Bilsteins under newer 944

[os951]

OK, promised some time ago to put pictures here how to modify original Sachs struts to accept Bilstein Sport inserts.

Started yesterday to put into parts few sets of original Sachs. Struts are now in parts and still having an overnight citric acid path. I'll go today to sand blaster's place to have struts blasted. After that they will be modified to have some threads, which allows Bilsteins to be screwd in. Struts will be powder coated as well. A former 968 set will be done firts; it will go under my friends S2 cab, which i am just converting to Turbo cab. Engine came from Steve/Alasdair

Starting point. A former 968 Sachs strut. Got this set up from a friend of mine, he changed to Koni yellows we refurbed for his 968

Konis we made for 968

OK, here's what i have done so far. First remved the top cap. I just cutted it off using an angle grinder

Next just cutted the pressed section off the strut off. It's not that accurate where to cut at this point. Just have something under the strut where to collect oil....

Now carefully pull the piston out. Remember there will be abouit 2-3DL oil inside the strut.

Few sets to go

I removed Tectyl undercoating from the struts. It is nice job to do for a blaster man... Undercoatings are pita to blast away []

Now i just need to take struts off the citric acid bath. Put them to bath just to help blaster mans work.
Will put more pictures when project has gone some steps furter.

 

[os951]

After overnight citric acid bath

 

[zcacogp]

Good thread - watching with interest.


Oli.

 

[Neil Haughey]

Same here. There seems to be a genuine need for something between the stock struts and full race stuff that is good quality and robust. A Bilstein monotube insert or a proper Koni race insert seems to tick that box (not the Koni yellow inserts made for these shocks as IMHO they are no better than stock Sachs twin tube jobs).

 

[George Elliott]

I like the standard M030, its nice and soft, (although was probably considered hard in 1989) lends traction in the wet, and suits the potholes and yumps locally.
It needs LSD, good tracking, decent tyres
Good work Oli
George
944t

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Same here. There seems to be a genuine need for something between the stock struts and full race stuff that is good quality and robust. A Bilstein monotube insert or a proper Koni race insert seems to tick that box (not the Koni yellow inserts made for these shocks as IMHO they are no better than stock Sachs twin tube jobs).

I fitted the Koni inserts into my Stock Sach's and can certainly notice a big difference in handling, I have them set on soft and they are still harder than the old Sach insert, admittedly the old shocks were the originals so would have been very worn.

Pete

 

[Catamax944]

I had Konis but didn't like them that much . I really want to give the bilsteins a try someday .

 

[Neil Haughey]

Pete the nearest comparison I have is that I had the koni inserts and 968 lowering springs on the S2, then we got the 968 and I fitted new genuine struts to it. IMHO there was very little difference between the two, you loose the adjustment but the body control provided by the standard 968 strut is superb anyway. Its one of the reasons why I have mentioned it a few times as a simple way of updating an S2 using OEM parts, another reason is it looks factory to the point that only an expert who knows the part numbers (assuming the label is even readable) would know they are not S2 struts. The new struts were massively firmer than old ones but the comfort level was about the same. The Koni yellows also don't last anything like as well ppl think, my rears went soft after 30K miles of road driving one of which was completely dead. The front inserts were starting to go soft after only a few K miles and a couple of track days, which is not as surprising as it sounds. Struts take a pounding on track.

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Pete the nearest comparison I have is that I had the koni inserts and 968 lowering springs on the S2, then we got the 968 and I fitted new genuine struts to it. IMHO there was very little difference between the two, you loose the adjustment but the body control provided by the standard 968 strut is superb anyway. Its one of the reasons why I have mentioned it a few times as a simple way of updating an S2 using OEM parts, another reason is it looks factory to the point that only an expert who knows the part numbers (assuming the label is even readable) would know they are not S2 struts. The new struts were massively firmer than old ones but the comfort level was about the same. The Koni yellows also don't last anything like as well ppl think, my rears went soft after 30K miles of road driving one of which was completely dead. The front inserts were starting to go soft after only a few K miles and a couple of track days, which is not as surprising as it sounds. Struts take a pounding on track.

Thanks for the info Neil, as mentioned my konl's replaced original stock shocks with around 180k miles on them so not a fair comparison by any means. I am assuming that they were original as there's no mention of them being changed by the previous owner, a women from Hammersmith who owned the car from new. I chose Koni as I always used them on my Fords, so far my suspension hasn't covered many miles as they were only done around a year before I took my car off the road. As for hard wear on track days this is unlikely to effect me as I have always avoided track days, love my paintwork to much..


Pete

 

[os951]

Its one of the reasons why I have mentioned it a few times as a simple way of updating an S2 using OEM parts, another reason is it looks factory to the point that only an expert who knows the part numbers (assuming the label is even readable) would know they are not S2 struts

Well, modified struts looks original as well. I prefer Bilsteins over Konis. Bilstein have more oil inside. More oil means cooler oil, which means longer lasting shock absorbing during hard conditions.

 

[Neil Haughey]

Are the Bilstein inserts monotube? That would be more than enough reason to use them over Koni twin tube inserts. Koni have a rep for running extremely high pressure which is why they feel so firm as its basically like having a massive spring effect.

 

[os951]

i suppose they are monotubes

 

[os951]

These turned out quite good. A friend of mine made necessary parts and another friend made tig weldings.

Fitment is made for Bilstein. If any other brand is used, you have to remove 2mm from a strut.

Also Porsche cap works. Actually this cap is a VW part, which was used on Super Beetle & Golf MK I applications. This cap cannot be used with Bilstein, because Bilstein piston rod is too thick for it.

After all, quite nice mod for newer 944's & 968

 

[edh]

Olli - can you explain in a bit more detail? Looks like you've welded some threaded tubes onto the top of the strut body. Are these parts fabricated? Presumably this Bilstein mod is easy only if you have a machine shop and welding equipment...

I think this is a brilliant alternative for 944's - must be the best budget option

 

[zcacogp]

I'll second EDH's request for more information. If this is what it looks like, it is something I could be quite interested in.

Also, the caps; which cap do you need for the bilstein inserts and is that (lovely-looking) engineered-from-solid-looking cap in the fourth photo a custom-made job?


Oli.

 

[os951]

There is a CNCed 5 cm long collar inside the strut. It has been fabricated according to Bilstein thickness, so it does support Bilstein strut insert very well. This collar is TIG welded to 944/968 original sealed type strut, which was disassembled. After TIG welding sturts were powder coated black. With Bilstein we used Bilstein original cap, which came with inserts. You are not able to use VW/Porsche style cap with Bilstien inserts. I suppose you can do this at home, if you have old shocks with thread available. Just cut that threaded part and weld it to Porsche strut. Of course it's a "poor man's solution". Struts we have fabricated are well made and also safe to use.
924 & early 944 struts inserts are the same as Super Beetle & Golf mk I ones, so good price alternatives are available.

 

[os951]

I have a pair of modifed 944/951 (8V) struts available if some of you are interested. I tell more with PM.

 

[sulzeruk]

Hi Olli, I'll swap them for a pair of turbo manifolds!
Alasdair

 

[zcacogp]

16v owner here, but would you ever consider making struts such as these up and selling them? (Possibly on an exchange basis?)


Oli.