Bilstein strife

[peterpre]

I just broke the thread off the bottom of a rear Billstein on my 94 Disco. It was not being treated harshly by any means, and has had quite an easy life (for a shock absorber). The thread has snapped clean, no cracks, no wear (I picked up the bits).
Do you think Bilstein in Australia want to know about it? No. Quite unfriendly and dismissive. "Buy a new one" he said (of course). I wont be buying expensive German shocks again. See also Broken shock

[incisor]

how old is the shock and how many klm's had it done ?

[rick130]

As Inc said, how old/km ?
It can be repaired, but welding onto the body means dismantle and de-gassing, and new seals, oil and re-gas at a minimum after repair, which probably goes a fair way towards a new one.

[spudboy]

It's bad that Bilstien are not interested in assisting you (assuming it is not 10 years old or anything).

[PAT303]

Has anyone come up with a proper fix for this?.It doesn't matter what you buy they all snap. Pat

[Bush65]

I don't know how much difference there is between a 94 disco and my 98 disco.

The problem is the rubber bushes at top and bottom mounts can't enough flex enough to accommodate the change in angle as the axle articulates.

The early rangies were much better. The washer and split cotter pin in the rangie top mount does not constrain the rubber like the washer and nut on the disco. I swapped my top mounts to the early rangie style.

The bottom mount on the disco has cups that constrain the rubber and the washers foul the cups causing the pin to bend. Reversing the washers or using smaller od washers help a bit but it still is not good.

If you only drive to the shops it will be fine - that is what discos are designed for.

[PhilipA]

My 92 RRC just returned from 14K trip with about 3K on bad dirt , with no Billy problems.
On the contrary I think they are brilliant.
92s do not have the cup and AFAIR a conversation with Graeme Cooper, he said that they chisel the cups off later cars, and use the Billy washers.
Conversly on the front you cannot use the Billy washers.
Regard sPhilip A

[Pierre]

Yep, agree with Phillip. Take to the welded-on cups on the bottom of the rear mounts with air chisel.

Use the supplied washers. No problems with either Bilstein or Koni after this simple mod over the roughest of terrain.

Pete

[peterpre]

Thanks for the useful replies. The shocks are certainly not new, but haven't had a thrashing, and show no wear on the shaft. The Billy sticker is still on, even.
I agree they are fantastic shocks, perhaps just not strong enough. I'm mainly annoyed with Billstein Australia's (lack of) response. The thread sheared off at the thinnest point, aand could be a design flaw; I'd certainly be interested if Billstein were MY product/brand.

[peterpre]

Actually, I WAS on the way to the shops. The shock sheared as it extended over a speed hump, which means no axle articulation. I had just got back from a trip tho... but I don't believe that it was cracked etc.

...

If you only drive to the shops it will be fine - that is what discos are designed for.