Bilstein installation question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Bilstein installation question
Just received a new set of Bilstein shocks for my '68. The front shocks came with three cupped washers. Two are thicker (one is gold and one is black/blue) and one is thinner (silver/steel colored). There are no instrcutions on how to use these washers and I tried the archives and the Bilstein website to no avail. I presume I only need two of the three washers (but which two?). My experience has been that one of the cupped washers goes on the shaft of the shock absorber, then a bushing, then insert through the shock tower, then one more bushing, then one more cupped washer, then the retaining nut on top. Am I missing something here? Thanks for any replies.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
I had the same questions when i put the bilsteins on my 65. I have since changed them but this is how I put them.
If you look at the center hole closely one of them has a bevel on the side away from the bushing. That one goes on the shock first. The bevel goes over the little wire clip in the shock shaft. On the bottom side of my frame where the shock mounts a cup washer is fitted to the frame already. So bevel cup washer with bevel down, bushing, shock into car, cup washer with extruded center down against the top of the frame, bushing, top cup washer, nut. Clear as mud? If you like, PM me a phone number and I will call you and explain.
If you look at the center hole closely one of them has a bevel on the side away from the bushing. That one goes on the shock first. The bevel goes over the little wire clip in the shock shaft. On the bottom side of my frame where the shock mounts a cup washer is fitted to the frame already. So bevel cup washer with bevel down, bushing, shock into car, cup washer with extruded center down against the top of the frame, bushing, top cup washer, nut. Clear as mud? If you like, PM me a phone number and I will call you and explain.
