Bilstein install ? - Type 44, rear

[Roa, Greg]

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I'll take a gander.
Sounds like you're chasing the same sound I am.  Rattle/clunking from the r=
ear after a bilstein install/suspension rebuild.
Mine is on a 4kq, but I think it's the same thing.
I've replaced everything, including the spring perch, strut bearings, ect. =
 I've finally figured out what it is, but haven't pulled it apart to fix it=
 yet.

When you get Bilsteins, they come with a new cap to hold the strut insert i=
nto the housing.  My bet is that the new one isn't tightening down enough, =
and your strut insert is moving around inside there, making a clunking nois=
e=2E
My plan is to take the assembly off of the car, disassemble, clean up the t=
hreads on the strut housing, and retighten.
Should fix the problem, I hope.

If not, the car will be flying off of a cliff near you, because it's cursed=
 with a phantom bowling ball rolling around in the trunk.

Good Luck!
Greg Roa
Cincinnati, OH
86' 4kcsq
93' 90 cS
83' 944
and another 86' 4kcsq on wednesday.


>To: 200q20v at audifans.com, quattro at audifans.com
>From: "Dave C." <conner at cfm.Ohio-State.edu>
>Subject: Bilstein install ? - Type 44, rear
>
>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.