How can I tell if Bilsteins are shot?

[Steve W]

I've got factory green Bilstein sports all the way around on my 3.2 Carrera, however I'm starting to wonder if they may be going bad or loosing pressure because the front end doesn't seem to ride as tight as I used imagine it - but then it could just be my imagination. I think I once read that Bilsteins either work or they don't, and when they go out, they just fail. So a couple of nights ago I disconnected both front Bilstein struts from the shock towers and tried to see how much if any gas pressure there was in resistance to compression by hand. It took me some, but not too much effort to compress both fronts, they gassed back up to full extension, and they both felt somewhat the same. I thought they were supposed to be very difficult to compress by hand. So, does anyone with more experience with these know how to tell if they are worn out? If so, anyone have any experience with having Bilsteins rebuilt?

[89Targa]

I recently put some new green Bilsteins on my car. As a point of reference, it took a significant amount of downward pressure to compress them enough to go under the fender lip. if I relaxed the downward pressure during the process, they immediately shot up to full extension.

[Steve W]

So it seems then that my front shocks are dead. As a point of reference, do the rears shocks compress and rebound in the same manner?

[89Targa]

Yep.

I checked out your Pelican Gallery page. Nice looking car, except for that USC license frame...

Go bears!

[Steve W]

You are halarious Tom! That's ok though, envy is something I am used to.

[89911]

Send them out to be revalved. You will have a perfecty working shock for about $85 per.

[Steve W]

I think I will do that. They get sent to Bilstein for rebuilding, yes? I assume you mean the costs are about $85 each shock/strut?

[89911]

Most places will do this for you if you don't want to go direct to them. I think the price is the same regardless at $85 per shock.

[TimT]

I just had mine done

$110 per pair + shipping

[mogavero]

How long does a rebuilt pair last compared to buying them new? Is there a source for buying rebuilt bilsteins?

[Graham Archer]

My brand new Bilsteins (all four) could be compressed by hand, and would fully extend on their own in about 3 seconds (more than enough time to get them back under the fender. I doubt yours are bad. You probably should give the Bilstein techs a call. As I understand it, their test procedure is quite rigorous.

[Steve W]

Okay guys, now I'm all confused and unsure if my shocks are shot or not. Anyways, Tim, where did you have yours rebuilt at?

[dickster]

steve

i've got four ready to go in. they are very hard for puny old me to compress. i'm replacing boges which are relatively easy to compress.

i'll check them over the weekend.

anyways how many miles you got on them??

[Steve W]

I pulled them off my former '84 Targa which had 125k miles, so, I'd guess something like 145,000 miles. Mine didn't take that much to compress, maybe like 25-40 lbs, I could hold it in place pretty easily, release and they would gas back up to full extension in about 3 seconds.

[TimT]

Steve,

I had Bilstein rebuild the shocks, I took the inserts out of the struts and shipped them to Bilstein in San Diego (do a web search for the phone #) . They freshened up the shocks and revalved them for me. you'll need to tell them the weight of your car and the the intended use, (track, street). and the corner weights if you know them.

The reason I had my shocks rebuilt is my car weighs about
1900 lbs, and the shocks were valved for a 2500 lb car.

the turn around time on the shock rebuild was really good, like
1 1/2 weeks



TGIF

[dickster]

steve,

i'd say 145k is a pretty good indicator that they are well beyond their best!

imo you need new shocks