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Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:37 am

Hi there!Is it possible to mount Bilstein 6100 8' travel (Part #:B46-0359-H1) rear shocks on a stock 1970 vw baja bug?I mean without modification...Or they are too long to fit in it?

They have 22.05inches external lenght...
Comparing empi coilover(they fit stock bug) with their 18' lenght...we have "just" 4inches balance...
Make these 4 inches the difference?

Eshocks website called these for "standard body"...but I guess they just identified the class...(buggy,modified vw body,standard vw body, etc)...due to they say same thing for 12' and longer travel...

And what about fronts?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers

Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:30 am

They are too long, you need the B46-0493VW for the front and B46-0034-H0 for the rear

Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:07 pm

Hi!Thanks for letting me know...

I took a look and I found out that B46-0493VW is available either for pre 68 and post 68...so they could fit...thanks!

And I found the rear B46-0034-H0 you are talking about...:

http://www.eshocks.com/bil_Ind.asp?VC=3Q73&SubChar=Q

So that 5.51" travel 360/160 valving and 16.22" Extended Length...

What about the B46-0033-H0 features:

http://www.eshocks.com/bil_ORvh.asp?Series_Index=Q2&Length_Index=7Q6&Manf=All&SubChar=Q

So that 5.02" travel 330/130 valving and 15.43" Extended Length...(less that a cheap coilover)

Now I guess that my target should be between 5'and 6' travel and less than 19' external lenght.....Shouldn't it?

Are both B46-0033-H0 and B46-0034-H0 from 6100series ...?

Thanks!
Cheers

Sun Nov 29, 2009 4:00 pm

And what about 5150 series?

I opened another post here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4226192#4226192

Cheers!

Sun Nov 29, 2009 4:11 pm

I would keep posts on one basic topic in a single thread, the mod doesn't seem to like many threads...

If it were me, I would stick with the 6100 shocks, they are rebuildable, revalvable and have been around for, like, ever

Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:29 am

Hi!They are two similar discussions...but two different shocks series...

Anyway...if I would put on the rear 8" 6100 bilstein shocks...what kind of modification I should make?
Hoping not to make any hole through the body...and possibly not mount them on a custom frame...
Any adaptor to put on the stock mount?
I read somewhere that is possible to change the spring plates setting to have more clearance...but I prefer not to touch them...

Thanks!
Cheers

Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:44 pm

Whitemike from this forum took a pretty interesting approach to the "no hole through the body" issue. As you can see you still need some kid of support, but no holes.

Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:45 pm

Wow...very interesting thing!!! 8)
Is it fully tested?Does it work and it is safe?
Thanks!
Cheers

Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:34 pm

well yes it does work. Ive only taken the bug out once. It was down in mexico and ran it about 150 miles or so from san felipe to gonzaga bay and back....ROUGH road!!!

I basically did this because: my shock mount is on the bottom of the trailing arm. And we already had the shocks so we made the shock mounts around the shocks.

This setup works perfectly fine. However if you mount your shocks on the top of the trailing arm it would either have to be a VERY short shock or have to go through the fender into the car.

I also did it this way because i had no cage at the time. I will be fabbing up a cage pretty soon, and will be running different shocks and running them on top of the trailing arm.

just be creative. if it breaks, fix it, and do it again!

Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:41 pm

it has a triangle gusset at the front of the bend. And square tubing bolted up against the bottom of the package tray and more 1.5" round welded to the bottom of the square down to the wishbone thingy around the tranny. :shock:

Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:57 am

Thanks for the explanation...
So your modification is able to manage 8' travel...due to a setting at the bottom of the trailing arm...
Do you have any hi resolution pic to have a better idea about that?
At the top did you weld nuts (on the tube/pipe)?
Thanks!
Cheers

Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:05 am

takotruckin wrote:
If it were me, I would stick with the 6100 shocks, they are rebuildable, revalvable and have been around for, like, ever

Do you mean factory rebuildable...don't you?...so that (if I got right)I need to bring them to a bilstein assistance point...
Just the 7100 series seem to be owner rebuildable so that I can rebuild them at home...by myself...Do they?

Thanks!
Cheers

Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:05 pm

You are correct, the 7100's are owner rebuildable, and the 6100's are factory rebuildable, as long as you know someone that can pressurize them to 200-250psi with nitrogen.

Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:12 pm

takotruckin wrote: You are correct, the 7100's are owner rebuildable, and the 6100's are factory rebuildable, as long as you know someone that can pressurize them to 200-250psi with nitrogen.

-are the 6100 bilstien 8 in. travel still too long when you have a coilover converstion kit?

Tue May 17, 2011 5:28 pm

Hi Folks!
Another question for you...

Can I mount on my stock ball joint beam a pair of Bilstein 6100 class 11 B46-1085 shocks?

Or they need to be mounted on a lifted beam (cut and turned) only?

http://www.eshocks.com/bil_ORvh.asp?Series_Index=Q2&Length_Index=7Q6&Manf=All&SubChar=Q

Extended Length: 18.58"
Collapsed Length : 11.93"
Valving: 220/115

Their size is almost the same of the cheap coilover...

Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/img]

What do you think about it?

Thanks!
Cheers!

Wed May 18, 2011 9:57 am

Both that shock and the B46-0493VW are designed to use the stock shock mounting points on a BJ beam, so yes, they will fit fine with or without cut & turn. If you haven't done so already, I would suggest you add suspension stops to your front suspension (rod & hook, or otherwise) as the stock design on the BJ beam uses the shock to limit travel. This works fine on a street driven car, however if used off-road you will eventaully damage your shocks and ball joints.

Wed May 18, 2011 3:27 pm

AZ-BUG wrote: ...I would suggest you add suspension stops to your front suspension (rod & hook, or otherwise) as the stock design on the BJ beam uses the shock to limit travel. This works fine on a street driven car, however if used off-road you will eventaully damage your shocks and ball joints.

Hi!Thanks for the hint...

So...you mean that in any case mounting the B46-1085 shocks without cutting and turn the beam....I could damage the shocks themself and the ball joints going off road?
Or you meant that I could damage the shocks themself and the ball joints going off road if and only if I don't add further suspensions stops?
So that...if I add further suspension stops I can run these shocks either in "on" and "off road" without problem?

I sent a PM...
Thanks!
Cheers!

Wed May 18, 2011 3:52 pm

You meant hooks like this?

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

This is not mine...I got this pic on the forum...somewhere...

Thanks!
Cheers

Wed May 18, 2011 4:17 pm

Sandscorcher wrote:
Hi!Thanks for the hint...

So...you mean that in any case mounting the B46-1085 shocks without cutting and turn the beam....I could damage the shocks themself and the ball joints going off road?

ANSWER: When you drive hard off road you will cycle your suspension from full compression to full extension. If no stops are added to your suspension the shocks will limit suspension travel. The repeated forces at full compresion and full extension will eventually cause the shocks to fail. If stops are used, all the force at full compression and full extension is on the stops themselves and not on the shocks.

Or you meant that I could damage the shocks themself and the ball joints going off road if and only if I don't add further suspensions stops?

ANSWER: Correct.

So that...if I add further suspension stops I can run these shocks either in "on" and "off road" without problem?

ANSWER: Correct

I sent a PM...
Thanks!
Cheers!

Wed May 18, 2011 4:31 pm

Thanks sooo much mate!

I'm a rookie... :wink:

Now I have all clear in my mind!!! 8)

Thanks!
Cheers!