bushings with bilstein bts struts+ mm cc plates?

mustang_montana · Aug 22, 2009

Hi guys, I recently installed the billstein bts kit, struts and springs plus mm cc plates. I had read that I shouldnt use the supplied poly bumpstops** that came with the billstein BTS kit, and that it was designed to work without them. I hear lots of noise from the strut towers though, but it doesnt seem like the supplied bumpstops would work with the cc plates anyway. So as it is setup now, it is just the strut, spacers and the cc plate up top without the bumpstop, should I use the billstein bumpstop anyway? Anyone familiar with this setup? Thanks guys.

GDawg · Aug 23, 2009

Are you talking about the bump stops? I think those came with the C/C plates and not the struts. Bilsteins have built in bump stops. No, you don't need to use those. Are your spacers on correctly above and below?

twogts4us · Aug 24, 2009

GDawg said:
Are your spacers on correctly above and below?

Good question...

mustang_montana · Aug 25, 2009

sorry, yeah i meant bumpstops. i set the spacers so it was 2 thick+ 1 thin below the bearing plate, and then one thin ontop. thats how the instructions had it at least, i believe thats where the noise im getting is comming from.

how do you have your spacers set Cdawg?

GDawg · Aug 25, 2009

mustang_montana said:
sorry, yeah i meant bumpstops. i set the spacers so it was 2 thick+ 1 thin below the bearing plate, and then one thin ontop. thats how the instructions had it at least, i believe thats where the noise im getting is comming from.

how do you have your spacers set Cdawg?

Depends on your drop but here's how you figure it out... The strut shaft should fit as far extended above the plates without touching the hood. Does that make sense? What springs are you running?

That being said, I'm assuming you changed out your springs for lower springs... correct?

mustang_montana · Aug 25, 2009

GDawg said:
Depends on your drop but here's how you figure it out... The strut shaft should fit as far extended above the plates without touching the hood. Does that make sense? What springs are you running?

That being said, I'm assuming you changed out your springs for lower springs... correct?

im running the billstein bts kit, the drop was about an inch with poly isolators. so if i understand correctly, you mean take out some of the lower spacers and either put them up top or just leave them out alltogether to bring the shaft up? i have no problem hacking up the hood some more, had to doit for the blower.

GDawg · Aug 27, 2009

mustang_montana said:
im running the billstein bts kit, the drop was about an inch with poly isolators. so if i understand correctly, you mean take out some of the lower spacers and either put them up top or just leave them out alltogether to bring the shaft up? i have no problem hacking up the hood some more, had to doit for the blower.

It's been awhile since I did mine. I wish I could see the instructions again. I'm thinking that once you figure out how much shaft is going to be protruding at the top (it will be too long and hit your hood, you need to compress it a bit for it to fit correctly), then I think you are supposed to put enough spacers below to take up the space between the strut body and the underside of the strut tower. The top spacers are set up so some your nut is above the CC plates like in the picture below. If you have your instructions scanned and can send them to me, I'll send you my email address and look at them to stir up my memory.

mustang_montana · Aug 27, 2009

i got my instructions off american muscle's website. from some other threads i searched most people seem to have the spacers the opposite of the way i have em, so i think Ill give that a shot. from your picture, yours is setup the way i shouldve done it according to the instructions. i did it the other way because i didnt think id have a drop with these springs, but i was wrong.

GDawg · Aug 27, 2009

mustang_montana said:
i got my instructions off american muscle's website. from some other threads i searched most people seem to have the spacers the opposite of the way i have em, so i think Ill give that a shot. from your picture, yours is setup the way i shouldve done it according to the instructions. i did it the other way because i didnt think id have a drop with these springs, but i was wrong.

PM me if you need a more direct dialog. Hope you get it worked out.

mustang_montana · Aug 28, 2009

GDawg said:
PM me if you need a more direct dialog. Hope you get it worked out.

Yeah thanks for the help man really cleared things up for me, Ill try and get it switched around this weekend. hope switching the spacers around doesnt mess the new alignment up, but anything to get rid of the god aweful sound going over bumps.

Rickyll7 · Aug 28, 2009

The instructions can be found on MM's website Maximum Motorsports :: The Leader In Mustang Performance Suspension

Also, adjusting those spacers won't change your alignment.

GDawg · Aug 28, 2009

Rickyll7 said:
Also, adjusting those spacers won't change your alignment.

...as long as you don't start moving the CC plates...

mustang_montana · Sep 1, 2009

Well I moved the spacers around to the way they should be, still got this annoying metal on metal sound when hitting bumps though. Not sure if its the strut bumpstops doing it, but its really annoying.

Rickyll7 · Sep 2, 2009

How close is the strut shaft to the cutout in the strut tower? It could be rubbing as the suspension articulates. Also, check that all of those bolts are tight to the torque specs in the MM instructions. Also. Lift the car up and see if there us any play in the lower ball joints by pulling/pushing on the tire. Your lower ball joints could be going out. Don't let that go too long or your ball joints could pop out causing a serious accident or you stranded on the side of the road at the least.

mustang_montana · Sep 2, 2009

i replaced the balljoints when i did the suspension, and before i switched the spacers around there was at least half an inch between the strut shaft and the hood. i torqued the top nut on to around 30ft/lbs at first, then gave it another turn after. it doesnt seem like its the bumpstops making the sound, i guess i can try tightening the cc plates some more and check for anything loose. sounds like i have a bunch of chains banging around at every bump.

Rickyll7 · Sep 2, 2009

I was referring to the clearance between the strut and the strut tower.

mustang_montana · Sep 2, 2009

oh, sorry yeah the clearance is fine there. i think found the issue though, its embarrassing but the caliper is a bit loose on the bracket from when i changed that over. thats what i get for doing multiple projects at once. i just gotta tighten it down as soon as i find the right socket, it was making the exact noise though when i bumped it a couple times with my hand. doh

GDawg · Sep 2, 2009

Rickyll7 said:
How close is the strut shaft to the cutout in the strut tower? It could be rubbing as the suspension articulates.

Do you mean "upper strut housing"? The shaft goes through the cutout in the strut tower. See, that's where I was saying that he needed to make up for that distance between the strut tower "cutout" and the upper housing. I really need to put my car up on a lift again to be sure I'm explaining it right. Or if I'm full of **** for that matter. I think too few (lower) spacers could cause banging/rattling. Quick fix if that may be it... add another small spacer down below (on each side, passenger/driver - both sides must match at all times).

Tomorrow I'll see if I can't get my car up on a lift so I can look at it again. Like I said, it's been 5 years since I did mine and so I'm not fresh on it.

In addition... you said you got new isolators for your springs. Are you using all of them or did you choose to leave any out?

GDawg · Sep 2, 2009

mustang_montana said:
oh, sorry yeah the clearance is fine there. i think found the issue though, its embarrassing but the caliper is a bit loose on the bracket from when i changed that over. thats what i get for doing multiple projects at once. i just gotta tighten it down as soon as i find the right socket, it was making the exact noise though when i bumped it a couple times with my hand. doh

Opps, read past this post... cool, if it was just you forgetting to tighten something up. It happens to the best of us. Auto should not be mutli-tasked... One problem at a time. Trace to the first (main) problem and then see if there are other problems.

I had a friend over last weekend that wanted to help me pull off my alternator and tear it apart to see if we could rebuild the rectifier bridge for bad diodes... He almost destroyed my working alternator (but bad AC ripple) and when he put it back on, he overlooked tightening the two lower bolts on it. I thought about it over night and checked the next morning and sure enough, he left the project half assed so I tighten them down and made a mental note to watch his quality of details, double check his work and assess his ability to do the work. But hey, he wants to learn, he's smart but stupid too, and he has the best weed around... so go figure...

Make the conclusion... Good weed equals missed steps...

Ya think?

Disclaimer: All postings are "speculative" and not necessarily an admission of doing any substances legal or not legal with regard to being under the influence while being under or over the chassis. I puffed but I didn't inhale...

mustang_montana · Sep 2, 2009

GDawg said:
Opps, read past this post... cool, if it was just you forgetting to tighten something up. It happens to the best of us. Auto should not be mutli-tasked... One problem at a time. Trace to the first (main) problem and then see if there are other problems.

I had a friend over last weekend that wanted to help me pull off my alternator and tear it apart to see if we could rebuild the rectifier bridge for bad diodes... He almost destroyed my working alternator (but bad AC ripple) and when he put it back on, he overlooked tightening the two lower bolts on it. I thought about it over night and checked the next morning and sure enough, he left the project half assed so I tighten them down and made a mental note to watch his quality of details, double check his work and assess his ability to do the work. But hey, he wants to learn, he's smart but stupid too, and he has the best weed around... so go figure...

Make the conclusion... Good weed equals missed steps...

Ya think?

Disclaimer: All postings are "speculative" and not necessarily an admission of doing any substances legal or not legal with regard to being under the influence while being under or over the chassis. I puffed but I didn't inhale...

haha^^ nice. i dunno what happened with this caliper, the bolts are tight but the thing is loose on the bracket. either autozone forgot some hardware or i was too drunk to switch something over from the old one. i think im gonna switch the spacers around on the strut though, the way i had it before looked like yours in the pic you posted, the way i re-did them according to the instructions looks rediculous, the strut shaft almost touches the underside of the hood. ill get this right eventually..

bushings with bilstein bts struts+ mm cc plates?

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