Decided to start another thread since I found the knock was from the shocks and not the torsion bars. When raised off the floor I have about 8mm slack vertically. A sudden lift upwards and this "Free space" allows for a knocking sound. I thought my shocks were not tightened down completely but they are. Another thing; (again when elevated) the shock also has horizontal slop. If I push on it I can get it to move inwards towards the center of the car. is this normal? FWIW, these are new Bilstein's w/ ~6000 miles on them.

That does not sound right to me... I don't think there is any slack or clunking once that top nut is tight.

-Steve

Is there a spacer of some kind that is missing? When you push up on the wheel, can you see the top of the shock moving? Is the threaded cap nut on the top of the shock barrel tight?

doesn't sound right to me either.
perhaps a shock has gone bad and now has a dead spot?

even new shocks can blow easily when they bottom out
back in the day, we used to have to replace the race car shocks annually, because we ran too low of a ride height on our old race car

that didn't leave adequate travel on the car
one big bump and without full range of travel, something has to give

I hope that's not your situation
but how low are you?

Subaru power blew out your shocks?

No seriously, it sounds like you may not have the rubber bumper/buffer donuts in the shock tops? And, are your upper strut plates worn/broken?

These are usually pretty stout, even stock ones. The rubber in there is pretty indestructible. Are you missing the metal collars inside of the rubber?Click to view attachment

Follow the arrow I drew in my trusty Haynes manual. Take the nut off the top of the shock. Push it down and pull the shock out. Lift the protective tube #25 off the shock and check to see if this threaded nut is loose. It will take a spanner wrench, or I used channel locks to tighten it. That's how I fixed my "clunking" sound. I have exhausted my entire knowledge (such as it is)of front shock absorbers. But then again I am not afflicted with the "SUBI CURSE".

I found that one of my shocks just died, so I can lift the wheel an inch or more which also creates a clunk when driving

I had the same thing to me also. The top nut as Elliot described had backed off

Still searching . The nut on top is tight however when the shock is extended i.e., on the lift, I can push sideways on the shock and I hear what I believe is THE noise. Then I remembered that when I replaced the shocks a while back, one had this rubber sleeve (pn# 00454002871) and the other had none. Should each shock have one of these even though I have Bilstein's now? PET says BOGE in the discription??? TIA, Kent

Rubber sleeve on bottom of insert to hold bottom in the middle and prevent th clunk? That one?

Rich

If you're talking about #26 in Ellyot's diagram, the answer is yes. It supposedly keeps the shock from bottoming out. Bottoming the shock is BAD as Bernat said.

That's it. Great news Thx Ron. Now I just need to locate one more "rubber spring" as they are called and 2 tapered bolts to repair. If that takes care of the noise I will only have the noise from the urethane bushings on the trailing arms. Those will be shit canned before Christmas. Maybe go needle bearing back in here next time. Thx again.

That's it. Great news Thx Ron. Now I just need to locate one more "rubber spring" as they are called and 2 tapered bolts to repair. If that takes care of the noise I will only have the noise from the urethane bushings on the trailing arms. Those will be shit canned before Christmas. Maybe go needle bearing back in here next time. Thx again.

My front suspension is completely shot. Where do I begin when looking for the correct parts to replace the sagging. Pelican has strut inserts with what look to have the sleeve on them and then has strut inserts that do not have the sleeves which are significantly less expensive.

I don't want to thread hi-jack, but this is the closest thread I have seen which kind of relates to my problem.

Josh

That's cool. Pelican, PMB, G&R, Eklers, Sierra Madre. Spend some time with whomever you select to insure you are purchasing OEM replacement part and not some cheap Chinese POS that will last 12 mo's or one Auto-X outing!

First, buy a Haynes Manual to look at the procedure for setting front axle ride height. If the torsion bars are not worn out, you can adjust it.

As far as front inserts (shocks), I have never seen any with bushings on the barrel to fit a 914.

Other problems are the rubber bushings in the control arm, but that's for another time.

Two words: Subie Curse.

I have a Haynes, I'll check it out. If I can not adjust, do I assume it is the torsion bars?

I just priced them on Pelican, I hope its not the torsion bars! Yikes!

You can get them used in the classifieds. Be aware, they are marked Right and Left.

The front suspension on a 914 Porsche is actually really a simple affair. Adjusting it and building it CORRECTLY is the trick.

It is about assembling with correct angles and adjustments, along with the correct parts assortment.

Good luck, it can be challenging, even for those who know what they are doing.

Then I remembered that when I replaced the shocks a while back, one had this rubber sleeve (pn# 00454002871) and the other had none.

you knew that yet you installed them anyway ? I gotta ask why you would do that


DC you dont adjust the front axle ride hight with the torsion bars ,axle dont go up and down the car body does

have fun

Ignorance. Did you think there was any other reason? Why the Hell else would I have done it?

Hahaha OK you learn by your mistakes!
good luck
MikeC

I found it and simultaneously remembered why I didn't use that rubber spacer. The spacer, IIRC, fits Boge shocks and as I stated earlier I have Bilstien shocks. The rubber spacer has 2 different I.D.'s. The larger opening will fit over the shaft but the other end is too small for the shaft to penetrate. So even with the full weight of the car on the strut it will not stick up enough to get a nut on it. Not by a 1/2". So no rubber spacer. But I did see this as soon as it came off. The nut was a good 6" out of the strut. I wondered if it came loose but decided I had neglected to tighten the nut because the nut on other shock was backed out about 1/2 way.

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Wow...Not good

Looking back, I should have torn it down earlier but my thinking was "It's all new, so that can't be it"! Whereas it should have been, "Who installed this stuff"? Anyway, it's all good now and finally quiet sans those damned urethane bushings on the trailing arms. I see needle bearings in the near future.

Yep, totally misconstrued that to be the lock nut on top.

Fart smeller……………………..I mean, Smart feller……