correct fitment of Bilstien damper top Bushes

[andmac]

I've just received new lotus bilstien spring damper kit for my 86 turbo (thanks Bibs) Can anyone confirm that I have the bush components in the right order before I fit the dampers.Top mount omitted for clarity.

Andy

[andydclements]

Do you have a dished washer beneath the blue anti-dust cover? I think you don't, but should have. If we were to refer to the washers/ cups by their current position starting from the left, the one that goes beneath blue cover is no 5 (dished but not shaped to retain the shape of a rubber piece. There to spread the load encountered on a full compression stroke, across the buffer that's hidden by the anti-dust cover. It's hard to tell by the pic which is which.

 

Certaionly the ones that are between the two rubber washers are correct and are the ones that goes inside and outside the spring cap. 

The ones beneath the lower and above the upper rubber washers are supposed to be shaped to fit the rubber, to keep the rubber in shape when compressed. No 1 looks to be one of those type.

[andmac]

Hi Andy, thanks for the reply. I didn't put a washer under the dust shield as the dust shield has an aluminium bush at the top which fits over the step in the piston rod where it turns from chrome top black.Fitting a washer under the shield would not allow the dust shield to fit over the piston rod.I have placed the washers from left dished washer with flat rim, dished washer no rim, bush, slightly curved face to top, cup washer with upstand to locate in top mount, cup washer to locate in underside of top mount, rubber bush, dished washer then plain flat washer located on step in piston rod. I take it this is not correct.

cheers

Andy

[sailorbob]

Starting from the bottom:

 

Dustshield

Flat washer

Bush

Stepped washer with small diameter uppermost

Stepped washer with small diameter lowermost

Bush

Dished washer

 

 

Lotus seem to supply a few extra parts with the Bilstein suspension. Because of this I quizzed them on order of washers and the above is what they told me.

[mdw]

I do find it a bit slack that for what is quite a lot of money they couldn't stick a photo copied sheet in with the order of fitting.  I seem to remember asking this on the forum 2-3 years ago.

[andmac]

Thanks Derek, that looks good to me.

Malcolm couldn't agree more, a diagram to show order the parts fit together shouldn't be to much to ask.

thanks for all the replies.

Andy

[andydclements]

Hi Andy, thanks for the reply. I didn't put a washer under the dust shield as the dust shield has an aluminium bush at the top which fits over the step in the piston rod where it turns from chrome top black.Fitting a washer under the shield would not allow the dust shield to fit over the piston rod.....

cheers

Andy

I believe that you'll find one of the washers has a hole large enough to fit over the shaft, leaving the ali bush of the dust cap in the same place, unless they've changed them in the last few years since I fitted mine.

[andmac]

Ah! So the washer under the dust cover sits on top of the bump stop rubber. That makes sense now thanks.

Andy

[sailorbob]

Even if you do have a washer with a large enough bore to fit on top of the bump stop do not use it You will end up scoring the piston rod having that rattle around.

[andydclements]

Now if they told you, that would remove all the fun of unpacking and playing with the bits before putting them on the car, sort of like giving you a jigsaw puzzle and printing a picture of the whole image on the lid. 

[andmac]

Thanks Derek, had it assembled with the washers but came to the conclusion that scoring the piston was a real possibility so I removed them.

[andydclements]

The bump stop should naturally sit at the top of the piston (held by friction) and so well out of the travel. Without the washer, the bump stop is just going to press against the flimsy plastic of the dust cover, al;though to be fair, it's not likely to come into play on most roads.

[MrDangerUS]

Hi Andy,

Do I have it right? 

This sleeve suppose to go on the shaft inside two bushings?

[andydclements]

@MrDangerUS you are correct that the sleeve should be inside those two pairs of rubber bushings, between the two cupped washers.

[Giniw]

@MrDangerUSThe rest is wrong though, a washer is supposed to be put against the bump stop underneath the rod cover. There is a thread somewhere where it's discussed. I will have to find it.

 

edit:

Here it is:

 

 

 

And as for the washer on top of the bump stop which can not be seen in the @brian_gt4's photo, @sailorbob advised against using it but I still installed it with a little bit of sikaflex to secure it at the top of the rod (sikaflex between the washer top surface and the cyan plastic cover), so the washer won't scratch the damper rod

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by Giniw

[Giniw]

(so if I am not mistaken it should rearranged be like this:)

[MrDangerUS]

I called Bilstein and they told me to NOT put any washers under the dust boot. 

The proper arrangement of washers and bumpers is shown below. Sleeve part goes over the shaft inside rubber bumpers.

Edited February 28, 2021 by MrDangerUS

[Giniw]

20 hours ago, MrDangerUS said:

I called Bilstein and they told me to NOT put any washers under the dust boot. 

Interesting, but I wonder against what the bump stop is supposed to seat on?! Without the washer it will press only on the centre of the dust boot at first (which has a metallic sleeve if I remember correctly?) but eventually, with more force applied, the bump stop will press against the dust boot plastic directly?!

And I don't see the purpose of the "extra" washer at the outside of the boot (between the boot and the following thick washer?)

20 hours ago, MrDangerUS said:

Sleeve part goes over the shaft inside rubber bumpers.

You mean the two black bushes I suppose? (just to be sure as it's one of the things I was quite sure of)