[s-cars] H&R/Bilstein Suspension Blues

[Paul Gailus]

Did you put the original inverted metal cups (which are about 2 inches diameter)
back under the strut mounts? They are needed to distribute the upward compression
forces from the strut shafts across the bottom rubber portions of the mounts. It's
conceivable that you might have to remove some portion of the edge of this cup to
allow clearance for the full camber adjustment range with the offset ECS plates,
but I have no experience on that.

Paul 

-----Original Message-----
>From: Rit Bellis <rit_bellis at hotmail.com>
>Sent: May 25, 2007 11:40 AM
>To: S-Cars <s-car-list at audifans.com>
>Subject: [s-cars] H&R/Bilstein Suspension Blues
>
>Allright folks.  I installed the H&R/Bilstein combo and camber plates from ecs on my 93 s4.  For the first 2800 miles, all was glory and wonder.  Then the right front passenger strut punched its way up through the strut mount.  I thought I might have a bad mount, so we replaced both fronts.  3000 miles later, both front struts have punched through again.  They basically force the center metal bushing in the strut mount up out of the rubber (melting the rubber as they do it) and wind up sitting about 1.5" proud above the mount.  Result is wildly exciting camber variations and ruined tires in less than a few hundred miles.  The audi suspension is so strong it takes a while to become aware of the problem, and by then it's too late.  
>
>I am now wondering if its possible I got sent the wrong struts, (the rears have never had a problem.)  Has anyone else encountered this problem?  This is becoming a major expense/headache!  Thanks!