Blown Bilstein HD

I wanted to ask this question of people who know what they're talking about.

I blew a Bilstein HD on the right front of my mk2 Golf during a rallycross this weekend. My Golf uses the bolted struts (35-181590, 36mm) not the inserts.

These struts have 10 events on them, which I didn't think was much considering it's rallycross, but I could be wrong. I don't know how long they're known to last. I installed a Peloquin 80% diff kit just before this event and I'm able to really drive it through and out of corners now. Am I putting that much more stress on the right side that I blew a strut?

The car is very competitive and I drive the living crap out of it. I figured for rallycross the HD's would be plenty strong enough to handle it. Am I wrong or did I just get unlucky?

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That'll buff right out...

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anakilat
I wanted to ask this question of people who know what they're talking about.

Uhhh derp..then whaddya doing here? (shiiish bom)

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I blew a Bilstein HD on the right front of my mk2 Golf during a rallycross this weekend. My Golf uses the bolted struts (35-181590, 36mm) not the inserts.

Please to be splaining better-er-er, many people say I am big idiot, because they doan't unnderstan.. But now I doan't-a unnerstan.

There's a 17 hex at the bottom of the unit. Spin it off. Then with a 5mm allen screw the thang sticking out UP thru the bottom. Slide the insert out..
Post picces and tell me whatchoo see when you slide it out...

Depending on where you got them and if you blab about grass-o-crossing...there may be a life-a time-a guarantee

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These struts have 10 events on them, which I didn't think was much considering it's rallycross, but I could be wrong. I don't know how long they're known to last.

As delivered they are really short travel..No Idea whatchoo have for springs, and everybody (99.8%) use insanely stiff springs on everything but we don't know.. Maybe bottomed the things to death, maybe bad luck..

They've lasted for several seasons for some guys, I supply more or less the same thing---except a MUCH thicker CrMo tube---and some guys did 5 years of as many events as they could---3-5 and went pretty fast like Group 2 wins...

And really we have no idea if the grass-o-cross you do is like some places where they are ridid dogmatic SCCA Nazi strum-truppen and which are so pitifully slow and boring that people have dozed off during runs, or like some of the crazies I've spoken to in some places who are 100% loons just winging it on cousins, uncles, brother's farm and doing 70+ with jumps..

Can't say.

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Am I wrong or did I just get unlucky?

Maybe some of the real experts here who know everything can tell you exactly what you did...Its remarkable, they don't even have to have ever seen things to know just what and why everything..

But you post piccies..

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Those're street struts, but pretty reliable ones and they shouldn't've blown. Are you sure you blew it and it's not just assembly grease spooging out?

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Self-righteous douche canoe

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hoche
Those're street struts, but pretty reliable ones and they shouldn't've blown. Are you sure you blew it and it's not just assembly grease spooging out?

Yeah remeber that guy with the Neon in Sacto who was all panicky and i told him CALM DOWN! and soin off the nuit, slide them apart , plunge 'em and see if they plunge good and extend good and no obvious leaks...He did, saved the day and he loved me---till I said something about RWD or something and now he hates me..
Only thing is really any excess grease shoulda outter have splooged its way out already.

Whatever the case its simple enough..
Wonder how the guy is doing? You know him?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

You're correct, it's not actually blown but it is ruined and unrepairable. After cleaning off about 20lbs of red clay mud, there was no oil anywhere. The strut top was sitting about an inch higher than the other side and that corner of the car wouldn't move up and down at all. This is what had me believing it was blown or seized. Turns out the threaded top was stripped about an inch and bent slightly. Looks like it punched through the spring hat. My guess is the spring hat failed due to age and maybe (probably) stupid-hard cornering. Funny thing is we actually had better times on the last 8 runs with the strut like that.
FWIW, This is not an insert. Also, I'm running mk3 springs cut down to about 12 inches which is about a half inch more than full travel of the strut. I don't have a clue what the spring rate is, but I'll rig up something to figure it out.

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That'll buff right out...

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anakilat
You're correct, it's not actually blown but it is ruined and unrepairable.

Turns out the threaded top was stripped about an inch and bent slightly.
FWIW,

This is not an insert. .

Piccies or it din't harpoon.

You might just hold on a bit and wait for an expert opinion on if it dead and unrepairable..


Piccies on the top too, there ARE those who have managed to repair things..
And whaddya mean its not an insert?

Does it look somewhat like these only with the tops finished?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

John, will any of those fit on my car? Did you get a hold of Bilstein? Your PM box is full BTW.

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Dave Grenwis - DG Rally - www.dgrally.com