Front strut spacer removal

adam911 · 09:08 AM

I recently lowered my car (69E)and before it goes off to have the geometry set up I need to remove the spacers on the front struts.

The struts are Boge. Below are a couple of pictures. I'm wondering how easy/difficult this job is. Is it a case of simply disconnecting the strut from the top and lowering the A arm and removing the spacer or is it more involved than that? i.e. do I have to disconnect the tie rods etc?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Adam

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911pcars · 05-18-2011, 09:21 AM

Not aware there is a strut spacer on your MY 911. Is your suspension original?

Sherwood

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 09:32 AM

I'm not entirely sure, but it all looks original. It's just that everywhere I read about lowering (here, 101 projects etc) it suggests removing said spacer to increase damper travel.

schumicat · 05-18-2011, 09:49 AM

you just have to take the nut off the top, compress shock, and pull it from under fender. you need a way to keep the insert from turning when you turn the nut. one way is to use a ring spanner to hold the big washer in place (if the washer is held in place the insert won't turn when you turn the nut). the spacer would under the mount.

schumicat · 05-18-2011, 09:51 AM

also you have to flatten the turned up edge on the little lock washer below the nut. I used a small punch and hammer.

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 09:54 AM

Would that be the large washer below the locking tab washer?

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 10:03 AM

I'm not entirely clear on how I can hold the large washer with a ring spanner. There is a notch cut in the large washer, which I suspect is to facilitate securing it while undoing the nut. I just can't work out a method of holding it.

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 10:09 AM

OK, did it. Placed a short extension in the notch and wedged it up against one of the fender bolts.....where there's a will, there's a way!

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 10:18 AM

OK, the damper was extremely easy to compress and doesn't really return. Does that suggest it's shot?
Also, don't see a spacer unless it's the large collar that is resting on the bellows in the picture.
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rnln · 05-18-2011, 10:33 AM

Sounds like that, but if you are cheap like me, and want to get by for a while...
Is it easy to compress at all, or only when you compress it slowly. Is it easy to complress when you do it fast?
Does not return at all, or real slow?
If you can afford to replace right away, it's time.

911pcars · 05-18-2011, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam911

OK, the damper was extremely easy to compress and doesn't really return. Does that suggest it's shot?
Also, don't see a spacer unless it's the large collar that is resting on the bellows in the picture.

Hydraulic shocks do not rebound (self-extend) as opposed to gas-filled versions. As for wear characteristics, unless it doesn't provide much resistance to manual compression and rebound, that would be better diagnosed during a road test. However, if there are many miles on on the vehicle, e.g. factory installed shocks, they're probably past due for replacement.

No spacer on early struts; I suspect only on SCs and newer.

The large "collar" you see is a rubber cone-shape seat that rests against the bottom of the strut mount. Not a spacer. A new one is included with a replacement shock insert; two for each rear shock.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

adam911 · 10:43 AM

Doesn't compress fast, but slowly and doesn't return all the way on it's own.

Also, looking at the parts diagram (PET) I don't see the collar that's in the picture I posted, so maybe that is the spacer, though it is only appears to space by about 5mm. And it's not made of rubber, but steel.

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 11:07 AM

OK, Thanks for the help thus far guys.

next question. Looks to me that in order to remove the damper there is a threaded cap that has to be unscrewed in order to remove the damper. This cap is what the bellows roll over and stops them from riding up...correct?

911pcars · 05-18-2011, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam911

OK, Thanks for the help thus far guys.

next question. Looks to me that in order to remove the damper there is a threaded cap that has to be unscrewed in order to remove the damper. This cap is what the bellows roll over and stops them from riding up...correct?

Remove the steel collar and the bellows, then let us know what's under it. Keep parts in order of dis-assembly.

"This cap is what the bellows roll over and stops them from riding up...correct?"

No. the threaded collar under the bellows retains the shock innards in the strut tube. You'll need a large spanner or pipe wrench to remove it and the shock insert. You might have a hose clamp or equivalent that clamps the lower half of the bellows on the strut tube (BTW, the bellows is an aftermarket piece. Normally occupied by a metal dust sleeve). The upper part of the bellows is probably retained on the threaded shock stem.

Sherwood

schumicat · 05-18-2011, 11:24 AM

my front shocks (which I suspect were pretty damn old) were not easy to compress at all. pretty hard in fact. I'd say yours are shot if it was easy to compress. you figured out the big washer; I meant to say use a hook spanner or spanner wrench (not "ring spanner). it looks like the tool used to hold the fan pulley in place to remove fan nut. I think your shock does use a gland nut at the top of the shock body to hold the insert in place (bilsteins use a roll pin at the bottom).

adam911 · 05-18-2011, 11:32 AM

OK, this is what I have....Looks to me like I need a pipe wrench to unscrew the rather corroded cap.

Anyway, seems to me I have no spacer, as the consensus seems that the collar isn't the spacer, even though it doesn't appear in any parts diagrams.

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ruby911 · ruby911's Garage

One item you might also consider, depending on how low you went, is the bump stops that are likely under the dust shield, or in your case the rubber bellows. You might find, if lowered quite a bit, that you are bottoming out on the bump stops. It is not advised to remove the bump stops becaue they protecty the strut, but rather cut them down to make them shorter. I ran into this issue when lowering my car.

- Farrell

adam911 · 05-19-2011, 06:50 AM

oddly, there are no bump stops underneath.

I've actually decided to raise the car back up some, as I could get no fine adjustment on the rear end due to not being able to remove the torsion bars at the spring plate end. Tried everything, heat, drilled a hole and tried a puller, but no joy. They are seized solid. One spline adjustment on the inboard is too much (over 3 inches), so I'm going to put the front back up and have the geometry set.

Thanks anyway guys.