T4R_Finally
New member
I have the shocks and I have snap ring pliers, but I did not notice any holes in the clip ring on the shocks - will go back and have another look.
Bilstein 5100 garbage!!!!
- Thread starter joey185
- Start date
I have the shocks and I have snap ring pliers, but I did not notice any holes in the clip ring on the shocks - will go back and have another look.
joey185
New member
I admit, I was pretty upset when I posted this as garbage. Installer says they think its possible that the ring should not be repositioned more than once and maybe it needs a new clip each time. ( ? ) This had the clip in all 3 positions before I ended up at 2.5. Now my other strut has let the whole front end drop overnight from supporting all the weight, should be interest ion to see if it comes back up all the way, likely worn out now.
When you install the clip there is a ton of force on that clip, and if it is installed wrong you are likely to know it right then because the bottom donut looking thing will start to move.
When you install the clip there is a ton of force on that clip, and if it is installed wrong you are likely to know it right then because the bottom donut looking thing will start to move.
T4R_Finally
New member
DONE! Yep, snap rings did the trick. Made sure rings are seated and spin by hand. Thanks
eddiebx
New member
Over stretching the ring would definitely cause issues...what you can do is instead of trying to remove the ring fully from each groove, just pull one end out and slowly walk it upwards to the next groove; rinse and repeat for the other end of the clip. You continue this until you get to the desired groove, but this way you expand the ring very minimally and it would be less likely to loose it's spring tension.
[MENTION=72939]joey185[/MENTION], sounds like the install shop screwed up big time...the other perch should not have dropped just from sitting with one shock broken. One clip falling out may or may not be a freak accident, but two on the same vehicle just sounds like they did something wrong. I wouldn't settle for anything less than them replacing both front shocks with new 5100s on their dime. OR, full refund including parts and labor, and you go find yourself a more trustworthy place in case you are afraid to go back to them for the repair work
[MENTION=72939]joey185[/MENTION], sounds like the install shop screwed up big time...the other perch should not have dropped just from sitting with one shock broken. One clip falling out may or may not be a freak accident, but two on the same vehicle just sounds like they did something wrong. I wouldn't settle for anything less than them replacing both front shocks with new 5100s on their dime. OR, full refund including parts and labor, and you go find yourself a more trustworthy place in case you are afraid to go back to them for the repair work
T4R_Finally
New member
Yep, that's sort of how I approached it. Instead of spreading the ring wide enough to clear the shock to slide it all the way up to the 2.5" mark, I opened it just wide enough to get one end unseated and moved it to the next groove. Repeated that until moved all the way up. Still seems to fit plenty tight. Does not spin freely but turns easily by hand.
eddiebx
New member
Sounds like you are good to go then, the spinning it part is really just a safety check to make sure it's seated fully in the groove (IIRC mine did not spin loosely straight from the factory either, but just enough that you can spin it by hand).
1engineer
Moderator
Over stretching the ring would definitely cause issues...what you can do is instead of trying to remove the ring fully from each groove, just pull one end out and slowly walk it upwards to the next groove; rinse and repeat for the other end of the clip. You continue this until you get to the desired groove, but this way you expand the ring very minimally and it would be less likely to loose it's spring tension.
[MENTION=72939]joey185[/MENTION], sounds like the install shop screwed up big time...the other perch should not have dropped just from sitting with one shock broken. One clip falling out may or may not be a freak accident, but two on the same vehicle just sounds like they did something wrong. I wouldn't settle for anything less than them replacing both front shocks with new 5100s on their dime. OR, full refund including parts and labor, and you go find yourself a more trustworthy place in case you are afraid to go back to them for the repair work
[MENTION=85512]eddiebx[/MENTION] exactly how much stress is on the clip under normal conditions? [MENTION=72939]joey185[/MENTION] made mention above that there was a lot of force up against the clip. Is there in this application? The ones I have installed in the past were only used to retain, not support.
Antman
Elite Member
The clip rests in a groove and the spring perch sits on top of the clip (about half of it's width is outside the groove once installed)- so all the weight/force is on that clip.
It would take a tremendous force to shear that clip off when it's installed correctly- I bet you would blow the spring over the perch before it could bend or tear the clip. Just a guess on that though...
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1engineer
Moderator
Give me the material (or I can guess and be close as most circlips are similar) and the clip thickness and I can give you the load required to break it. It's a simple shear calculation like the one here Careful Calculations Affect Ring Design
Antman
Elite Member
It's about this thick: | | and made of metal. LOL
Seriously? How the hell do I know- that's your world NOT mine! I just know I couldn't break that sucker if I tried and that's goodnuff fo me! :rofl:
PS- Guess- cause I'm curious and I trust you!
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1engineer
Moderator
Son don't you have a vernier caliper or a 0-1 micrometer?
Antman
Elite Member
BFH. All I need.
eddiebx
New member
I'm just going by what Bilstein themselves say...in that the steel spring seat would fail long before the circlip; so logically speaking, if a circlip gave out instead of the spring seat failing, I would imagine that something was not installed right? Obviously I don't have fancy calculations and the brains to do it, lol.
Fast forward to ~0:30, straight from the manufacturer, they sure sound confident enough to make a statement like that publicly?
Besides, the way I see it is...having vehicle sitting with one shock busted on the passenger side is not much different (in terms of forces on the spring seat/circlip) then having the front end flexed up with one wheel in the air? Hence why I went with my guess that the other shock must've been installed similarly as to the one that first gave out on the road...
Not that I plan to, but I mean should we expect failure of the circlip if you have it flexed up for too long? :noidea:
1engineer
Moderator
It's tough to measure with a BFH. If anyone wants to give me the proper thickness of the snap ring (I will SWAG the material type) then I will calculate the shear force necessary for failure.
eddiebx
New member
Never send an ant to do an engineer's job. The groove is ~2mm give or take a smidgen. That was painstakingly measured by shoving something roughly 2mm thick into the groove. How's that for accuracy, lol.
1engineer
Moderator
Thanks Eddie but I also need housing diameter and groove depth. Please don't use a BFH like [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION].
Antman
Elite Member
Hold on dammit. I have a set of calipers for emergencies like we are dealing with right here. They are plastic of course, but what do you expect?
nevada
Senior Member
agreed. even if the clip broke in 2, as long as the perch is positioned correctly, it would still do its job.
the perch contains the clip, I don't see how its possible for the clip to come out.
op, can you get us a pic of the lower portion of each side? both the one still working, and the one that failed.
