Used Billies!

BlackR · Postby **BlackR** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:21 pm

I just scored myself some clubby bilsteins. Yay!

I'm not gonna put them straight in the car though as I want to change some things and would like your opinions.

Firstly the bushes. The current ones are sagging a bit and i wanna change them. I can find poly ones on the web, but as I want a bit of comfort (and I don't want to have to regrease them every three months) I was thinking getting stock rubber ones. Bilstein tell me that they're almost impossible to find. And my local Mazda dealer is completely useless (can find without the vin). Any ideas?

Next up, the springs. Did they come from factory with black and red springs? I want to change them anyway, and I was thinking Tein Tech S springs. Once again, comfort is playing a roll here. Or maybe Eibach. Opinions?

Lastly, tophats. One of the shocks is missing its tophat. I've been told that the current ones in my car will fit. But when i take the stockies out, i would like to keep them in one piece. Any ideas where I can get a single tophat from?

Cheers all, and thanks for the help,

Adam

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:32 pm

Should think about getting three shock rebuilt. Been a long time (shock wise) since clubmans were made.

Sydney shocks is the service agent for a fair part if aus. There is another in melb.

The changing rate valves in bilies should keep your comfort so, just fit the urethane. My gemini (first car) has had super pros in it for 5 years now (40 k odd, km) with out a regrease and no squeaks or issues.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

BlackR · Postby **BlackR** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:48 pm

sailaholic wrote:Should think about getting three shock rebuilt. Been a long time (shock wise) since clubmans were made.

Thanks for that. The guys at Bilstein said the shocks should be fine and only rebuild them if they're leaking.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:21 pm

Who was that you asked?
How many k have they done?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:22 pm

Did they mention testing them and fitting new rubbers?

BlackR · Postby **BlackR** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:12 pm

I called Heasmans in Sydney.

It was $60 per shock to test.

Rebuild did not include new bushes, but did include the dust jacket. However, they can do the bushes sperately.

Shocks have 160K on them.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:15 am

Definitely need a rebuild then. the oil in them (all shocks) goes thin with use / heat effectively softening them.

To be honest if a shock person told you not to bother unless they were leaking you don't want your car there.

Suspension store might sell you one top hat, other than that wreckers. I believe the nb top hats are better sure to allowable travel but not sure on the details. Would obviously need a matched pair.

Personally I would just put new to hats on that pair.

Don't bother pricing anyone other then sydney shocks for billies rebuilds as they will end up there anyway.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:44 pm

BlackR wrote:I just scored myself some clubby bilsteins. Yay!

Firstly the bushes. The current ones are sagging a bit and i wanna change them.

Next up, the springs. Did they come from factory with black and red springs?

If you need new Bilstein shock bushes then see the bottom of this page:
viewtopic.php?f=76&t=30041

Clubman Bilsteins were yellow with standard NA8 black springs. The Silver SE Bilsteins had red springs. From memory, the 10AE yellow Bilsteins also had black NB springs.

Going by feedback on this forum, the Clubman Bilsteins seem to last a lot longer than the standard NA8 OEM shocks.

BlackR · Postby **BlackR** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 9:19 pm

sailaholic wrote:Don't bother pricing anyone other then sydney shocks for billies rebuilds as they will end up there anyway.

Sydney Shocks and Heasmans Steering is the same place, and they're the place that told me not to worry about a rebuild. Now you have me worried

93_Clubman wrote:If you need new Bilstein shock bushes then see the bottom of this page:
viewtopic.php?f=76&t=30041

I checked them out on ebay (i thoroughly read the clubman page in my searches), but am a bit worried about about squeaking and re-greasing. Good prices though at $25.00 per bush.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:46 pm

Given Heasmans provided advice ref need to rebuild Bilsteins, perhaps ask again to confirm understanding, if a different person there gives you the same advice then you should be able to have more confidence in it, particularly when they are the Australian factory agent & rebuilder.

Ref the lower shock mount rubber bush poly replacement, appreciate poly bush replacements elsewhere on cars require greasing & regreasing, but have you confirmed with the seller that this is the case with these lower shock mount poly bushes?

BlackR · Postby **BlackR** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:48 pm

93_Clubman wrote:Ref the lower shock mount rubber bush poly replacement, appreciate poly bush replacements elsewhere on cars require greasing & regreasing, but have you confirmed with the seller that this is the case with these lower shock mount poly bushes?

No I haven't, will send them a message and find out, I assumed that all poly bushes squeaked and mucked around.

Also, anyone advise on springs? I know most will say Kings but I refuse to put them on my car.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:59 pm

BlackR wrote:Also, anyone advise on springs? I know most will say Kings but I refuse to put them on my car.

From memory a number of forumites liked Eibachs on their Bilsteins - wasn't unanimous, but then the others preferred Kings, which as you say aren't an option for you.

jonosx · Postby **jonosx** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 2:11 pm

You've just got to speak to the right person

, email me at...

jonathon.mckinnon@bilstein.com.au

I'd be the one rebuilding them anyway.

Even though your shocks have a high number of kays, i'd pretty confidently say they would be within 10% of the original rate.

As for the bushes i can see if i can still get them from germany as a part, may take a while though.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 2:25 pm

jonosx wrote:You've just got to speak to the right person , email me at...

jonathon.mckinnon@bilstein.com.au

I'd be the one rebuilding them anyway.

Even though your shocks have a high number of kays, i'd pretty confidently say they would be within 10% of the original rate.

As for the bushes i can see if i can still get them from germany as a part, may take a while though.

^ Doesn't get any better than this! :mrgreen:

Ref Tein S Spec springs & Bilsteins - see 2nd last post on this page:
viewtopic.php?f=82&t=37052&p=491244#p491244

BlackR · Postby **BlackR** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:25 pm

93_Clubman wrote:
jonosx wrote:You've just got to speak to the right person , email me at...

jonathon.mckinnon@bilstein.com.au

I'd be the one rebuilding them anyway.

Even though your shocks have a high number of kays, i'd pretty confidently say they would be within 10% of the original rate.

As for the bushes i can see if i can still get them from germany as a part, may take a while though.

^ Doesn't get any better than this!

Ref Tein S Spec springs & Bilsteins - see 2nd last post on this page:
viewtopic.php?f=82&t=37052&p=491244#p491244