5ktq Bilstein install questions.

[bob.rossato at att.net]

The Bilstein front strut inserts are an upside-down design with the working
mechanism inside the piston, which is why it's so large.  They have an
internal bumpstop at the bottom of the strut, so you don't reuse the OEM one.

Yes, there is a special tool that is shipped with the struts.  I'm sure if
you call Bilstein they'll send you one, or maybe a local lister may have one
in his tool box.  Your clunking is directly related to the caps not being
tightened down so once you get that taken care of the noise should go away.
The Bilstein tool is a circular plate and has to slide over the strut piston
to get to the cap.  It should fit through the top opening (after removing the
strut bearing/camber plate) while the strut is installed, but I haven't tried
it so somebody else can chime in on that.  However you may not have enough
clearance in the wheel well to tighten the cap properly.  The alternative is
to use a pipe wrench on the caps reaching through the spring coils while the
suspension is extended.  Or you could weld a pipe to the Bilstein tool long
enough to stick out above the strut opening.  At the other end of the pipe
you weld a nut to it and you can torque it that way.  It's a copy of the
factory tool for removing the OEM caps.

Bob


> Hi everyone,
>
> I have a couple of questions rfollowing the installation of Bilstein sports on
> my 5ktq...
>
> The old bumstops would not fit over the shaft on the new Bilsteins. So I did not
> use them. Is this bad? Is there a "special" bumpstop? Are the Bilsteins designed
> to not need one?
>
> Also, How the heck do they expect you to tighten the new cap that screws onto
> the strut? You know the one with the 2 tabs on it? Is there a special tool that
> came with the Bilsteins? If so I didn't get one. Because of that fact I could
> only hand tighten the strut cap. There is no way I can get it to 140 lbs as
> suggested by the Bentley. Any ideas?
>
> Now, after installing these on the car I get major clunking. It feels like
> someone is shaking the heck out of the strut assembly. It comes and goes,
> sometimes while turning, sometimes while going down the road, etc. It doesn't
> always do it when I hit a bump, etc. If I shake the car or push down on the
> bumper there are no funny noises. Everything seems "tight."
>
> I did get the strut mount bolts tightned to proper torque specs along with the
> 22mm nut on top.
>
> Looking for any BTDT, help, etc...
>
> Need to get this figured out asap...thanks!
>
> Steve
> Michigan
>
>
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