Bilstein Insert Removal [new style]- Tips & Tricks
 

Trying to replace the front bilstein inserts on a '80 SC. These are the "new style" struts, which have the large wiper seal on the top of the strut.

I've taken of the top bolts [22 mm socket with breaker bar], and also punched out the roll pin [ penetrating oil, 7 mm roll pin punch, big hammer], and pulled the struts out from under the fender so that I can remove the inserts.

The problem is that the damm inserts won't come out.

I've tried:
- verified that the top of the strut moves up and down.
- lots of penetrating oil [spray type]
- water pump pliers to lever up the insert via the dust cap
- a floor jack and pair of wrenches to pry up the insert
- propane torch to heat up the lower strut assembly, and then trying to pull out the inserts.

Pleas let me know if you've had any success removing stuck inserts with struts still in car.

Otherwise based on reading a lot of posts, it looks like next steps are:
- drive out the wedge bolt [attaches strut to top of ball joint]
- get a tie rod tool and disconnect the tie rod from the control arm.

Thanks in advance,

Haydn

Can you post a pic or 2?
It sounds like you have the Bilstein struts with Bilstein insert since you mentioned the roll pin.
My 86 Carrera has the Boge struts so I am not sure if you have that big collar securing the insert to the strut as in my case.

maybe this helps:

www.dvsegmbh.info/PDF/einbau/42012/171/E4-WM5-Y142A00.PDF

www.pff.de/porsche/index.php?page=Attachment&attachmentID=160563&h=14 8b80c986630cd6dcd5072adbe31e21aa3fbad0

Sounds like the bottom of the strut insert may be rusted to the strut housing.
What I would do:
1. Reattach strut at top mount.
2. Remove torsion bar adjusting cap (record position so you can correctly reset your ride height)
3. Knock the a-arm downwards with rubber mallet to yank free bottom of strut insert.

^ That is exactly how I did it.

remove the strut from the car.

The ball joint stud hole passes through to the insert rod. Insert a drift into the hole where the ball joint stud enters the strut (10mm or less diameter). Tap the insert out with the drift and hammer.

That they are stuck might indicate bent struts. When struts are bent, the insert rod gets bound into its socket in the strut.

Try this - I used the same method and it works fabulous! It's post #5 in the below thread as described by alta 930.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-930-turbo-super-charging-forum/673312-removing-bilstein-strut-insert.html#post6714128

Was able to finally get one of the struts out, using the pipe trick mentioned above, Thank you very much...

I ended up using 2" PVC pipe cut to approx 8.5" long.

The pipe was ever so slightly bigger that the large washer

I then placed the large washer over the pipe so that the bowl part faced down. You can face this washer either way depending on how long your pipe is.

You may need either water pump pliers or a large pipe wrench to stop the washer/strut from turning [but this may be because I already hacked the threads on top of the strut, if you have perfect threads you may not have the turning issue]

Please be aware that depending on the amount of force required to hold the washer/strut from turning, you may trash the key way tongue of the large washer [as I did].

I still have the other strut to do, so I'll post pictures so that you can see what I did.

Next Steps with pictures:

OK, so I did the pipe trick on the other side, and it worked great.

Some additional things NOT to do:
1) do not spray any penetrating oil or other solvents on the top of the insert in an attempt to free up the bottom.

This has the impact of A] causing more suction that you have to overcome when attempting to pull out the strut, and B] it dissolved the grease in the cap, causing a mess in the bottom of the strut tube.

I was able to resolve my issue by spraying WD-40 down in the strut tube, and then re-inserting the old insert a few times to force out the slop. Be advised that you need to cover the roll pin groove, as otherwise you may shoot grease and oil all over your garage.

So next steps for me is to re-pack molybedenuim grease in the grease track, and then reassemble everything.

Pictures Below:

1] lower half of strut, showing roll pin.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391101802.jpg

2] Side view of top of strut/insert, showing pipe, washer, and nut. Note that this is a newer insert because of the height of the dust cap, which is approx 1.46", or 37mm

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391101880.jpg

3] top view of pipe and washers

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391101946.jpg

4] Top of strut with insert removed... Note the grease inside the track in the cap is not consistent in quantity because I dissolved it in attempting to remove the insert


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391102031.jpg

5] Lastly, a picture showing the original strut inserts as removed from the strut

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391102122.jpg

what a cool trick.
thanks a lot for those pictures!

Next Phase - Strut Cleanup
 

All,

Based on looking inside one of my struts, I have the following issues:
A] grease in the bottom of the strut tube
B] rubber bits and part of the rubber bushing from the lower insert broke away, and is laying in the bottom of the strut tube
C] desire to repack grease way with new grease.

Answers are:
A and B] I used a wire coat hanger with a hook bent in the end to pull up the rubber bushing. Then sprayed brake cleaner as a degreaser below the the grease way. The rolled 3 sheets of paper towel inside the modified hook of the wire coat hanger [rolled the hook around the paper towel so that the towel couldn't pull out of the wire loop no matter what] , and used this to clean out the inside of the strut tube.

C] based on various posts, decided to use high temperature bearing grease [higher melting point than white lithium] to repack grease way.

Nest steps are to repack the grease way, and install the strut.

Take a large adjustable wrench and use it as a slide hammer against the washer and nut at the top of the strut. Works like a charm and takes about 30 seconds.