Bilstein install ? - Type 44, rear

[Dave C.]

Bernie sez...
"You're making way too much over bolt/nut torque!  Throw your torque wrench
away, only to be used for head bolts thereafter.  Tighten until it feels
right for that size thread.  My bet is that this is not your problem.  Is
the symptom a rattle or a squeek?  Spring not seated in the perch properly?
If a squeek, check and relube the upper link ball joints.  Had this problem
on an old '87 5K @ 250K."

Bernie,
It's definitely a metallic rattle, and the links/ball joints are new.

The spring spring/seat orientation  is another possibility.  The diagrams
in Bentley show the proper orientation for the stock springs, but the
Eibach's are different.  Stock springs have upper and lower ends in line
with one another, whereas the Eibach's have the ends on opposite sides of
the coil.  I've installed them so the upper end is oriented in the rubber
bushing/bearing as shown in Bentley.  They side of the car with the loudest
rattle had been oriented somewhat different, but I haven't had a chance to
test out the current orientation yet.  I still need to settle on how tight
to make the top nut before putting it all back together and taking it for a
drive.

I find it difficult to feel the torque on these nuts cause I'm tightening
them against the spring and rubber bushing.  Maybe I'm supposed to tighten
them with the spring compressed to relieve this tension.  Hmmm... now that
I think about it, this makes perfect sense.  (Duh!)

Further, Al Powell wrote to say he bets the Bilstein instructions are meant
to read 37 +/- 7.5 ft lbs.  I think he's right ... upon reading further in
the newer Bentley I find they do spec 37 ft lbs for the 200Q20v.

So I will tighten to 37 ft lbs with the spring compressed.  I bet this has
been my problem cause IMO there is a big difference between 15 and 37 ft
lbs, and especially if I was erroneously tightening against the spring.

Thanks for the input guys.
Dave C.