Help with front strut ID

[drcoastline]

Good morning Pelicans,

Thank you in advance for any help you provide.

So my car is a 74S. I believe the front struts to be original to the car although I am not 100%. They were rattle canned red before I bought the car some 30 years ago. I am doing a front end refresh. I removed the struts and painted them. I have concluded they are not Bilstein because they do not have the roll pin.

So my questions are;

1. if original they would be Boge?
2. the threaded piece where the insert meets the tube should have a cap?
3. how do I remove the insert to put in a new insert?

I have attached some photos. Feel free to include any helpful info.

Thanks again.

DRC

[group911@aol.co]

Well, I know Koni's are stamped as such in 74 and pretty sure Bilstein also was so that leaves Boge? You're sure there are no stamps?

[drcoastline]

Thanks for your reply Bob,

There were some stampings numbers and such but nothing stamped Boge.

[mepstein]

Look like Boge with a Billstein insert. Remove the threaded piece with a pipe wrench. I clamp the area that holds the brake caliper in a vise. The new inserts will come with new strut hardware.

The stampings on the tube are very shallow. Paint and primer might have filled them in.

[djpateman]

With a green body and a shaft like that it should be Bilstein.
Usually the Bilstein have a roll pin near the bottom to secure the insert, they also have 3.5" Caliper mount spacing. I'm not sure about the missing nut on the top holding the insert in place.
Does the shaft move in and out easily, or does it have the gas preload that the Bilstein are known for?

[drcoastline]

Hi mark- Thanks for the help. You have a good 3.0 for me yet?

djpateman, I painted it green. It had traces of black (boge I believe) but had been rattle canned red.

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

Hi mark- Thanks for the help. You have a good 3.0 for me yet?

djpateman, I painted it green. It had traces of black (boge I believe) but had been rattle canned red.

Might have an engine coming in next week. PM or text me your number again.

I just did the same thing as you are doing with the same strut and insert. There's probably a tool to remove the threaded retainer but since you will get a new retainer with the new insert, a pipe wrench is easy. Billstein no longer recommends oil in the strut tube but I use some heavy grease on the threads so they don't corrode.

[Matt Monson]

Boge housing will have both a part number and a date. I have several sets and they all do.

[drcoastline]

Thanks Matt,

There are numbers stamped in the housing so that would be consistent.

[Trackrash]

3" caliper spacing? Most likely Boges.

[drcoastline]

Gordon,

Yes 3" caliper spacing.

In the mean time I have tried everything to remove the threaded nut per Marks recommendation. I can't get it to budge. Are we positive this is supposed to come out now that I have completely buggered the threads

[mepstein]

Did you tighten the area that holds the caliper in a vise? Are you using a decent size pipe wrench? Turning the counter clockwise. You can spray some penetrating oil between the strut and the threads but I just did a set of these that were really corroded and I had no trouble.
Here's a tip that works with any tight fastener, tighten the fastener a tiny bit, just enough to break the bond, then loosen normally.
My pipe wrench is a $15-20 home depot special and it grips fine. If you have it in a vise, you should be able to get some good leverage.

[75 911s]

Hmm... I don't see the nut on your insert...

Stock boge from a 75



Under the dust cover



Original insert is out



Close up of the new bilstein insert.



When the nut is tightened after the new strut is installed, a 4mm gap will remain. Do not try to tighten beyond this.


Edit: Looking again at your insert. Can you take a wide pict of the whole assembly?

[drcoastline]

Mark,

Used a big set of channel locks. I did heat it up tighten and then try and loosen. No go. I'll try my mama jamma pipe wrench.

Hey Duane,

Thanks for the post. I don't have a pic of the assembly in one pic.

[Trackrash]

It looks like the OP's strut has had the aftermarket Bilstein inserts installed. I have no experience with that particular instillation.

What I do know is the Bilstein insert is upside down compared to the original Boge insert. There are bushings in the top of the strut to guide it.

The question is, how were those bushings installed and how do you remove them.

[75 911s]

Is it me or is the strut housing bulging where they threaded the bilstein insert in? Maybe the only way out is heat the housing and cool the insert some how.

[drcoastline]

Gordon-Duane,

Thanks again for chiming in. Duane it's the photo. There isn't a bulge. I did try heating maybe a bit more and the mama jamma pipe wrench. I'll try tomorrow.

[WP0ZZZ]

Is there a guide somewhere on how to identify a strut?

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by 75 911s

Is it me or is the strut housing bulging where they threaded the bilstein insert in? Maybe the only way out is heat the housing and cool the insert some how.

They look normal for 3” Boge struts.

[75 911s]

Originally Posted by WP0ZZZ

Is there a guide somewhere on how to identify a strut?

Generally just color and as mepstein mentioned they are marked.

Red Koni
Black Boge
Green Bilstein

And Blue for woodhead. Yeah woodhead. :-D