Schuepbach

I just got my rear shocks back from Bilstein and they came w/ these odd spacers for the top portion of the rear shocks. I'm fairly sure these are wrong and should have some sort of boss on them to lock inside the ball. Anyone who has installed these have any input? I tried putting the spacers in and needless to say its a nearly impossible w/ my fat fingers

Schuepbach

So I spoke to Bilstein and they're going to send over some different step down spacers. Has anyone else had issues installing these guys?

It looks like the easiest way right now is to pull the springs off to move the hat down a bit, that way I can reach up in there w/ my fingers.

400hp944

I'm pretty sure the spring goes on the bottom not the top. Looking at the pictures, the long bolt with the offset insert attaches to the trailing arm not the top mount. I could be off base here, but my ground control coilovers mounted that way and required a special insert on the bottom.

LUCKY DAVE

Yes!

Schuepbach

well then I feel like an idiot now, yall are saying mount the spring hat on the bottom instead of the top?

Both the bottom and the top have offset mounts, I will try to get better pics this weekend when the car is on the lift.

For reference it is currently mounted like this:

rlm328

Your picture has the dampner upside down.

Schuepbach

thanks for the help guys, can't believe I originally mounted it upside down. Coils are finally on the car.

Oddjob

I am not sure I understand the posted problem (?) - but Bilsteins are not designed to be mounted inverted. Shock body is installed on the trailing arm and rod end is up, correctly shown in the pic in post #5. Only one way the stock units can be installed because the upper bushing is 12mm, lower is 14mm.

Not sure what diameter spherical bearings bilstein uses, but konis are 1/2", so you need an adapter mount (like RE) for the bottom trailing arm mount, and you need machined bushing inserts for the upper mount (1/2" is 12.7mm, so the upper bushing inserts account for that diameter difference).

s14kev

I concur. I've never seen Bilsteins mounted inverted either. Mine are as pictured in post #5 due to the different size upper and lower mount bolts. The only inverted rear shocks I have seen are cheap QA1 shocks.

Schuepbach

According to Bilstein the shocks can be mounted any direction. Additionally, the put the 1/2" spherical on the spring perch side and included a machined spacer on the body side.

edit: i also ordered the RE bolts w/ this, which are designed for the 1/2" bearings