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DIY Bilstien HD / SRS Rear Strut assembly MKII - 56K NO

4K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  CamdensDad 
#1 ·
I kept see horror pics of fubar'd installs.
I had just R&R'd the rear of my MKII and I had the old parts around for pics.
The Bilstien HDs are classic cases of the need for CAREFUL assembly.
They work a little differntly than the stock BOGE (tho how Im not sure as I havent seen a stock Boge setup in ages).
They have a part that is CRUCIAL but not called out on the Bilstien instructions.
Here are the Bilstien instructions that come in the box:


OK a close up of the diagram


And the very detailed instructions


Here is another Bistien "instruction" sheet
This one is a bit better.
Note the important diagram on the lower left showing how the perch has to sit over the ring.
The should have done the same thing for the unlabeled ring and part #10.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that the #10 washer go on in the corect orientation!!!!!


Here's the OEM description ala Bentley

So lets do an assembly.
This is being done on an OLD skagged out spring. The shock is still in remarkably good condition
First - the lower spring perch support.
Note that there are TWO sides to this baby and that MUST go on ONLY one way!
The ONE way is that the "extra groove" goes DOWN so that it can capture the circlip.
Here we see the circlip on the shock and the groove obscured by rust/dirt and extra paint.
The circlip is in the middle of 3 grooves.
These grooves allow one to raise/lower the car.
Think of this as a "budget" coil over



Heres a not so great shot. The circlip fits in the groove and sits FLUSH with the perch seat.
You should be able to make out a "hole" at 12 o clock where the cir clip ends dont meet.


Nex slide on the Bilstien lower spring seat


Then add the spring
This one here is a skagged out SRS 120lb spring

Heres a close up of the circlip on the shaft.

Make a note of that circlip
Slide on the dust cap for the damper to (I dont have em in this pic)
and then slide on the dust cover bumper combo

Double check that ya didnt lose the circlip!!


Now insert the washer. Note the groove goes DOWN. Like the lower perch the groove retains the circlip

So the washer slides OVER the clip and retains it

Here the bump stop is slid down for photo clarity

See how the washer fits into the cut out on the bump stop

Here's a blurry pic of the spring cap and the spring retainer rubber.
The index finger points to where the END of the spring goes. Its not the farthest notch, its the next one in.

And a less blurry pic of the top hat and rubber retainer


Place the spring top hat on the shaft


Heres a differnt shot showing proper spring location on the rubber retainer

Now insert the metal sleeve/spacer


Now you can either do the nut or the rubber cushin.
I did the rubber first




and add the nut

If you notice - the nut will clamp ALL METAL so it torques down tight rather quickly.
15nm so its not super duper tight
Now add the smaller of the dished washers
Not that it goes on open side down...


Not the bottom shape of the bumper. It "inverts" under heavy compression like a plumbers pluger will. So there is SUSPENSION in the rubber bushing.
the domed side fits into the upper bushing.

At this point the strut gets inserted ino the hole in the rear tower and the rest of the assembly takes place inside the car.
I dont have the car handy so we see the next assembly in the air
First the rubber

Then the washer

and finally the second nut

I dont have the rest of the parts to show you but there is a HUGE dished washer thats designed to keep the entire assembly from dropping out of the car and then finally a lock nut. Sorry no pics of that


Here's the final assembly in a Golf.
I dont recall if the nylock is supplied by Bilstien of if I added that.
10mmx1.25 pitch comes to mind as the thread pattern

Gratitious shot of the necessary hammer for the RUSTED mess ya just saw


Modified by ewongkaizen at 11:41 AM 6-20-2006


Modified by ewongkaizen at 12:46 PM 6-25-2006
 
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