Bilstein PSS-10 Ride height

[George Patches]

If memory serves I think that the length of the front stop is close to how long the rears were after I cut them. I might look into that tonight while working on the 2.

Could you still use the dust boot in the rear?

It's a little more than 2.5" long, or by the pics you posted about an inch shorter than where you cut it.

It took a lot of encouragement to squeeze it in there, but I got the dust boot on. Also, while it fit in the shock mount and stayed up as it was, it wasn't as snug as I liked. I put 3 wraps of electrical tape around it to make is super snug.

 

[eyeballs]

Has anybody bothered to calculate front and rear spring perch turns vs ride height change yet? I found that info super helpful when setting up my xidas for the miata, and was hoping somebody had taken the time to figure it out for these.

 

[jasyatz]

Eyeballs,
I saw your springs were creaking from a different post. Front or rear? And 3 turns is about 1/4" in actual ride height.

 

[eyeballs]

Thanks. I ended up getting what I wanted. 23 3/4" F and 24" rear with driver. That was with the front drivers strut at about max height. It would probably have been worth getting some torrington bearings for the rears since they were annoying to adjust. It's mosty the rears that creak, though the front will chime in every now and then too.

 

[Zach@DDMWorks]

I remember with mine I just had to rotate the spring a couple of times to get it to sit where it wouldn't make noise in the rear.

 

[eyeballs]

Has anyone sent the rears back to bilstein for a revalve? If so, what did it end up costing?

 

[eyeballs]

Front springs are still creaking, and it's getting a bit annoying. I've tried turning them to a few different positions and have had no luck. I hope it's possible to solve this without removing them so I don't have to deal with re-alignment. Any ideas?

 

[Zach@DDMWorks]

I thought it was the rears. I have never heard of the fronts making noise.

Zach

 

[eyeballs]

That's what's so annoying - nobody has had issues with the front, except me. The rears did make noise, but I found a post from DanR awhile back about how his were clocked and that did the trick.

 

[Zach@DDMWorks]

Can you bounce the car and replicate the sound? If anything I can take a look at AMP if you drive it. I am assuming it i sover bumps that you hear it.

 

[jasyatz]

Has anyone sent the rears back to bilstein for a revalve? If so, what did it end up costing?

I didn't have the Mazda2 Bilsteins rebuilt, but got a price of $75 each to do the rears and $115 each for the fronts. Plus shipping both ways. Bilstein did my Miata units though,and they were fantastic afterwards.

 

[jasyatz]

Front springs are still creaking, and it's getting a bit annoying. I've tried turning them to a few different positions and have had no luck. I hope it's possible to solve this without removing them so I don't have to deal with re-alignment. Any ideas?

Does the noise happen under compression, extension or turning?

Has anyone sent the rears back to bilstein for a revalve? If so, what did it end up costing?

I didn't have the Mazda2 Bilsteins rebuilt, but got a price of $75 each to do the rears and $115 each for the fronts. Plus shipping both ways. Bilstein did my Miata units though,and they were fantastic afterwards

 

[eyeballs]

I've heard it with the car stationary and just turning the wheels. Also over bumps and uneven surfaces. I'll check if a straight stationary bounce does it too.


I'm tempted to get the agx's or rebuild the bilsteins just so I can sell the CS set as a full kit, but it feels so good now I'm not sure I want to give them up.

 

[flatlander937]

Most likely your strut mount bearings and upper mounts are shot if you hear it sitting still. It's possible they've collpsed and are rubbing rubber on rubber under certain conditions.

 

[xXh3L10SXx]

What I always did is before putting the suspension on the car, I max it out to the end and then I count how many turns it takes to get to stock height. do it on all of them with the same amount of turns. then count how many turns to 1 inch lower( that's how I put my last car 1 1/2 drop ) lock mount and drive. the suspension settles and you get your actual ride height after a mile or 2. then adjust height to where you desire it to be. making sure to count how many turns you you do and replicating that all around

 

[eyeballs]

Hopefully I'm not jinxing myself, but I think I've fixed it. No noises in 2 days.

 

[DanR]

Eric,
There are lots of people who use these shocks with no issues. You drove my car and there are no sounds. If you get done this way, I would be happy to try and help resolve the issue. I did have noise from my rears, but resolved the issue. The fronts are more unique. are you share the springs are well seated?

 

[molex7]

Eric,
There are lots of people who use these shocks with no issues. You drove my car and there are no sounds. If you get done this way, I would be happy to try and help resolve the issue. I did have noise from my rears, but resolved the issue. The fronts are more unique. are you share the springs are well seated?

DanR, could you take a picture of your rear springs? i've done all kinds of shifting with them but they still creak, and have for about 2 years now lol. I did notice that there is a nice ring of missing paint in between the coils, i imagine mine just might creak when the coils hit each other

 

[jasyatz]

I did notice that there is a nice ring of missing paint in between the coils, i imagine mine just might creak when the coils hit each other

There's your noise! I hit mine with a liberal coating of sway bar grease. You know the kind that when it gets in something, it never comes off(except for the sway bar bushings, the grease never seems to stay in there). You can also use clear vinyl plastic tubing; slice it down the center and wrap the coil that's rubbing with it.

 

[molex7]

There's your noise! I hit mine with a liberal coating of sway bar grease. You know the kind that when it gets in something, it never comes off(except for the sway bar bushings, the grease never seems to stay in there). You can also use cleat vinyl plastic tubing; slice it down the center and wrap the coil that's rubbing with it.

awesome, thanks for the tip