bilstein cracked platform?

[henrygiang]

okay...looking at getting 2nd hand springs n shock. its bilstein shock absorber and the seller said that it has a cracked platform? what is the platform he is talking about? is it hard to replace? as he said he got some replacements but just hasn't had time to change them over.

should i be worried about this? as something must have happened previously for it to crack it in the first place.

thanks for any input.



http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8051/bilsteinyw6.th.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bilsteinyw6.jpg)

[bennjamin]

the platform is the "perch" that the spring sits on.

Id avoid these unless the seller can provide a replacement perch.

[henrygiang]

the platform is the "perch" that the spring sits on.

Id avoid these unless the seller can provide a replacement perch.

he has/is providing some replacement perches with the sussy. are they easy to replace?

[bennjamin]

not overly hard to replace. take apart shock , take off spring and replace perch. Put shockback together again.

[JohnL]

Just to avoid the remote possibility of confusion; Bilstein dampers can be dismantled (i.e. the actual damper can be taken apart, unlike most others which can't be), but you don't need to dismantle the actual "shock" (correct term; damper), just take the spring off the damper and replace the perch etc.

You will probably need spring compressors unless the springs are only just held captive, i.e. unless the springs are only very slightly compressed at full damper extension. If not then removing the spring is very dangerous as it will violently decompress when the retaining nut on the end of the damper shaft is removed (that, and you'l have an impossible task putting the spring back on).

[night_wolf]

If not then removing the spring is very dangerous as it will violently decompress when the retaining nut on the end of the damper shaft is removed (that, and you'l have an impossible task putting the spring back on).

make sure you use a spring compressor mate. not only will it violently decompress but will take your face away too. play it safe! spring compressor costs only $20 to $50. small price to pay for keeping your body parts.

[henrygiang]

the plate thingy by the spring seats... i broke them when i was moving the circlip to the lowest groove...


i asked if it was the perch and this is what he responded with. just need to confirm that its the perch. thanks guys :)

and then with this....


see the allumunium plate on the shock.... by the bottom of the spring ( by the spring sits on front shock )...
i crack that plate, but dont worry i got 2 new replacement from autolign you just need to install it...

that wouldnt be hard to replace would it? and is it easy to crack that part? or should i avoid these?

[JohnL]

that wouldnt be hard to replace would it? and is it easy to crack that part? or should i avoid these?

It wouldn't be hard to replace, but I do wonder how he managed to crack it...

It's always a risk buying used dampers. Whether you should avoid the purchase depends on what you would be paying, what the cost of new ones is, how much it would cost to have them rebuilt if they are no good (being Bilstein they are fully rebuildable, and the valving can be customised if needed), and how big a risk taker you are.

Bilsteins are second to none, and should last a long long time unless abused (e.g. a lot of rally work...), so there is a good chance they are OK.

If they were not up to scratch, I'd expect the front ones more likely to be worn / damaged than the rear ones simply because the front dampers work a fair bit harder due to the rear of the car being lighter than the front.

If I were buying them I'd want to take the springs off and pump the dampers up and down by hand to see how they feel. This is by no means a definitive test, but can show up dampers that are in very poor condition.