Rear Shock Banging
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Rear Shock Banging
So I'm driving down the road minding my own business and all of a sudden I hear a loud bang coming from the rear of the car. I take the car home and jack it up to see the rear shock is loose. I removed the shock (Bilstein) and find that the little snap ring that keeps the boot from falling down the shaft is gone, broken in two. I went to the local parts store and they had nothing like it in the store so I put one of those E shaped clips on to get me by. I've been looking at GM web sites for this little clip but cannot find it anywhere. Does anyone know where to get these clips? I'll have to say that at this time I am not very impressed with Bilstein shocks. I replaced my Z51 shocks with Bilstein and have found that the Bilstein boot, bushings and bump stop are all inferior in quality to the stock GM parts. They did not even include these little clip type snap rings with their shocks and the shock has the groove for it, I had to reuse the old snap ring from my GM shocks, maybe that is why it broke just too old. Anyone have any Good ideas? 
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
I don't have and cannot find a picture of the shock. It's a little snap ring a couple of inches below the threads. A terrible design. With all the people that have replaced their shocks no one knows what i am talking about?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,460
Likes: 701
From: Sausalito CA
Idea...contact Bilstein and purchase an inventory of these ancillary shock parts.
Yes, I know what you are talking about and for example the jouces at least for me have a very short life.
Not sure where you will find that clip other than Bilstein.
Yes, I know what you are talking about and for example the jouces at least for me have a very short life.
Not sure where you will find that clip other than Bilstein.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,676
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
The local dealer has put two sets of Bilsteins on for us:
Sports on our 2001 and recently HDs on our 2009.
The 2001 went another 60k miles on their installation of the Bilsteins, with no problems.
The 2009 has only 100 miles, ok so far.
I did order all new GM hardware for the installation, so they used what would fit and that may be the difference. Or perhaps the fact that the tech has probably installed a ton of shocks on Corvettes, gave him some insight on how to do things a little differently.
The Bilstein instruction sheets were hopelessly generic- designed to cover any shock Bilstein makes, and written over 50% in German. I took one look at them and said "this is a job for the dealer", who seems to do good work.
Sports on our 2001 and recently HDs on our 2009.
The 2001 went another 60k miles on their installation of the Bilsteins, with no problems.
The 2009 has only 100 miles, ok so far.
I did order all new GM hardware for the installation, so they used what would fit and that may be the difference. Or perhaps the fact that the tech has probably installed a ton of shocks on Corvettes, gave him some insight on how to do things a little differently.
The Bilstein instruction sheets were hopelessly generic- designed to cover any shock Bilstein makes, and written over 50% in German. I took one look at them and said "this is a job for the dealer", who seems to do good work.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; Nov 18, 2014 at 01:54 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 440
Likes: 6
From: Hillsboro Oregon
I know what you're talking about. When I installed my Bilstein's a few weeks ago I noticed that little "C" clip in its shallow groove on the shaft. After some thought it's apparent that little "C" clip takes all the compression force from the suspension, i.e. when you hit a bump, big or small, that little clip takes all that force. Seems under-built to me.
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 353
Likes: 23
From: Fernandina Beach, FL
I know what you're talking about. When I installed my Bilstein's a few weeks ago I noticed that little "C" clip in its shallow groove on the shaft. After some thought it's apparent that little "C" clip takes all the compression force from the suspension, i.e. when you hit a bump, big or small, that little clip takes all that force. Seems under-built to me.
Last edited by flyby763; Nov 19, 2014 at 08:09 PM.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
It took enough to break it. Bilstein is so cheap they could not even supply these clips with the New shocks. I can say without a doubt that i will not buy another pair of bilstein's ever again. Next time I get the urge to try aftermarket I might try KONI. If I cannot find a good substitute for this clip you might see these on ebay lol. I am Very dissapointed to say the least. 
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 440
Likes: 6
From: Hillsboro Oregon
Oh, really? Sure, the blow is absorbed a bit by the "shock" absorber, but then sometimes the travel goes all the way to the bump stop. That little clip is the only thing keeping the shock shaft from punching up through your coolant reservoir (left front).
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 440
Likes: 6
From: Hillsboro Oregon
It took enough to break it. Bilstein is so cheap they could not even supply these clips with the New shocks. I can say without a doubt that i will not buy another pair of bilstein's ever again. Next time I get the urge to try aftermarket I might try KONI. If I cannot find a good substitute for this clip you might see these on ebay lol. I am Very dissapointed to say the least.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
I agree. I think they could have designed this a little better, or just make it like the shocks on most cars.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
Bilstein east is located in Mooresville, NC. I'm up in Burlington, NC, so you can have clips on Tuesday. Please PM me your address and it will happen
Sorry I didn't see this thread sooner.
Randy
Sorry I didn't see this thread sooner.Randy
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,676
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Can anyone post some pictures or diagrams?
As mentioned in post #5, I let the dealer do it and also ordered some new hardware for them to use. But that doesn't mean the job was done correctly.
As mentioned in post #5, I let the dealer do it and also ordered some new hardware for them to use. But that doesn't mean the job was done correctly.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,676
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
It looks good enough to keep the dust boot from flopping up and down, but to hold the whole assembly in place?
Can someone supplement Bill's pictures, with one or two of everything put together but not installed on the car?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
I'm trying to figure out how all the parts fit together at the top of the shock, and how that little clip can keep the shaft from moving upward.
It looks good enough to keep the dust boot from flopping up and down, but to hold the whole assembly in place?
Can someone supplement Bill's pictures, with one or two of everything put together but not installed on the car?
It looks good enough to keep the dust boot from flopping up and down, but to hold the whole assembly in place?
Can someone supplement Bill's pictures, with one or two of everything put together but not installed on the car?
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-bushings.html