Rear Shock Banging
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,629
ls1121, where you running the shocks without the bump stops installed?
To start knocking out the C clip out of the channel, the bump stop would have had to disintegrate first to allow the shock to compress that far into the shock.
To add, most of use reuse the upper OEM parts, including the OEM bump stops.
To start knocking out the C clip out of the channel, the bump stop would have had to disintegrate first to allow the shock to compress that far into the shock.
To add, most of use reuse the upper OEM parts, including the OEM bump stops.
Last edited by Dano523; Nov 29, 2014 at 09:07 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
ls1121, where you running the shocks without the bump stops installed?
To start knocking out the C clip out of the channel, the bump stop would have had to disintegrate first to allow the shock to compress that far into the shock.
To add, most of use reuse the upper OEM parts, including the OEM bump stops.
To start knocking out the C clip out of the channel, the bump stop would have had to disintegrate first to allow the shock to compress that far into the shock.
To add, most of use reuse the upper OEM parts, including the OEM bump stops.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
Clips will be there no problem! I have a bag of them from when we used to remove them for service and etc. They sometimes get messed up removing and putting back together.
You have to run the bilstein bump stop and lower washer for them to work. Since I saw this thread I always wondered how that clip got messed up. Now I know why and how. There is a steel spacer in the bilstein dust boot that pushes square on that ring. The factory boot doesn't have that.
Randy
You have to run the bilstein bump stop and lower washer for them to work. Since I saw this thread I always wondered how that clip got messed up. Now I know why and how. There is a steel spacer in the bilstein dust boot that pushes square on that ring. The factory boot doesn't have that.
Randy
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
I looked at the other thread also. That washer that was removed above the bump stop was there for a reason. It isolates the bump stop from the rest of the mount.
Randy
336-350-8256 in case you have questions or need additional parts to make this right. Don't really have a dog in the fight, but trying to keep the fever alive
Randy
336-350-8256 in case you have questions or need additional parts to make this right. Don't really have a dog in the fight, but trying to keep the fever alive
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,002
Likes: 2,703
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
This is unbelievable, that a basic operation like replacing shocks has turned into such a FUBAR.
The tech at our dealership had both Bilstein parts and GM parts available to use in the install of Bilstein HDs, I don't know which combination he used and probably he doesn't remember either. I'm pretty sure he did not re-use the C-clips, because I think they were on the previous (Base GM) shocks when he gave the old ones to me. I removed the dust boots and that yellowish plastic insert, and tossed the rest. If only I knew...
And I'm still having trouble understanding Al Gumby's comment that the C-clip is what keeps the shock shaft from punching upward, the clip looks far too small for that. My car may not have the clips installed, I drove it 100 miles over various roads and everything seems normal- the shafts have not migrated upward, there are no rattles or squeaks. But in the future???
Further comments would be appreciated, especially from Randy .
The tech at our dealership had both Bilstein parts and GM parts available to use in the install of Bilstein HDs, I don't know which combination he used and probably he doesn't remember either. I'm pretty sure he did not re-use the C-clips, because I think they were on the previous (Base GM) shocks when he gave the old ones to me. I removed the dust boots and that yellowish plastic insert, and tossed the rest. If only I knew...
And I'm still having trouble understanding Al Gumby's comment that the C-clip is what keeps the shock shaft from punching upward, the clip looks far too small for that. My car may not have the clips installed, I drove it 100 miles over various roads and everything seems normal- the shafts have not migrated upward, there are no rattles or squeaks. But in the future???
Further comments would be appreciated, especially from Randy .
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Clips will be there no problem! I have a bag of them from when we used to remove them for service and etc. They sometimes get messed up removing and putting back together.
You have to run the bilstein bump stop and lower washer for them to work. Since I saw this thread I always wondered how that clip got messed up. Now I know why and how. There is a steel spacer in the bilstein dust boot that pushes square on that ring. The factory boot doesn't have that.
Randy
You have to run the bilstein bump stop and lower washer for them to work. Since I saw this thread I always wondered how that clip got messed up. Now I know why and how. There is a steel spacer in the bilstein dust boot that pushes square on that ring. The factory boot doesn't have that.
Randy
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
I looked at the other thread also. That washer that was removed above the bump stop was there for a reason. It isolates the bump stop from the rest of the mount.
Randy
336-350-8256 in case you have questions or need additional parts to make this right. Don't really have a dog in the fight, but trying to keep the fever alive
Randy
336-350-8256 in case you have questions or need additional parts to make this right. Don't really have a dog in the fight, but trying to keep the fever alive
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
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From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 353
Likes: 23
From: Fernandina Beach, FL
Yes you are correct being that there is a contact point in that cheap bilstein boot however I used all of the factory GM parts and the gm boot is steel where it hits the clip. I really don't understand what you are saying about this. The factory set up seems to work for everyone else. I guess my point is that when the shocks are replaced there should be a New C clip installed instead of using the old clip. Bilstein should supply the clips with the shocks.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Really, they must have had a bad day at the factory because neither my front nor rear shocks had clips and I bought them from two different dealers because they were very difficult to find. Everyone was out of stock. Does KONI supply the clips or are they a different type?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,002
Likes: 2,703
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
So I can get educated, someone please explain what keeps the front shock shafts from sliding through the rubber and punching holes in the hood or coolant tank. The washer and nut that we can see under the hood will keep the shaft from falling down, but what keeps the shaft from getting pushed up by normal road impacts?
More pics are always welcome, too.
Thanks.
More pics are always welcome, too.
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
So I can get educated, someone please explain what keeps the front shock shafts from sliding through the rubber and punching holes in the hood or coolant tank. The washer and nut that we can see under the hood will keep the shaft from falling down, but what keeps the shaft from getting pushed up by normal road impacts?
More pics are always welcome, too.
Thanks.
More pics are always welcome, too.
Thanks.
Update! Sorry, I think your comment was meant as sarcasm, sorry for responding. Call me Shelton Cooper (Big Bang Theory)........
Last edited by timd38; Dec 1, 2014 at 07:37 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,002
Likes: 2,703
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
You have the same setup on the bottom side. Big washer and rubber grommet. The shaft then has metal type ring to stop the washer from moving on the shaft.
Update! Sorry, I think your comment was meant as sarcasm, sorry for responding. Call me Shelton Cooper (Big Bang Theory)........
Update! Sorry, I think your comment was meant as sarcasm, sorry for responding. Call me Shelton Cooper (Big Bang Theory)........
Actually, I was not being sarcastic. When I got the shocks, I just looked at them to see nothing appeared damaged, and put them in the trunk for the dealer to install. I also ordered all of the parts from the GM diagram that looked like they might be useful, told the tech to use whatever he wanted and return the rest. So I really don't understand how the mounting system works.
So you are saying that the little C-clip on the shaft, that ls1121 didn't get, keeps a big washer on the underside from sliding too far down the shaft and is the only thing that keeps the shaft from slipping upward to damage things?
If so, I'm amazed. But it wouldn't be the first time...
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Last edited by timd38; Dec 1, 2014 at 11:52 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,002
Likes: 2,703
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
The video shows everything the way I though it should be, thanks.
But some of the discussion in this thread seems to be saying that the little C-clip is what keeps the shaft from pushing upward through the top mounting. In the video, the shaft was restrained by that nut and collar that hit the underside of the top mounting, and I thought the Bilstein HDs had the nut or something similar, already installed on the shaft- you just slide the big washer and rubber onto the shaft, slip the shaft through the upper mount, add the top rubber and washer, install the nut that's visible under the hood. Done.
Since I'm not sure if the dealer used the Bilstein washers and rubber, and bump stops, or GM, that's another possible problem.
What am I missing?
But some of the discussion in this thread seems to be saying that the little C-clip is what keeps the shaft from pushing upward through the top mounting. In the video, the shaft was restrained by that nut and collar that hit the underside of the top mounting, and I thought the Bilstein HDs had the nut or something similar, already installed on the shaft- you just slide the big washer and rubber onto the shaft, slip the shaft through the upper mount, add the top rubber and washer, install the nut that's visible under the hood. Done.
Since I'm not sure if the dealer used the Bilstein washers and rubber, and bump stops, or GM, that's another possible problem.
What am I missing?
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; Dec 1, 2014 at 12:28 PM.
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 353
Likes: 23
From: Fernandina Beach, FL
The clip is on the bottom, followed by the dust boot, washer, bushing, frame, bushing, washer, and the nut on top. When the nut is tightened it pushes all that together. If that clip breaks there is nothing on the bottom of the stack to hold everything together and the shaft would extend upward.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 440
Likes: 6
From: Hillsboro Oregon
The clip is on the bottom, followed by the dust boot, washer, bushing, frame, bushing, washer, and the nut on top. When the nut is tightened it pushes all that together. If that clip breaks there is nothing on the bottom of the stack to hold everything together and the shaft would extend upward.
Disregard the video above, it is not like a Corvette and will confuse the issue.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 34
I replaced Sports with DRM last month, clips are Bilstein as with the bump stop and retaining steel washer. Clip, steel washer, bump stop and dust boot, as a whole, is a simple mean, sufficiently to serve a designed function.
***As Randy said: "I looked at the other thread also. That washer that was removed above the bump stop was there for a reason. It isolates the bump stop from the rest of the mount." ***
The important thing with these clip, is not to over expand it during R&R. Just like clips used on the CompCam Trunions upgrade. They are tool spring steel, gotta treat it with kid's gloves - over extend them, might look OK, but microscopic fissures already formed. The end results might not be pretty and when you are least expected.
OEM bushing install in the same location followed dust boot - but - I have the Pfadt PinTop Delrin bushing in this case.
Hope these clear up a few thing.
***As Randy said: "I looked at the other thread also. That washer that was removed above the bump stop was there for a reason. It isolates the bump stop from the rest of the mount." ***
The important thing with these clip, is not to over expand it during R&R. Just like clips used on the CompCam Trunions upgrade. They are tool spring steel, gotta treat it with kid's gloves - over extend them, might look OK, but microscopic fissures already formed. The end results might not be pretty and when you are least expected.
OEM bushing install in the same location followed dust boot - but - I have the Pfadt PinTop Delrin bushing in this case.
Hope these clear up a few thing.
Last edited by victorf; Dec 2, 2014 at 02:52 PM.
