# After Bilstein installed, noise at right front suspension.



## liquidgroove (Oct 20, 2003)

I finally got time to retire the 140K mi old sturt on my E39. The driver front side was making all kinds of werid noise. After I installed the Bilstein and took out for a test drive, I notice now front passenger side started to make noise. It felt like something was lose.  

I went back and made sure all the bolts were tide, and the letter R on the shock body line up with the opening. Still noise was present.

what else should I be looking for? I noticed before I took the suspension apart, the spring seat "notch" was pointing outward. Now it is pointing somewhat forward on the passenger side. Could the spring seat position cause the noise??/ :dunno: 

Help~!!!


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## buddy (Dec 17, 2003)

*buddy*

Is it like a clunk noise if so i had the same problem when i had mine changed, check the bottom mounting bolt, but most of all check the large nut that goes around the tube where the dust cover goes mine was really loose and thus the inside cartridge moved and clunked


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## liquidgroove (Oct 20, 2003)

buddy said:


> Is it like a clunk noise if so i had the same problem when i had mine changed, check the bottom mounting bolt, but most of all check the large nut that goes around the tube where the dust cover goes mine was really loose and thus the inside cartridge moved and clunked


Are you talking about the pinch bolt for the strut?


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## zoich (Apr 3, 2004)

*Lower perch notch should point*

Before you had released the spring tension while assemblying the strut, you should notice there are two "bumps" on your bilstein shocks where the lower perch rests. Also there is the L | R marking on the shock, and one of the bumps is lined up directly with the | line. The teardrop shaped lower perch with that "notch" should line up directly 180 degree opposite of the | line, or the other bump. It is illustrated on the diagram that came with your Bilstein shocks. Once that's lined up, and the rubber spring pad are seated properly, then you can release the spring. It may take you a couple times to align everything properly. Once it is inside your strut housing securely, the "notch" should point outward and slighttly towards back -- same for the other side.
Theoretically once your spring is dropped in properly, I guess you could say who cares where the notch is pointed right? I questioned that too, but since the illustration indicated that's how it's supposed to be, I don't want to doubt the engineers.
As far as the noise you're hearing. Check the first thing, is your strut all the way in the housing? I am pretty sure you lined-up the L for left side and R for right side. But it is possible the strut is not seating all the way in the housing. If not, loosen the pinch bolt and pry open the gap a bit while jacking up under the steering knuckle and and push the steering knuckle all the way up (same thing as sliding the strut all the way down) until the shock start to contract, than you'd know the strut is at the absolute lowest point in the housing. Another possible noise is that the strut hasn't settled. My driver side had this high squeaking noise at first too. After driving it a while, the noise went away. Other had indicated that the sway bar link is bad or the strut bearing is bad. They could also be a problem. The clicking noise is generally an indication that the sway bar link has gone bad.


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## buddy (Dec 17, 2003)

*buddy*

I am not sure of what it is called but it is the large threaded nut that runs the circumferance of the houseing, i had mine replaced by a professional shop and the nut was still loose i raised the hood removed the dust caps a pressed down of the fenders with all my weight and i could see the strut rod moving up and down thus the clunk i then checked the strut bearing bolts which were tight, I then moving down to the houseing i saw alot of thread left on the houseing got out my channel locks and literally turned with my fingers after adjusting no more clunk noise


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## liquidgroove (Oct 20, 2003)

I found the problem. Like buddy said, it was the bolt for the strut rod. It was a bit loose. After I tiden it and noise is gone. Thanks for all your help.


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## zoich (Apr 3, 2004)

*That is insane to hear*

that pinch bolt was loose -- it is the only vital part that's securing your whole strut to the car. It could have damaged other suspension components -- did you look to see if the R mark (since it's for the right side of your car) is still where it is supposed to be? The bolt head is 16mm and the nut is 18mm if I remember correctly, and you need to tighten it to 81 ft lb torque (again off the top of my head). Good luck, and glad to hear you figure out the problem!


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## liquidgroove (Oct 20, 2003)

zoich said:


> that pinch bolt was loose -- it is the only vital part that's securing your whole strut to the car. It could have damaged other suspension components -- did you look to see if the R mark (since it's for the right side of your car) is still where it is supposed to be? The bolt head is 16mm and the nut is 18mm if I remember correctly, and you need to tighten it to 81 ft lb torque (again off the top of my head). Good luck, and glad to hear you figure out the problem!


Thanks again, the problem was the top nut for the strut shaft. The pinch bolt was tide to spec.

BTW, anyone know why these E39 Bilsteins's shaft will keep spining even when I put load on it? Normally, I would be able to tide the strut shaft nut after the car is on the ground and even break off the shaft by tiding too much!!!. These Bilstein would just keep spining and spining. :dunno:

I somehow managed to use my paws to grab the shaft really hard and managed to tide them to 60ft/lb. :eeps:


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## zoich (Apr 3, 2004)

*Here is a little trick that I did*

First off, that top nut is a pain in the a$$, I stared at it for a good 5 min to figure out how the hell would I tighten/torque that. I am surprised your whole spring assembly didn't pop out of place. Btw, my Bentley Manual says 47 ft lb I think.
Anyway, that nut is a self-locking one-time use nut (with the plastic thread at the end, so as long as it had screwed in all the way, I think you'd be safe.
The Bentley Manual calls for a special BMW socket with a window on the side of the socket so you can put an allen wrench in there to secure the shaft while tightening the nut. Base on that fact alone, that shaft will ALWAYS be turning so that explains why the piston/shaft is always turning. You've got to be careful, if you are torquing it while the car weight is loaded on that strut, as you turn the nut the whole spring assembly may turn with it -- and the notch on the lower perch and your lower spring pad will no longer aligned as illustrated in the instruction -- but like I've said before, I don't know if there will be any ill consequence if that 'notch' isn't lined up correctly.

Here comes the fun part you asked "how do you keep that shaft from free spinning?" This is what I came up with after staring at the damn thing for 5 minutes. I went to sears and got a new pair of locking pliers and bought a bag of rubber protectors to go on the teeth of the pliers. I clamped the shaft/piston with the locking plier and held it in place, this allowed the nut to tighten using ordinary socket until it tightened all the way down -- I hope at least you tighten that nut that far.

After that I released the locking pliers and removed the protective rubber, and clamped down again, this time I had someone holding on to the pliers and retighten it again. I don't know if it went any tighter than the first time, but to hear the torque wrench click was impossible. I don't think it's possible even with a proper special socket and a allen wrench. I guess I could have just not used the rubber protectors at all, but I was being careful and didn't want to leave marks on the shaft/piston. But now thinking back, it probably wouldn't have made a difference. Since the manual called for 47 ft lb. I figured regular tightening probably came close, plus the nut has that self-locking thread and that's pretty much idiot proof.

I communicated with VietSB (father of suspension on this and the roadfly forum) several times, he indicated he was able to use a box wrench and a allen wrench to tighten but of course not to the indicated torque setting with the box wrench. We both agreed that self-locking nut was probably good enough. I brought in the whole assembly to both sears and another hardware store, I could not find any box wrench that could fit in that small hole. I have a friend who had a VW, he claimed that they sell this 90 degree pivot boxwrench that shold fit in there. I personally don't think it's possible with that recessed hole seemed too small and only a socket could fit in there.

good luck and keep me posted if you have any other questions.


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## liquidgroove (Oct 20, 2003)

Zoich,

Thanks. I got it tide now.


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