Strut Install Questions

[Goodie]

I 've had no luck finding an answer to my problem anywhere, so here I am...
'80SC, Boge/Bilstien...
Oil or no oil in the housing?
When I attempt to tighten the nut (under the hood) on the top of the insert shaft, the entire shaft spins. How do I keep it from spinning so I can get the nut nightened properly?
As always, thanks for the great feedback!

[tazzieman]

Originally Posted by Goodie

When I attempt to tighten the nut (under the hood) on the top of the insert shaft, the entire shaft spins. How do I keep it from spinning so I can get the nut nightened properly?

Jack the car up a little bit (just enough to get hands over the tyre and around upper housing) and get an assistant to turn the nut. If you have a good grip this is achievable , even to the specified torque. A pipe wrench will damage the housing.

Otherwise...

[Flieger]

Oil helps to transfer the heat away. You only need a little to fill the gap between the insert and housing.

Most people use a pneumatic wrench/socket to spin the nut fast enough that it tightens. I guess the inertia in the rest of the system provides the necessary counter-torque.

[schumicat]

an adjustable spanner hook wrench is used to hold the big notched washer in place while the nut is turned. some inserts have an allen head at the top and a small wrench is used to hold it in place while nut is turned.

[Canada Kev]

The shaft is keyed and the washer under the nut that rides on the camber plate has a tab that sits in the key slot. Get yourself a set of pliers (big slip joint ones), a pipe wrench or vice grips with a BIG jaw opening and cover the teeth with some duct tape or something so it doesn't do any damage. You can hold the washer from turning when you loosen/tighten the nut. No washer turn, no insert shaft turn. And you can do it yourself and not bribe someone to help you. Though the beer and socializing of that option is always a bonus...

EDIT: schumicat beat me to it...

[Chuck Moreland]

Don't put oil in the housing when using a bilstein insert.

Firstly the guts and heat of a bilstein are up top, so even if you could add oil down low it wouldn't help.

Secondly, on a boge/bilstein combo the fluid would fill the the bottom of the strut - the same space the insert needs to occupy under compression. If you have enough oil it would hydro lock under compression. On a bilstein / bilstein combo the strut wouldn't even hold the oil, it would run out the roll pin.

[Goodie]

As always is the case, thank you all for the feedback.
Happy Motoring...

[DRACO A5OG]

No oil in mine. In fact I found water in there and promptly drained it, I did use some grease on re-insert.

I used a short side socket and piece of thick gauged steel I found in my box of useless parts and left over to sit against the spanner notch and fender edge, torqued to spec.

Use something to keep the pressure spread out over the fender or you will bend the ridge. Ask me how I know.

Most important thing is to tighten the crap out of the strut nut on the housing. I used a pipe wrench and placed my foot inside the fender well pulled like my life depended on it. If not the rim of the housing will round out and cause slop at the strut housing.

If its already round out, I posted a simple fix with 10 gauge wire to take up the run out.

[safe]

Originally Posted by Chuck Moreland

Don't put oil in the housing when using a bilstein insert.

Firstly the guts and heat of a bilstein are up top, so even if you could add oil down low it wouldn't help.

Secondly, on a boge/bilstein combo the fluid would fill the the bottom of the strut - the same space the insert needs to occupy under compression. If you have enough oil it would hydro lock under compression. On a bilstein / bilstein combo the strut wouldn't even hold the oil, it would run out the roll pin.

A Bilstein insert for Boge isn't upside-down as for a Bilstien strut, or am I remembering this wrong?