Suspension refresh and some issues

2001 C4 Cabrio. I had a set of new B6 shocks and struts from an earlier purchase, and last minute I decided to get H&R springs (there is a cabrio/targa version). On the rear right side, I loosed and removed the upper control arms. On the left side, based on a youtube video, decided to just drop it without touching the arms. It came out fine, but it was impossible to get the bottom bolt back in. 2 hours of swearing, loosening control arms, jack up and down, and I finally got it in. OK, went to get the new swaybar links and I realize these are threaded into the bottom of the housing, not bolted (the new links have nuts on both ends). FML. Am I going to have to drop these shocks again? I think if I can remove the outer rearmost control arm/balljoint I will have enough room on that side, but the damn axle is on the other side. I've searched but not found a good answer yet.

I should add that I have new Meyle links and from a search I see there is a better option, the TRW version has a nut on it which should allow me to install in place. If someone can confirm that would be great. Otherwise I'm looking at 2 piece adjustable links which I don't really want or need.

Found a Moog version on Amazon available next day, going to give that a shot.

This jobs straight sucks……I can’t get the damn rear coffin arm to separate. That ball joint just laughs at me. Good luck

Rent/borrow one of these from the part store. Leave the nut on the end so u dont damage the threads. https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-a...tor/787834_0_0

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Swaybar links can be removed and installed will all other suspension parts in place. Are you thinking it can't be because the whole link needs to spin and the arm and axle are in the way? It does not. You can let the joint spin in the link to attach to the strut. I have heard some say the certain aftermarket links the bolt has been too long and when threaded as far as it can go it hits the side of the strut.

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So yes. The Moog bolts I ordered arrived and are this way. But when I went to install them, it seems it's either not metric or poorly machined (this is the correct part btw per Moog). So I then tried installing the Meyle links in place, using a 16mm to thread it, but the Moog only has flats on 2 sides, making it impossible to install. I ended up dropping both shocks again, tapped out the first one until it was clean and hand installed the Meyle then tightened with the flats. Repeated on the other side, it went in with no trouble. Moral of the story - if you bought the Meyle, install BEFORE putting the shock in. If they fail, the shock will need to come out. Therefore, don't buy the Meyle at all, buy the TRW. I have to get this car ready for a long drive otherwise I would have waited for the TRW.

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I think the TRW are OEM equivalent as well. Some of the TRW bits I bought for my suspension refresh had Porsche part numbers on them.

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Meyle components are getting increasingly bad reviews. As you've said, time constraints apart, wherever possible use TRW components.

One more question. I'm now on the fronts (btw, broke the lower shock bolt when tightening, good idea to replace those bolts I think. I have new ones). In the meantime I moved to the fronts. On a Carrera 4, good idea to loosen the diff side of the CV axle BEFORE removing control arms. But doable anyway. OK - Bilstein says that on a B6, there is no reason to use an external bump stop: the part numbers you provided are inverted monotube shocks that have an internal bump stop. These products do not require re use of an external bump stop. Thank you. I would argue that it does, because the width of the shaft is identical to the OE shock I removed, and the new bump stop fits perfectly over it. So are they wrong about this?

The docs that came with the Bilsteins make it very clear that the bump stop is not needed and can limit suspension travel. OK. It also says to reuse the factory boot, which is...held in place by the bump stop. My options are to just forget the dust boot, or use the dust boot and the least amount possible of bump stop to hold it in place (which is what the old bump stops look like at this point).

Pictures, we need pictures to help you out quickly and easily...

There's not much to show really. As I said, the boot needs to be fitted with the bump stop, otherwise it would just be flopping around and open at the top, which does nothing. I think I'm going this way (have to redo one side, I flipped a washer by mistake). b6 struts on 996C4

I had the bump stop on mine. I dont think think it limits travel. Its pretty soft and if the shock is internally bumped it wont compress fully anyways. U can run it with the boot or without as the boot just gives some minor protection to the shock rod.

Couple more. You can see that the boot is way too wide to be supported. The bump stop holds the boot in place, and the top of the bump stop is sandwiched by a small washer at the stop of the strut.

Thanks for the pictures. You need those polyurethane parts (I purposely don't call them bumpstops as they have a broader purpose than that. Porsche calls then 'additional spring' in their WSM). Why do I need them, you ask? Because those Bilsteins are NOT of the upside-down variety and donot have the polyurethane auxiliary spring inside of them.

So why do the docs specify the bump stops are not to be used, as danix mentioned in a previous post? I�m not trying to argue, just curious is all. I�m of the opinion that the bump stops should be used, because they function as a secondary/stiffer spring.

"OK - Bilstein says that on a B6, there is no reason to use an external bump stop :the part numbers you provided are inverted monotube shocks that have an internal bump stop. These products do not require re use of an external bump stop. Thank you. " Could be different reasons: -generic documents that contain errors or omit specific B6 applications that are not of the inverted type. -General human error somewhere along the way of getting and being provided with the requested data. The long and short of it is: Only the inverted/upside down type has the PU add. spring inside it. Danix has the standard type, thus he should add it to the shock shaft as on the OEM shock. This is an inverted Bilstein shock absorber And this picture shows the additional spring (orange) that sits around the piston rod, which itself sits inside the yellow tube. The actual shock absorber has been turned 180deg clockwise compared to the above picture

I specifically gave Bilstein the part number for the front shocks and they confirmed do not use external bump stops. At this point the car is assembled and I'm sitting at the dealer having it aligned, so it will have to do. I also emailed Bilstein again to triple check.

@hardtailer may be right. Found this on Bilstein's EU site where it says it's a Twin Tube. For the record so is the B8. I emailed them again. Going to be pissed if they got it wrong.

I'm speculating the person you received the info from is working for a service provider to which ThyssenKrupp Bilstein has outsourced their customer info communications. This person doesn't know, (s)he is looking up the answers to questions in documentation that is not self-explanatory, old and transfered from paper to Excel to whatever IT-tool based database they use nowadays and errors have kreeped in. My understanding of Bilstein product line naming is B4=Twin tube=B4 and intended as replacement for OEM B6=monotube with stock stroke for standard length springs B8=monotube with reduced stroke ('shortened') to keep enough pre-tension on lowering springs when wheel is in full droop. I would not be surprised if 'twin tube' was mistakenly used on the site you quoted to describe what is called 'inverted' or 'upside-down' in the world of shock absorbers. Wait, that doesn't make sense either... Make of it what you will, you need those additional springs with the Bilstein shocks you have 😀

Waiting to hear from Bilstein. I'd love them to pay for reinstallation of the front struts and alignment, but not holding my breath. In the meantime, I'm leaving Monday for a week of driving. How crazy is this idea? You Tube I think even with just zip ties, some bump stop is better than none.

May work but if u bang it hard enough it will just split.

Won't work, not even close. Might as well leave them out if you slit them open to fit.

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This. You're going to press on that thing with the weight of the vehicle x whatever multiple the g-forces apply.

Heard back from Bilstein. I realized I misread their original statement to me which said: Also on the front B6, does a bump stop need to be used or not? The B6 series for this application is a standard monotube shock which does require re use of an external bump stop. Only our inverted monotube designs come with internal bump stops since the design does not allow space for an external stop. I was thrown off by "re use" (vs reuse) and somehow saw a "not" in there. So. Final answer, yes, use factory bump stops and boots on the B6. If in doubt, do what I thought of doing, which was to install and later cut it out if I was wrong. I did the opposite and did the crazy glue with zipties trick. Seems to have held for my 1000 mile road trip but I will do it right when I have time.

Glad you got that cleared up!