Fitting Bilstein Rear Shocks On Lowered Beam

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

I went to fit my Bilstein challenge spec shocks to the rear of my 205 today and after 40 minutes of struggling with the bloody top bolt found that the bilsteins won't fit and had to put the old one back on.

 

Strangely, with my rear beam being lowered quite a lot on what I presume are standard shocks, I was worried that the Bilsteins would be shorter and make the car undriveable but exactly the opposite was the case, the new shocks are much longer and I couldn't make them fit as the body of the shock fouled on the trailing arm (I may have my part name wrong there but it was where the bottom shock bolt is) and I couldn't push the trailing arm down far enough to make them fit. Or at least I couldn't on my own!

 

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong here? Do they look like the right shocks?

 

[taylorspug 7]

Generally uprated shocks can take a bit of effort to fit to a lowered beam, and need 'squashing' to fit. Doesnt sound right that it fouls the trailing arm though. Get it properly fitted on both ends first and see what its like.

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Hmmm. If I couldn't imagine being physically able to squash down the damper, I may have to get a second pair of hands to push the wheel down see if that helps.

[taylorspug 7]

I usually use a lever bar on one end to put the shock under some pressure and compress it, may be worth the extra pair of hands to slide the bolt through though, as that can get fiddly.

[Paintguy 0]

As said, ir they're gas pressurised, then they'll naturally extend to their fullest, and you'll need quite a bit of effort to 'squash' them down short enough to fit.

 

On some cars, I've shortened them off the car, then used tie wraps to hold them that way until I've got them on. Not sure if that'll work on a 205 though.

[Spiky 37]

mine are grp n's i think

 

and did take a bit of swearing to get them in

 

fitted they should look like this, you have them the right way???

 

thats a lowered 309 beam by the way

 

Edited May 22, 2008 by Spiky

[Craigb 2]

I fit mine with one of those cheap and nasty rachet straps . About 25mm wide .

 

Rachet the damper down to the length you want , slide the bolts in and Hey Presto no more scuffed knuckles.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Craigb

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

My rear Koni adjustables are rock solid even on the softest setting and I usually connect the top bolt first then jack up the base of the shock to compress it then quickly line it up with the large bottom bolt.

[welshpug 1,657]

pop the damper onto the bottom bolt, swing it up towards the top mounting point then place a lever between the bracket and the top of the damper so you can compress it.

 

push the damper into place and be quick with the bolt

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Ahh see I was following the Haynes 'refitting is the reverse of removal' and so attached the top bolt first. Sounds much easier the other way round. I'll give that a go. Cheers all

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

fitted they should look like this, you have them the right way???

You'd have to be a total nonce to fit them the wrong way, well tbh its impossible to do so due to the differnet bolt sizes.

 

I have group N tarmac Billies on my car & they need compressing a bit to fit them on a lowered beam but if the lower bolt is nice & free through the trailing arm its an easy enough job.

 

Just compress the shock as much as you can & as it extends hold it near the trailing arm & push the bolt through when it passes.

 

Graham.