Pink Sti Bilsteins or factory BG5 Bilsteins, which to rebuild?

[KarlGTB]

Both are sticking/seizing but whats the difference between them? I'm not sure what car the STI ones originally came from as they'd already been in a BG5 when I got them. They're alot stiffer than the originals but that might be because they're more stuffed. I had thought they were the same only with a different spring. The STIs are still in the car at the moment but I can see already the top hat nuts on them are bigger than on the old yellows. Are the STI's a better shock or should I get the springs off both and try to determine which are the least poked?

[hijacka]

I think the pink are mono shocks and the yellow are twintube design...mono shocks are more suited to the track and twintube are more suited to the road..i'd pick neither and buy new ones.

[Munkvy]

I have actually run both of the struts you mention in my BG5. The Bilsteins died quicker and were smoother, the pinks were firmer riding (using the springs off the Bilsteins) and lasted longer.

I found when they started knocking 9 times out of 10 you could get them to free up for a fair while longer by greasing the shafts. However once they start leaking its pretty much game over.

[KarlGTB]

I dont think the STIs are mono tube, they're both bilsteins. I'll take a photo of them when I get a chance surely someones come across them before. They look the same as the yellow BG5 billies but they're pink with STI and Bilstein printed on them and came with pink springs. Had a go with the spring compressors on the old ones but whats the trick to undoing the top hat nut? Looks like you need to get a allen key through a socket somehow?

[ReubenH]

The pinks aren't Showa Gymkhana struts are they?

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f179/t119577-japan-sti-gymkhana-struts-sti-springs-rare.html

If they are, sell them to me for $2, they aren't worth anything... *cough*

 KarlGTB said:

Looks like you need to get a allen key through a socket somehow?

Yup, i have a modifieed socket with the sides ground down to get a vice grip working on em. There are sockets you can buy though, that you just chuck a spanner on the outside of.

[KarlGTB]

Na they're not the showa's, anyway heres a couple of pics.

[zarnah]

I just wrap a towel around the shaft to protect it then put a set of vice grips onto them really really tightly then I just hold the vice grips and put a power bar and socket on the top nut and off it comes, havnt found a set of struts that has beat me using that method yet (allthough I will probably be frowned upon by the "use the right tool for the job" crowd.....)

[KarlGTB]

Well I tried the vice grip method and what a disaster. I got the vice grips on as tight as I could but under force trying to loosen the top hat nut the vice grips started slipping and the teeth on them cut straight through the rags and destroyed the chrome on the shaft. Hopefully I will be buying a rebuilt set so I dont want to make this mistake again trying to swap the springs on to a good set. The nut is pretty damn tight, I guess you put some sort of extension on an allen key but it doesnt look like the short end will actually reach in there. It seems these things weren't really designed for the amateur to pull apart haha.

[zarnah]

amateur.....

[Guest boostcut]

take them to a workshop and have them loosen them off with a rattle gun.

and if you want the shaft repaired, we have a special thing at work that sprays metal onto the shaft if you want me to look at it for you.