Write-Up on Strut Inserts for 79 911SC (Bilstein)

[FinallyGotOne]

hey everyone on here that helped me figure out the strut inserts R & R! I have to say with theright tools this job was so easy, I rate washing and drying my 911 more difficult and time consuming haha thats pretty good eh?

so, The issue was the moron who owned before painted the struts Red, then black. Had to scrape a bit to see that they were actually GREEN. Got the Bilstein HD's.

Jacked up a side at a time per the advice here, which helped a lot. I jacked it up by the A-arm unit and removed the tire to make it easier. I placed another jack under the wheel hub. I undid the top nut after folding back down the washer. had a friend hold the big brass colored washer with a channel locks, while I used a breaker wrench 22MM on the big nut. That was easy. and then used a 4 lb hammer to hammer the strut insert down through the hole. That was easy too. then i lowered the hub as low as i could I used the same 4lb hammer and a tap to pop out the roll pin at the base. that was easy. I compressed the insert, no resistamnce hardly at all, and just swung it out and pulled it up out of the housing. Popped in the new one, compressed it, much harder obviously, put the rollpin in and was able to guide it through the hole up top as it natuarally raised back up. Put the washers on, and the 22MM nut, bent back up the locking washer and was done.

THE ONLY CAUTION here is to make sure that you use a light and watch where you are putting the roll pin in. What happens is that over time the rubber accordion thing on the strut breaks down and when you remove the old insert tiny rubber pieces fall into the indentation that the end of the strut insert is supposed to seat into. You can put the new insert in and think it is seated, but if you pull hard it could pull right out. I used a coat hanger and air compressor to blow out as much of the old stuff as possible. I then was able to see the notched part of the insert go low enough to put the roll pin in. Make sure the open end of the pin is away from the strut notch.

[Cipotifoso]

Finallygotone - great write up. Helpful for those of us that are possibly facing the same task. So, while you were doing this, the car was basically supported by two jacks - one under the a-arm and one under the hub? Did you notice a difference with the new strut inserts? Also, do you happen to have a p/n off of the old strut?

Thanks,
Dave