911SC front shockers

[Stew F]

I think I have a crook shocker on my car.  Where in Australia can I buy them?  How do I tell which brand I have fitted?  Is it stamped into them somewhere?

Thanks for your help y'all.

[P-Kay]

www.toperformance.com.au

These guys were priced the best when I was looking for Koni on mine. Can't tell you for other brand suppliers.

As far as to which you have, I understand struts that are black is Bogue, Red is Koni and finally Green are the Billsteins. If I have completely missed the point and they are rears, then you will see the brand and markings close to the bottom of the shock.

[Stew F]

www.toperformance.com.au

 

These guys were priced the best when I was looking for Koni on mine. Can't tell you for other brand suppliers.

As far as to which you have, I understand struts that are black is Bogue, Red is Koni and finally Green are the Billsteins. If I have completely missed the point and they are rears, then you will see the brand and markings close to the bottom of the shock.

Thanks for that.  yes, sorry, fronts.  Mine are black.  So if I have Boge ones, can I put Bilstein or Koni inserts in them?

[LeeM]

Thanks for that.  yes, sorry, fronts.  Mine are black.  So if I have Boge ones, can I put Bilstein or Koni inserts in them?

Probably not. Just buy new shocks mate, or have yours rebuilt if that can be done. Not sure who does them locally, yet say that they're off of an old Beetle or you'll get stung with the P tax

[P-Kay]

Mine are Bogue struts and for me it was a personal preference for Koni. Apologies, to answer your question both make a suitable replacement.

The cheapest option is another Bogue.

[ANF]

Don't you just love all this last minute stuff Stew....

 

[Peter M]

....... So if I have Boge ones, can I put Bilstein or Koni inserts in them?

Most likely yes.  Suggest you use their easy to use online catalogues to see if they sell inserts for your particular model.

I've also found FCPeuro to be good for shocks as they have fast cheap shipping and their prices are often the best.

Toperfromance have always scared me off with their prices.

eBay is also a good source with some good German suppliers 

[Stew F]

Don't you just love all this last minute stuff Stew....

 

no.

[Peter M]

Mike S suggested Design911 in another thread on SSI's.  Worth investigating for suspension too.

 

[OZ930]

Thanks for that.  yes, sorry, fronts.  Mine are black.  So if I have Boge ones, can I put Bilstein or Koni inserts in them?

Stew, I have BOGE struts with Koni Sport Adjustable inserts, so the answer is yes. 

[Mike-S]

Mike S suggested Design911 in another thread on SSI's.  Worth investigating for suspension too.

 

This ^^^^

Call them, if they're in stock then I reckon the DHL delivery option will have them on your doorstep by the weekend. I was astonished when my order was delivered yesterday, on a public holiday....

[Stew F]

Ended up that I bought 2 new Boge (Sachs - ZF) inserts from Sydney for $340 delivered.

[Stew F]

So today I replaced my strut inserts.  On a scale of 1 to 5 spanners (1 being no mechanical aptitude, and very limited tools, & 5 being a specialist job with all the special tools), I would rate this job 2 spanners.  All up, it took me about 1.5 hours, which included finding info on the web, repainting my strut covers, and changing the occasional song on the ipod.

My right side strut felt a bit odd when I was putting the wheel back on the other week when finishing off my previous project.  When I had a closer look I noticed that there was a bit of movement up & down with no dampening.  So I researched what I needed, and purchased 2 strut inserts.  I ordered them on Thursday last week, and they arrived at the post office on Tuesday. 

Tools used.

• Jack
• Chassis stands
• wheel brace
• Large flat screwdriver
• hammer
• aluminium drift
• Pipe wrench, or an adjustable grinding wheel tool
• c spanner. You can use the c spanner from your tool kit to tighten the nut, then finish with the drift.
• anti-seaze / copper grease
• rags
• oil drip tray
• 1m length of 20x20 aluminium angle
• painters masking plastic
• cleaning stuff - degreaser, truck wash, wax & grease remover, etc.
• bucket & scrubbing brush
• sandpaper & black spray paint

So here goes. 

1. Jack the car up, support on chassis stands, and remove the wheels. Make sure your steering is unlocked.
2. Remove the side carpet in the frunk and undo the top strut nut ON ONE SIDE ONLY.  Finish one side, then move on to the other.  To remove the nut, you have to flatten the tab washer. The nut took a bit of wrenching.  When you think there's no hope, keep tugging and it will crack. You might need to jam the large washer - there is a square cutout in it.
3. Turn the hub to full lock so you don't strain the brake hose, pull down on the strut cover, and pull the strut out of the top mount.  You can now swing the strut out from under the fender.  (You don't have to disconnect the tie rods).
4. Remove the strut cover, bump stop, and nylon bump stop washer, and soak them in a bucket of hot water & truck wash.
5. If your strut cover needs repainting, do that now so it has time to dry while you're doing the rest of the job.
6. Cut some painters masking plastic and cover the brakes. You don't want to contaminate your rotors and pads with strut oil.
7. Reinsert the strut into the top mount (in the frunk) and run the nut down to secure it.  My old inserts were Koni's, which have a retainer with two holes in the top, whereas the new Boge ones have a retainer with 4 square cutouts.  Hence the C spanner.   I used the stilson to remove the existing insert retainers. Once cracked, remove the top nut again and swing the strut out again.  Remove the insert retainer fully, and remove the strut insert.  To get it to come out you might have to wiggle it, just a little bit.  Watch out for dripping oil.  That stuff stinks like hypoid oil.
8. Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  Both my inserts had been leaking oil, so the strut tubes needed cleaning out.  Use rags on a length of wire (so you can get them out again) and something long enough to work the rags around in the strut.  I used a piece of aluminium angle, cos it was there.
9. Once it's all clean & dry in there put the new strut insert in. At first they seem a little loose.  Install the retaining nut, with a little bit of copper grease, and tighten with your C spanner.  I used the one from my tool kit (the one for the fan belt) to nip it up, then a couple of sharp blows with the aluminium drift and hammer.
10. Clean the nylon bump stop washer & bump stop, and reinstall them.  Make sure you put the bump stop rubber on the correct way.  The smaller diameter (the one that grips the piston rod) goes to the top.  If you put the bump stop against the nylon washer and compress it you can see how it works. Hence the cool black patterns.
11. Now that your paint is dry (if you painted the cover), put the cover onto the strut and manoeuvre the strut back under the fender and into the top mount.
12. Install the large washer so the tab goes in the groove of the strut piston rod, then install the tab washer the same way.  Install the nut and run it down, then tighten it snug tight.  You might need to jam the large washer with a big screwdriver or C spanner to stop the piston rod from turning.  There isn't a torque setting, specifically, but if you want to, you can tighten it to around 75 Nm, or 55 ft lbs.
13. Bend the tab washer back against the nut.  Try to use a new part of the washer to bend.
14. Reinstall the wheel & tighten.
15. Lower the car off the jacks and torque the wheel nuts to whatever they should be for your wheel type.
16. Do the other side.

 

[Stew F]

The new strut inserts.  

The strut housing. 

The old Koni inserts removed. Obviously the top seals were leaking.

The retainer nut that was on the Koni's.

Retainer on the Boge inserts.

Make sure the bump stop is installed the correct way.

New insert fitted, with washer & bump stop fitted.  Watch you don't scratch the new paint.

Strut cover drying in the spray booth.

Now for a road test.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pork Chops]

Ended up that I bought 2 new Boge (Sachs - ZF) inserts from Sydney for $340 delivered.

Sydney's a big place .  Where abouts as I will need some shortly enough?  Thanks.

[ANF]

Well done Stew, now you should not be bouncing all over the road like a wallaby

 

[Stew F]

Sydney's a big place .  Where abouts as I will need some shortly enough?  Thanks.

I got them online from www.sparesbox.com.au  They also have an eBay store, which is where I saw them.  I contacted them on the phone to check stock. The guy rang the supplier's warehouse, then rang me back within 5 minutes.  I ordered them on eBay and he dispatched them the same day.  Can't recommend them highly enough.  They have a discount code that I entered and got a 20% discount, and free delivery.

 

[dominicxu1]

Great write up Stew.

 

Dominic.