Bilstein shock removal question

[Mike Kast]

I knocked out the the pin and removed everything from the top of the shock. I thought at this point it is supposed to slide out of the strut. What is the trick?

It's a front shock

[Mike Kast]

got it. I guess I missunderstood "It should slide right out" I didn't think that meant I had to pull with everything I got in me.

[john walker's workshop]

you can put the top washer and nut back on and use a hammer under the washer to help get it moving.

[Mike Kast]

Thanks John,
Thats sort of what I did.
I have some wierd stuff inside the strut. It looks like rubber bits mixed with grease. Can I just dump something in there to clean it out? What the hell is it?

[johnsjmc]

The "gunk" is probably the remains of rubber bump stops.

[Mike Kast]

I suppose I need new ones then. Quite impressive really.
I guess I do need my shocks worked a little bit.

[no substitute]

That junk was in the bottom of mine too. I used a dowel to scrape around inside to loosen it, a little brake clean, and used the dowel to swab around paper towels to thoroughly clean it. I also had to use a push button spring claw pick-up tool to get some chunks out.

[john walker's workshop]

i tape a hose to my shop vac and suck it out. then swab as described. the large chunk is removed by hooking it with a welding rod or coat hanger thru it's center hole. you have to get it out of the small hole that the shaft goers into, or it won't go down far enough to lock it with the rollpin. the bits will also bind the shock body as it tries to slide thru the bushings. pretty normal though. about one in three have that problem.

[Mike Kast]

Cool! thank you guys... I have so much going on with the car I forgot about the bits and chunks in the strut. Everything is out of the front end and since I'm waiting for parts now, I have a chance to stone guard the wheel wells and pan and paint the wheel wells to match the rear passenger one I did when I did my oil line, tank project and had everything in that area out of my way. First step was tar removal. It went so much faster this time. A little experience goes a long way. But this belongs on a different post

[ZCAT3]

Originally posted by john walker's workshop
you can put the top washer and nut back on and use a hammer under the washer to help get it moving.

I don't get what you are saying? Like Mike I have had to pull down with all my might to get the shock to recess enough to get it out of the tower.

[Mike Kast]

ZCAT3,
Explain where your at? Is the strut clear of the fender so that you have access? I read in another tread that sometimes it pays to remove the torsion bar cover before you try to take the shock out of the tower. That leaves only the A arm bushings keeping the strut tensioned.
If you already have access and the shock can slide out of the tower without the fender being in the way, put the bolt back on the top of the shock so you have something to leverage it out with. I think my torsion bars were already out so when I started without my knowing they should be. A little luck is nice sometimes. It's not very dependable though.

[ZCAT3]

Mike - I have actually replaced the front shocks on both my 911 and 930 but now need to go back in and add something to the 930 shocks (they are coil overs and I want to add spring bearings). So I have to pull the struts free again to slide the bearing over the shock. I recently pulled the tops down to add monoballs and I could not believe how hard it was to just get the top of the strut out of the fender and into the wheel well. I now need to get it free of the wheel well and am thinking I must be missing something as it should not be this hard. It can't be the torsion bars because I don't have any.

Bill

[Mike Kast]

Thats a different problem than I had. You should start a new thread if you haven't already but I bet you need some kind of tool to compress those bad boys. Sounds like a tight set up. sweeeeeeet
sorry I couldn't help

[johnsjmc]

Have you disconnected your front swaybar?