than 6 turns difference on one side ( boge gas/ stock springs)to try to settle the suspension and it wouldnt change, turns out after coming out of my driveway the other way the car settled to even . ( and both sides of the ride adjusters were leveled)

My suggestion put both shocks at the same ride height and see if the chassis settles .
Also see if there is a possibility that you come out uneven in a driveway come out the other way and pause for a few seconds so the suspension can take a set in the compressed mode
THE WSM even specifies that the shock difference between sides should not be more than 1 to 2 turns