Problem with new Bilstein strut - anyone else
 

Just finished installing a new Bilstein strut assembly. And I have a problem with it.

It seems the internal bushings are oversized.

When I rock the wheel top to bottom the strut knocks and looks like it is folding in the middle. Like the lower bushing to insert fit is too sloppy.

Anyone else have this problem?

Fronts or Rear or all four corners? What year is your car? If front how did you torque it down?

Left front. Based on the motion, it almost looks like the lower bushing inside the housing is missing or oversized.

Assembly? Like the whole strut assembly or a bilstein insert into another strut type (boge) for example. There is roll pin business depending on year and strut type. Pictures will help too. Many eager to help we just need more info. What year?

That's usually when we put new bushings in them. I would pull the insert out and check the bushings but if it's new send it back that is not right.


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Problem found and fixed

The elephant racing camber plate uses two sleeves to capture the strut top. The upper sleeve got bound up on a chamfer on the strut thread, preventing the nut to compress the stack and clamping the strut shaft to the monoball.

That chamfer interference, and resulting looseness in the joint manifested itself in a large strut body motion and a very subtle pivoting of the monoball.

Grinding a larger chamfer on the upper sleeve, cleared the chamfer on the strut thread. Now the nut can clamp the whole stack tight against the monoball, and all sloppy motion eliminated.

So what looked like a bad strut, was a much more subtle interference, which you can't see.

Retightened the fasteners and wheel nuts. No knocking!!

Very likely you could have the following problem: The gant nut holding the insert in the strut is not clamping the insert hard enough. Result is some side play in the top of the strut at the nut. In my case I first thought I had excessive play in the wheel bearing, I could move the tire back and forth a little.

If tightening the gant nut does not work, and that is likely, you need to put a washer in the bottom of the strut and lift it slightly so that the nut can clamp the insert.

How do I know? I just did this today!! I just had Elephant Racing Bilstein inserts for Boge struts installed, had a lot of side play and contacted Chuck at ER. He told me it might be a problem with a batch of these nuts to fitting exactly right.

Bilstein insert just a hair to low in the strut:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1492371862.jpg

Insert lifted about 3 mm
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1492371862.jpg

EDIT: you and I typed at the same time, however it was a different issue :)