Bilstein suspension specialist Melbourne?

[bruce]

Hi,
Just got a car fitted with Bilstein shocks. Trying to raise the ride height with my c spanners. Two seem to adjust but the other two seem stuck. The rears seem strange as the threaded body spins and doesn't seem to lengthen?
Anybody with experience with them or can recommend a suspension guy to take a look (Melbourne Eastern suburbs)?
Thanks
Bruce

[greenMachine]

Is Quadrant still around?

I got the Bilstein PSS9s that are on the SE now from them, but that was probably 20 years ago.

[bruce]

Their website is not working, FBook page hasn't been updated for years. Will follow up tomorrow. Thanks.
Any other recommendations or experience with the problem I'm having?

[greenMachine]

They must be two-piece shocks are they? Are you sure they are Billies?

If two piece, there should be two pairs of locknuts, one on the spring perch, and one on the bottom piece (to adjust the length of the body). Sounds like the bottom one is not tight. If one piece, that shouldn't happen, the bottom bush/eye should be securing it to prevent rotation. Photos?

I have just had my rears back at Heaseman's because one was tight, the locknuts didn't want to proceed past a certain point. I think they slightly damaged the thread while they were putting in the new seals, but a quick trip to the lathe with a thread cleaning tool fixed it. You might have to get the shock off, and dismantle it to check the thread. Don't force it or you might be up for a new body if the thread can't be repaired.

[bruce]

These shocks are 2003 vintage. Will get photos tomorrow.
Fronts only have one ring as the perch. One shock winds up (compressing spring), exposing more thread below ring. Thus increases height. There is no ring at the bottom. Other shock, the ring does not want to move (c spanner and a one foot lever).
Rears have two rings as perch (no ring at bottom). Wind it up and the whole threaded tube moves (but no change in threads above and below ring). Other rear shock refuses to move (using long bar again).
The single front appears to raise (on one side o nly remember) despite only one ring as perch. Rears have two rings as perch but doesn't seem to change height.
Are my shocks height adjustable? I guess two are just frozen on the threads.
Note this is not an mx5 but something using I think rx7 shocks (or totally custom).

[93_Clubman]

Appears that Quadrant in Berwick have closed & a note on their window directs customers to Heasmans, the Bilstein folks, in Sydney: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x ... ip6BAg9EAM

Jonosx on here works/worked for Heasmans rebuilding dampers etc: <jonathon.mckinnon@bilstein.com.au>

[greenMachine]

If they are Bilsteins the odds are the bodies are aluminium, ffs don't use too much force or you will strip the thread out. Should be two rings holding up spring, second is lock nut for the top one which you adjust first (ie you need two C spanners). If you are using an extension on the C spanner, and still not moving the ring must be a steel body, I doubt aluminium would resist that sort of force before either moving or stripping. Cue plenty of your choice of penetrating oil, used liberally, let it sit for a day or two then try again.

Ooooh! A late thought! Have a close look at the single ring, some of them use a grub screw or similar to clamp the ring to prevent it moving (ie doesn't need a second ring to serve as a jam/lock nut), you need to look at the complete circumference of the ring if possible - bear in mind that it is supposed to be adjustable on-car so should be easy to find if that is what it is, but if you don't know the history it might be positioned in the most difficult to find spot - according to my friend Murphy ...

[ManiacLachy]

GM beat me to mentioning the possibility of the grub screw if there's no locking ring. The grub can be quite hard to spot sometimes, it'll likely be a 1mm or 2mm allen head in a deep well.

However, the fact that the whole shaft is rotating is worrying!

[bruce]

Thanks for the advice. Will look again today.

[bruce]

IMG_20220708_130902.jpg

Front shock. Narrow ring above large ring. Both move at same time. Top ring too narrow for spanner to grasp. One side adjusts freely. Other does not move (lubed, extension bar on spanner).
Odd thing, there is no thread above ring but it does extend the visible threads below?

IMG_20220708_130922.jpg

Front shock, no ring at the bottom to extend body length.

IMG_20220708_131235.jpg

Typical looking rear shock with two good sized rings. One shock turns (both rings move in unison) but it does not increase the visible threads below the rings (no change). The whole threaded section spins (thus no change in visible threads). One side locked up and does not turn.
Haven't yet tried separating the rings with two spanners.
No grub screws locking the rings.

Thoughts guys?
Ideally I need a local suspension specialist.

[greenMachine]

Front shock. Narrow ring above large ring. Both move at same time. Top ring too narrow for spanner to grasp. One side adjusts freely. Other does not move (lubed, extension bar on spanner).
Odd thing, there is no thread above ring but it does extend the visible threads below?

Only suggestion I can add is to remove the shock, use a spring compressor and remove the spring. This will give you full access to both the rings, and hopefully enough scope to loosen one ring, which (again hopefully) would allow the second ring to be freed. If that doesn't work, it is at least off the car and ready to go to a specialist.

Typical looking rear shock with two good sized rings. One shock turns (both rings move in unison) but it does not increase the visible threads below the rings (no change).

Not sure what you mean when you say 'one shock turns'. If the shock body is turning you may have a broken weld on the lower mount (don't gauge this by the springs turning, mine often turns the springs as I am winding the rings up or down, this is perfectly normal behaviour because friction). The most likely alternative to a broken bottom shock mount (the shock body doesn't turn but the rings do without moving up or down on the shock body) is that the thread under the rings is stripped and that also means the shocks have to come off and be repaired/replaced.

Ideally I need a local suspension specialist.

Yes.

[bruce]

I appreciate your help.
The suspension is so frustrating. Cracked myself in the face with my extension bar, tiny chip in tooth. Happy I didn't punch out a tooth. Dampened my enthusiasm.
A suspension specialist is ideal as then they can do the repairs after figuring out what is wrong.

[bruce]

I think Centreline suspension, Thomastown may be suitable.

[bruce]

Centerline suspension in Thomastown fixed everything up.
Rear rings simply needed a centrepunch and hammer to loosen.
Fronts were already at maximum height but still too low. Thus time to heat and stretch springs (baked in oven). Did not stand up and sagged back when dríven. Fitted new longer springs.
Tops of shock were butchered from factory. Nut would not tighten. Had to mill it off and tig new stud/thread on. It was an accident waiting to happen:

IMG_20220715_170537.jpg

IMG_20220715_170558.jpg