JR_Charger
Well-Known Member
Does the big washer go on the top or the bottom?
Actually, now that I look at it, maybe the big washer goes under the circlip?
Quick Bilstein Question . . .
- Thread starter JR_Charger
- Start date
Does the big washer go on the top or the bottom?
Actually, now that I look at it, maybe the big washer goes under the circlip?
The right washer, with the recess, goes on first, over the shock stud, then a rubber bushing. Install the shock from underneath, attach to control arm, place the remaining bushing, washer and nut, on stud, under hood. Compress the bushing when tightening, enough to hold in place, but do NOT crush it. Its a cushion, not a rigid mount...
JR_Charger
Well-Known Member
Does the washer go under the circlip?
Not sure what you meen by circlip ? The shock, with lower washer, and bushing, are pushed through the mounting hole, from the underside, and bushing, washer, and nut assembled under the hood, on the inner fender well location. I'm not familiar with Bilstein's if they have a special mounting, so just explaining standard install.
JR_Charger
Well-Known Member
O.K., so on the Bilsteins, where the bottom washer would go, is a circlip pressed around the shaft. After looking at the instructions again, the circlip is meant to retain a spring mount in coilover applications. Probably the washer in our torsion bar application is o.k. sitting on top of the circlip. The circlip must be able to take the force of a spring coil without popping out, so it is "in there good." But it also looks like there's room for the washer under the circlip. Maybe I'll be able to tell if I check the size of the indentation in the bottom washer against the size of the circlip.
I think that recess, in the right sided washer, may be there, and sized to fit that circlip ? It will add another lock to the circlip, so it can't pop off. Nice set up ! Good luck on the install, keep us posted. It's a 1 hour, and 2 beer job, when you finish !!!
JR_Charger
Well-Known Member
Yes, the recess was for the circlip. The washer sits on top of it. The area under the circlip where I thought the washer might go, doesn't actually exist. I was fooled because the chrome stopped a 1/16" below the circlip, on one shock. On the other shock, the chrome came all the way up to the circlip. That caused some consternation as I can't see small stuff well anymore, but I've got it figured out now.
One more question, should there be washers on the bolt that connects the shock to the LCA? When I took the bolts out of the old shock, one bolt had two washers on it and the other had a lock washer on it. I looked at replacement bolts, and they don't come with any washers. The nuts are a locking type, so there's no need for the lock washer, but maybe a couple regular washers would protect the paint on the fancy QA1 LCAs.
One more question, should there be washers on the bolt that connects the shock to the LCA? When I took the bolts out of the old shock, one bolt had two washers on it and the other had a lock washer on it. I looked at replacement bolts, and they don't come with any washers. The nuts are a locking type, so there's no need for the lock washer, but maybe a couple regular washers would protect the paint on the fancy QA1 LCAs.
The washers would save any metal to metal damage, from torqueing, your option on that.
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