Selective Ride Suspension Repair
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Mesa AZ
Selective Ride Suspension Repair
Does anone know if it is possible to just replace the gear on top of the shock. I had faults 21 and 31 which led me to the drivers side shock. I removed the motor cover from the shock and found the small gear on top of the shock was broke along with the actuator motor gear. Thanks for any help you can provide. Also, if worse case senario is to replace shock, can you recommend the most economical place to purchase these parts. Thanks in advance for any help. :flag
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
Re: Selective Ride Suspension Repair (93Ruby)
The most economic way to refresh/replace the shocks is to send them back to Bilstein for rebuilding. I believe they charge ~$50/shock if the shaft is re-usable, $100 if they replace the shaft. When I called them, they stated that the gear is considered part of the shaft assy, so it'll cost $100, but that's still half the cost of buying replacements.
Over the winter I plan to remove my FX3s, get measurements on the gear, and have some made by a machine shop. The cost of making a small batch is going to be high - most likely not worth the effort, but once I have an AutoCad drawing of the gear, I'll find out.
Over the winter I plan to remove my FX3s, get measurements on the gear, and have some made by a machine shop. The cost of making a small batch is going to be high - most likely not worth the effort, but once I have an AutoCad drawing of the gear, I'll find out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 7,639
Likes: 326
From: Greenville SC
Re: Selective Ride Suspension Repair (93Ruby)
I beleive you are talking about the plastic gear in the actuator, NOT the gear on top of the shock shaft, right? I had a broken actuator, and I repaired mine. Take the actuator off and take the rubber grommit out, the use a Dremmel and widen the whole to get all the plastic gear parts out and so you have enough room when you replace it. Use super glue and glue the pieces back together and reinstall. Mine was in 3 pieces and it works, just be carefull when reinstalling (don't push down untill it isseated properly on the shaft).
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 721
Likes: 10
From: Irvine CA
Re: Selective Ride Suspension Repair (Bruce)
The metal gear on the top of my shock broke in two. I glued it together with epoxy about a year ago. Still going good.
That gear is an obvious weak point. It seems to have little or no load on it, it just breaks from years of hitting the stops when the system does the self diagnosis everytime you start the car.
As far as what it looks like, take a look. The fronts are easy to get to. You have to remove the inner fender flap to get to it, then the actuator is only held on by a clip that wraps around the actuator. The one gear sits right on top of the shock and the other matches it inside the actuator.
No real reason to look until you get the code. Just looking is a one beer job. But you can tell the mrs. that it is two. :cheers:
That gear is an obvious weak point. It seems to have little or no load on it, it just breaks from years of hitting the stops when the system does the self diagnosis everytime you start the car.
As far as what it looks like, take a look. The fronts are easy to get to. You have to remove the inner fender flap to get to it, then the actuator is only held on by a clip that wraps around the actuator. The one gear sits right on top of the shock and the other matches it inside the actuator.
No real reason to look until you get the code. Just looking is a one beer job. But you can tell the mrs. that it is two. :cheers:
Pro
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 712
Likes: 0
From: Memphis TN
Re: Selective Ride Suspension Repair (Yellow95)
You are lucky only the front one is broken. I had all four metal gears on the shock shafts AND all four of the plastic gears in the actuators broken. I just replaced all the shocks and bought used actuators from taber's corvettes. I took apart my old actuators to see if I could ever repair them. I don't know how you can repair the metal gear on the shock, but the plastic gear in the actuator is fixable if not broken in too many places.
http://www.zr1.net/ZR1_howto.html
http://www.zr1.net/ZR1_howto.html
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
Re: Selective Ride Suspension Repair (DocToss)
My left front and right rear are busted. In both instances, the metal gear at the top of the shaft and the plastic gear in the actuator are both broken. I suspect that the after the metal gear breaks the pieces move/wobble enough (at the travel limits) to put extra strain on the plastic actuator gear and eventually break that also. I've been fortunate not to get any error codes (yet), so I keep driving it.
Like I said earlier, next time I get it apart I'll get measurements of the metal gear and have a few made up at the machine shop where I work. If people are interested I'll post the .DXF file of the part. When I try and repair the plastic actuator gear, I'm going to make a thin (0.010" or so) backing plate to help reinforce the glued together peices. I'm a mechanical engineer, and when I see a part that could have easily been made more robust, I get really annoyed. :mad These are expensive parts - Bilstein/Delco/GM should have done a better job. :rant:
Like I said earlier, next time I get it apart I'll get measurements of the metal gear and have a few made up at the machine shop where I work. If people are interested I'll post the .DXF file of the part. When I try and repair the plastic actuator gear, I'm going to make a thin (0.010" or so) backing plate to help reinforce the glued together peices. I'm a mechanical engineer, and when I see a part that could have easily been made more robust, I get really annoyed. :mad These are expensive parts - Bilstein/Delco/GM should have done a better job. :rant:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 7,639
Likes: 326
From: Greenville SC
Re: Selective Ride Suspension Repair (sraft)
That sounds great, I feel the same way as you about the design. I had thought about having the plastic actuator gear made out of metal, but ended up just gluing mine. I would definately be interrested in getting some of the backing plates for the actuator if they work.
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