Bilsteins Shocks Don't Fit!- Acura Integra!

[SubieRubyRoo]

I would have imagined that when it was finally under the weight of the car, and a couple hundred miles of driving, that the parts would have mated their way together, using gravity and stored energy.

 

[Trav]

Quite possible if you put the lower spring on tail first then put it under a load.

 

[zmelli]

Why not buy new springs?

The OEM springs are discontinued and the only thing available in aftermarket are lowering springs.

 

[zmelli]

Why hasn't this issue come up before? The Civic and Integra are very popular cars to modify, and lots of them have Bilstein shocks.

Has this issue come up on Honda forums before?

Otherwise, there's Gabriel quick struts

I checked, I am assuming that 99% of Integra owners that run Bilsteins mate them with Aftermarket Springs. The OEM Shock fits along the outside of the Spring not the inside. The OEM Spring has a little twist to the inside at the end of the Spring about 3/4 inch long. The Shocks that I removed were KYB, the Springs mounted the same as the OEM Shocks, inside diameter is not an issue only the outside.

Not OEM Springs, however this is all I found.

 

[zmelli]

I would have imagined that when it was finally under the weight of the car, and a couple hundred miles of driving, that the parts would have mated their way together, using gravity and stored energy.

Look at the first picture, the Spring was way off, look at the top hat, I do not even think it would have mounted.

 

[zmelli]

Removing material from the spring affects its integrity as well. Since the spring is flexing, that's going to be a potential cracking point.

I wouldn't have put this back together (without getting new springs) this way. The parts don't fit. Suspension and springs aren't a place to grinding anything down.

Grind the spring - affect strength. Lead to breakage.
Grind the perch - affect strength. Lead to breakage.

A broken spring isn't going to be as a bad as a broken perch, but it's still going to be bad. You'll lose ride height on that side, you'll have a sharp edge from the spring digging into the perch, causing failure there (the aluminum won't take continued cycling of the load against a sharp edge). Depending on how it breaks and when, you have the potential for cascading failures.

You realize that OEM Springs are grinded (Flat) on the Top from the Manufacturer, unlike aftermarket Springs that are round on top.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

You realize that OEM Springs are grinded (Flat) on the Top from the Manufacturer, unlike aftermarket Springs that are round on top.

That’s before heat treating & coating though

 

[zmelli]

That’s before heat treating & coating though

go to 1min, looks like grinding is after Heat treating.

 

[dumkid]

If only knew what I've done grinding valve springs down (aftermarket cam had more lift so I needed shorter springs.) It still runs, we'll see what happens

 

[zmelli]

Holy Cow! I have bigger problems now, went for a test drive, got about ten feel leaving my driveway then I heard a loud clunk. Kept driving drove to a local park around the corner that has speed bumps, Clunk again. Went home jacked the car up and did not see anything loose. Pulled the shocks this morning this is what I found. I am thinking these shocks may have been sitting on a shelf for 20 years.

 

[spasm3]

Holy Cow! I have bigger problems now, went for a test drive, got about ten feel leaving my driveway then I heard a loud clunk. Kept driving drove to a local park around the corner that has speed bumps, Clunk again. Went home jacked the car up and did not see anything loose. Pulled the shocks this morning this is what I found. I am thinking these shocks may have been sitting on a shelf for 20 years.

I'm now wondering if you have counterfeit Bilsteins.

 

[zmelli]

I'm now wondering if you have counterfeit Bilsteins.

I bought them on sale from Rock Auto. looks like the one rear shock compressed and never rebounded. I will not be disassembling until the replacements arrive. I checked the date code, they are not old. They are getting returned, KYB AGX on the way.

 

[KrisZ]

Well, good thing you didn't cut into them then. I hope you get your money back.