Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby lhuynh » Wed Aug 24, 2016 9:18 pm

Just an update...

Wife noticed a cluck when at full right turn lock in reverse. Would that be a CV joint?
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby Tonic » Fri Jan 06, 2017 8:04 am

alexeiwoody wrote:
tom_kauf wrote:
Tonic wrote:Interestingly mine, with 165,000 has recently started this. Not a bilstein knock. Not a cv 'click' either. Tight turn feels like going over a little bump about once a rotation..... Got me !


Yeah, and Shaheenis is in the same boat. I'll book my car into another mechanic at some stage, to see what they think.... I'll share the info once I know more.

I tested it with continual RH and LH turns last week, in an empty car park. No difference between RH and LH turns for me.


I've just had my 5eat and c diff rebuilt/replaced and it's doing something similar to what you guys describe only on full left lock. Right turn lock is fine

It's different to a broken c diff, which is more of an audible clunk


Should have come back to say that replacing the viscous coupling has completely solved the problem.... done 60,000 km since replacement and no recurrence of issue. The bumping feeling when tight turning was the identifier it seems
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby lhuynh » Sun Apr 02, 2017 6:17 pm

Guys, where would be the best place to have this knock diagnosed? the short term wet lube trick now only suppresses the noise on one trip.
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby tom_kauf » Sun Apr 02, 2017 6:45 pm

lhuynh wrote:Guys, where would be the best place to have this knock diagnosed? the short term wet lube trick now only suppresses the noise on one trip.


We'll if the lube trick on the shocks worked for a while, then the source of the problem are the Bilstein Shocks. Any mechanic or suspension workshop can replace them.

You can get new Bilstein (from Subaru, or you can try getting good second hand ones), or go with aftermarket shocks.
Or they can be refurbished by Bilstein in Sydney. Only the front ones can be refurbished on our cars, but only the front ones cause the noise.

If your noise wasn't resolved by spraying the shock, then it'd probably be a Centre Diff noise, or something else. So then it'd be worth getting it diagnosed, because the repair could be expensive (and you'd want to isolate the issue first).
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby lhuynh » Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:27 pm

Does Bilstein sell replacement shocks that fit our cars or do our shocks need to be rebuilt by Bilstein?
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby muzza » Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:53 pm

I have made some enquiries about a fix for mine (Gen V) and it seems there are about 6 options:

1. Live with it and keep on lubing.
2. Pay $ubaru for a new pair @$600 each :roll: which will have the same probs later on...
3. Pull you front struts out, send them to Sydney to get rebuilt with better seals that won't knock. 2 weeks is my guess....
4. Get some coilovers, but good ones even more exxy and may have legality issues in some states. Can be harsh riding. Cheap ones available but quality suspect.
5. Replace with KYBs or Sachs from the USA or U.K. which they have available for the Legacy there but are not officially offered in Oz. These may be too soft? But they claim to be OE replacement. They are relatively cheap online in the U.K. For about £60-80 each plus delivery.
6. Replace with cheap KYBs to suit the stock model from the USA or U.K, pull the guts out of them and fit adjustable Koni inserts that are made for WRX to get equivalent ride/handling as the original Billies.

Haven't looked at Monroe but they are cheaper still, not sue if they make one to suit anyway.

I like option 6 the best, it's what some the lads in the USA are doing on LegacyGT.com.
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby tom_kauf » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:54 pm

lhuynh wrote:Does Bilstein sell replacement shocks that fit our cars or do our shocks need to be rebuilt by Bilstein?

Yes, I'm sure they have off-the-shelf shocks that'd fit our cars. Their B6 (Sport) range are probably similar to our factory Bilstein. But you can check with them and ask what the difference is, or what the best replacement would be. Their B8 range is more for lowered cars, and firmer I think.
The off-the-shelf shocks might even be cheaper, since they're sold in higher numbers than our Subaru SpecB specific ones.

Bilstein in Sydney are the only ones who are authorised refurbishers. There used to be at least one other company, but they closed down as far as I know.
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby tom_kauf » Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:03 pm

muzza wrote:I have made some enquiries about a fix for mine (Gen V) and it seems there are about 6 options:

1. Live with it and keep on lubing.
2. Pay $ubaru for a new pair @$600 each :roll: which will have the same probs later on...
3. Pull you front struts out, send them to Sydney to get rebuilt with better seals that won't knock. 2 weeks is my guess....
4. Get some coilovers, but good ones even more exxy and may have legality issues in some states. Can be harsh riding. Cheap ones available but quality suspect.
5. Replace with KYBs or Sachs from the USA or U.K. which they have available for the Legacy there but are not officially offered in Oz. These may be too soft? But they claim to be OE replacement. They are relatively cheap online in the U.K. For about £60-80 each plus delivery.
6. Replace with cheap KYBs to suit the stock model from the USA or U.K, pull the guts out of them and fit adjustable Koni inserts that are made for WRX to get equivalent ride/handling as the original Billies.

Haven't looked at Monroe but they are cheaper still, not sue if they make one to suit anyway.

I like option 6 the best, it's what some the lads in the USA are doing on LegacyGT.com.

Nice list muzza. Yeah I agree, definitely no point doing Option 2 - new ones cost more than a refurb, and they'll be worse long-term. You can save about 1/4 to 1/3 of the price and get them refurbished. Only downside is the downtime.

I also wasn't keen on coilovers due to the harsh ride. But your Option 6 sounds interesting - I hadn't heard that one before :).
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby muzza » Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:09 pm

I thînk you guys with Gen IV at least have the option of Bilstein off the shelf H6s but us Gen V-ears are not so lucky.

Option 7 is to do what the earlier post link shows, take the struts out (at least the tops outside the bodywork), unbolt the bottom of the strut and slide out the Bilstein top section, remove and repack the grease with better stuff, and fit a grease nipple between the seals at the same time to allow topups.

The beauty with option 6 is also the fact that they are adjustable.
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby muzza » Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:21 pm

Hold on: legacyGT link here to Gen IV strut dismantle/hack/Koni insert job.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.p ... 45744.html
http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.p ... 14426.html
I *think* the stock US legacy Gen IV struts were KYB (not Bilstein) hence the need to drill the bottom hole to secure the inserts bottom bolt.
But I was thinking that the Bilsteins, being an inverted type, already have this set up.
I don't know if the outer tube diameter is comparable, nor if the top bolt arrangement is the same? Could a Koni insert be put into a stock Bilstein damper outer?

Regreasing instructions here: http://www.wrxinfo.com/how_tos/suspensi ... struts.htm
And http://www.forum.wrx.com.au/viewtopic.p ... p;p=627619
This could be a good first option.
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby lhuynh » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:32 pm

Geezus, was qouted $2400 at an independant workshop for 4 new shocks with a wheel alignment.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for a better deal? or is this the average cost for a suspension refresh?
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby tom_kauf » Thu Apr 27, 2017 4:07 pm

lhuynh wrote:Geezus, was qouted $2400 at an independant workshop for 4 new shocks with a wheel alignment.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for a better deal? or is this the average cost for a suspension refresh?

:shock: That's too much! I usually don't mind paying for good quality work (instead of the cheapest price). But even the Subaru dealer only wanted about $560
for sending off both the front Springs to get refurbished by Bilstein. The rears can't be refurbished because they have a welded top, but even new Billies shouldn't be more than $350-$400 a set. That leaves over $1500 for labour, which isn't a realistic amount.

Removing springs doesn't take any special skills. For example, any Fulcrum suspension outlet can remove the front shocks to send off to Bilstein in Sydney (they are the only ones who can do the refurb, now that the other authorised dealer has closed down). Or take it to Subaru and ask for the factory front billies to be sent off (that's what I did). They shouldn't charge more than a few hundred for the labour, plus wheel alignment (which is usually not that expensive).

EDIT: You mentioned 'new shocks'. They are slightly more than a refurb, but less than $150 difference for both fronts. The rears will have to be new anyway as I mentioned. But the fronts are better refurbished, because the stock Billies will always have the knocking issue as they age (refurbished ones will be better than new).
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Re: Bilstein Knock?...I doubt it!

Postby lhuynh » Sat Apr 29, 2017 12:11 pm

Refurb seems to be most cost effective option but with a new born the down time of approx 2 weeks is not practical at this stage. I think replacing the shocks over a weekend with the B6 range would suit my situation best.

Is anyone able to confirm the following is the correct part numbers to fit 2007 Spec B wagon?

1 - Bilstein #35-118305 Front Left Strut, 36mm
1 - Bilstein #35-118312 Front Right Strut, 36mm
2 - Bilstein #24-118323 Rear Shocks, 46mm

According to some websites i can have these landed for just over 800 AUD.
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