changing shocks

I need to change my front shocks (boge), the store is asking me if the strut is boge or bilstein. How do I check that?

I just took off the wheel cleaned the schock where there was writing and the schock showed Boge and the numbers of the schock. These numbers should indicate the matching mount.When I told them at Pelican they didn't have any trouble identifying what would fit. My options were Boge or Bilstein.
88 Carrera.
Mrdi

The Boge's are generally painted black, and the Bilstein's are green or yellow. But, to be sure, clean the lower portion of the body tube with household cleaner, and 'stamped' lettering should be visible under the painted surface identifying mfr and the OEM Porsche part number.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Let me know how the shock changes go. I purchased Bilstein Sports from Pelican Parts(For a great price I might add) to fit in the Boge's that are in my 89 911. All advice given to me has said that it is not hard,(It will be the old: spend 3 hours on one side doing and learning and then 30 minutes on the other but what the hell, I like working on my 911). If any one has done this, I would appreciate the feedback.

This will take an entire day, and maybe two, to do, depending on how well your home workshop/garage is equipped. The Haynes 911 manual has sketches of special tools (one for KONI struts, another for Boge) that must be built/fabricated in order to take off the cap 'nut' off the front struts, before the old 'guts' can be removed and the new inserts installed.

The entire front strut MUST be removed from the car, completely, and brake components removed, as well! It is all very straightforward, but a bit intimidating if you haven't disassembled suspensions before. The tie-rod ends must be removed first, requiring a puller, and maybe strong language, if stubborn. Next, the brake lines must be 'broken' apart ... there is a 'tab' welded to the strut that prevents you from just unbolting and 'dangling' the caliper! If you intend to repaint the strut, all of the brake components must be removed. Next, the strut must be separated from the A-arm ball joint. Depending on whether the ball joint is to be replaced or continue in service, this stage can be easy or somewhat difficult! Now, the strut must be unbolted and 'dropped' from the body. Place the strut in a large, secure bench vise with wood blocks on both sides to protect the strut finish. Use the fabricated cap-nut tool to remove the cap of the strut. Remove old insert components, and clean strut. Install new strut insert. As the typical one-page US instruction sheet to any automotive product says: Re-assembly is the reverse of the above!!! Be sure to torque all fasteners to the proper factory-specified torque values! Good Luck!!!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

MMbrazil,

There is a right way to change the shocks and not so correct but quick way to change the shocks. Warren described the correct way to do it, but it is also possible to change the shocks without removing the whole strut.

You need to loosen the top nut, loosen the retaining collar, compress the shock and carefully pull it out from under the fender. Then put the new shock in and reassemble. Make sure to put a little motor oil (used to transfer heat) in the strut.

I skipped a couple of steps but that is the gist of it. Some notes. Make sure to support the strut from below before you loosen the top nut or it might fall too far and damage the brake lines, move the brake line clip so the lines can move a bit. Also when tightening or loosening the ring collar type screw, it is helpful to put the top the strut back in place so that you can torque the nut without the strut flopping all over the place.

Several people on the rennlist mentioned this method. It might not be the best thing for the ball joint, but this is the easiest way to change the shocks and it take less than 1 hour per side. It also doesn't affect the alignment.

Neil
'73 911S targa


[This message has been edited by Neilk (edited 02-27-2000).]

I have already changed my front shocks ( they were boge )and did exactly as neil discribed. Very, very easy, just have atention to suport the strut. It took me 20 mins each side. A piece of cake.

Thanks for the advice guys. Tom at Pelican parts recommended the same technique. That will be the only way I will try it. Since Im going to get the car inspected and aligned anyway, would the garage use the same technique? I would be willing to pay and hour or two labor, at least for the front struts, (maybe I should stay and keep track to the time.....) Michael

I have no problem with shortcuts, assuming there are no difficulties getting that 'cap' loose from the strut. My strong recommendation for anyone with factory-stock KONI's is to go ahead and completely take the struts off the car, because that nut is VERY tight, and once you damage it ... you will probablly need to use a very-large pipe wrench to remove it! The real problem with the shortcut method is there is no way to secure the strut from moving around on you while you are trying to get the cap loose! I had planned all along to replace the ball joints and repaint the struts and get the dust covers Cadmium-plated, so I did the complete disassemby by choice, not as a result of difficulty, but the bench vise is the only way I would have ever been able to get the cap off ... the torque spec. was 20 mkg ... 145 lb-ft, so you can imagine how difficult that would be with a 'wiggly' strut still attached to tie-rod, A-arm, and brake line!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[dotorg]

Bumping a really old thread here, but its relevant to my question...

If I'm doing new Koni inserts as well as a turbo tie-rod kit, is it going to be easier just to do Warren's suggestion of taking the whole thing apart, or should I do the quick method of replacing the strut insert and then deal seperately with the tie-rod?

[Zeke]

That's 2 out of four. The other 2 connections are the ball joint and the brake line. For not too much more money, you could do a clean sweep and have all new components at the strut and be doing it Warren's way. The strut nut holding the insert is a tough customer. A factory or insert manufacturer's spanner wrench would be nice tool to have available.

I put my shocks in the shortcut way. So, my talk is cheap.

[sundaypunch]

I just replaced my Koni's. The Pelican tech. article is excellent. There is no need to completely remove the strut. If you are replacing other components as well maybe it makes more sense for you.

Getting the cap nut off the shock was not a major problem. Once you take the upper dust cover off the shock you reattach the shock at the top. I used a pipe wrench on the cap nut and had a pair of vice grips on the top nut to keep it from turning (position so they rotate into the edge of the trunk to stop the turning). Did the same thing when putting it back together. You can use a breaker bar if necessary to tighten. It's also a good idea to use some thread locker on it.

[dotorg]

Ugh, I hate the world.

I can't get the damn nut off holding the insert in. Gobs of PB blaster isn't helping.

I'm not sure taking the whole strut off is going to help, I just can't get a grip on the thing, the channel locks just slip before I can get enough torque on it.

Anyone got any ideas?

[JP911]

I set the edge of a chisel in one of the holes and whacked it with a hammer to get the nut moving. It took a few tries, but it worked. There is a tool that fits into the two holes on the top of the insert, and my new Koni's came with it, but I didn't get the new ones until the old ones were out.

[sundaypunch]

Are you talking about the cap holding the insert in the strut or the nut holding the top of the insert rod in the mount?

Once the strut is out from under the fender you can get the cap off using a long pipe wrench. A set of vice grips probably won't cut it.

[dotorg]

The gland nut I think its called, holding the insert in.

Unfortunately I don't have a pipe wrench that opens that far... although I may have to go buy one. Usually channel locks and one of the segments of the bar on my jack gives me enough leverage to get things loose, but I can't get a tight enough grip on the nut for it not to just slip.

[dotorg]

Originally posted by JP911
I set the edge of a chisel in one of the holes and whacked it with a hammer to get the nut moving. It took a few tries, but it worked. There is a tool that fits into the two holes on the top of the insert, and my new Koni's came with it, but I didn't get the new ones until the old ones were out.

The original shocks are boge, so they've got four cut outs around the edge, not the two holes like the Koni.

Getting the koni ones back on is a total other issue, because I didn't get a tool to turn those with them. Not sure if I was supposed to...

[sundaypunch]

I think it's a case of having the right tool for the job. Technically the pipe wrench isn't but it works great. You also need to make sure you torque the hell out of it and use loctite when you put it back on. If you were able to get it off with vice grips they probably won't tighten it enough when it goes back together.

Go buy a cheap pipe wrench or borrow one from a friend and you'll be glad you did.

[Pettybird]

I read this and thought 'man this was a snap... why?' Then I remember that my Boge inserts came off really easily when I set my air chisel on one of the flats and let loose. I replaced them with Billsteins using the same method... Brutal? Yeah... but rather effective. I got a hokey tool with the Billsteins, but it's more of an aggrivation than I was willing to deal with.

Doug

[dotorg]

Wish I had an air chisel... bigger pipe wrench won't budge either. Nearly an entire can of PB Blaster hasnt' helped, either (although I've found it dissolves the spray-on undercoating in the wheel well, so the upside is at least I have a big area thats clean and doesn't need to be scraped to POR the chassis under there.)

I'm almost out of options now, though. I have no idea what to try next. I may see if I can find a pipe that'll fit over the pipe wrench handle for more leverage. I usually use my jack handle for that, but the pipe wrench is just a hair too big to fit into it

At this point with the amount of time I've spent trying to get these off, it would've been cheaper to buy whole new struts...