Xschop's 5.3 LM7 build

Anybody have opinions on these front strut inserts?

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ok so its taken me awhile to read up to this point.. every comment and such.. WOW.. my head is gonna explode with all this info.

great stuff.

xschop wrote:Anybody have opinions on these front strut inserts?

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Bilsteins = good.
If you have a higher spring rate and/or are lowered look for the "Sport" version. This "Heavy Duty" version is no better than stock and won't do a great job if you do have the aforementioned mods.

Oh, nice strut brace too....

I have 300LB springs. A couple months back I blew out the front right tire on an OKC pot-hole, luckily had full replacement warranty. The KYB's have done me right over the past 30K, just might refresh them in a new set of coilovers I'm building. The strut bar definitely tightened up the cornering. I have not been able to find 4" x 6" alloy tube locally to replicate these...still looking.

948 wrote:

xschop wrote:Anybody have opinions on these front strut inserts?

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Bilsteins = good.
If you have a higher spring rate and/or are lowered look for the "Sport" version. This "Heavy Duty" version is no better than stock and won't do a great job if you do have the aforementioned mods.

Oh, nice strut brace too....

Actually, the Sport version just has a shorter shaft for lowered applications. The HDs tend to have the same valving, just setup for stock ride height. You can normally get a couple of inches lowering out of the HDs, but they definitely aren't designed to drop the car to the ground.

Xschop, a little OT but this made me think of the "Koni hacksaw mod", why do you suppose only Koni makes inserts that you mount with the bolt up into the bottom of the insert? Seems like there's a pretty good market for this style of insert that Bilstein, etc., could get a piece of...

acorad wrote:Xschop, a little OT but this made me think of the "Koni hacksaw mod", why do you suppose only Koni makes inserts that you mount with the bolt up into the bottom of the insert? Seems like there's a pretty good market for this style of insert that Bilstein, etc., could get a piece of...

Koni's idea is to hit every market. That doesn't mean the quality will be there.

As for a Bilstein, Bilstein makes inverted inserts that would work as long as the pipe/housing is the right ID. They would mount the same, just upside down. Inverted shocks are more responsive, which is a great thing for our performance cars. I think their inserts (posted above) are still inverted, just smaller diameter (30mm). It's common practice to grab a 50mm insert and use those as a base for a front strut/coil-over. The only problem is finding a 50mm. They have smaller diameters as well and recently introduced a 48mm at PRI this past event. It's all a matter of research to find out what will work.

Thanks robstah. I'm not as familiar at all with the ins and outs of the inserts as you are, so much of what you said was over my head.

My car has the late struts which I'm sure you're familiar with, so if when a strut fails you can buy a new one ($$$) or do the "Koni hacksaw mod." The Koni has the threaded bolt hole up through the bottom that's required for this mod.

I'd love to do the mod but not have to use Koni.

So which inverted 48mm Bilstein will have the proper valving-rebound, ride height, extension/comp yada yada?

48mm will fit inside the late housing and I'll make it work

Hey xschop,

Might as well get in on this.... so a 48mm insert or cartridge will fit the late model struts what about the early struts?

I once modded front struts (same technique, cut top off and weld on a cartridge locking ring) on an 83' Camaro using Bilsteins and really liked the end results with them on all four corners.

Pricey they are but less than Koni's and the KYB's are looking really good as well.

Tehone, I Don't think they'll fit the early struts. Bilstein already has them for early housings(Previous posts)

I had a spare 6" round of billet aluminum left from my hub project and started my Nuke-Proof prototpye. It's definitely doable and the local metals supply said it's $200/ft for the thick wall tube needed. So I won't sell one of these sets for less than $500 shipped....

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I guess I had a brain fluffy while I was reading up on this and just didn’t see or read the info correctly.
Getting older sure is tough, first it was missplacing the keys and remote control, then the wood started disappearing, da@#, da@#.

THANKS

xschop wrote:After almost 25K miles, I finally broke something...The factory GM pressure plate gave up the ghost. I installed the Centerforce PP and a new Dodge disc, although the original disc is still in O.k. shape. All the 6K clutch drops had the springs a little loose LOL.

Hey Xschop, what Dodge disc are you using?

Never mind, found it:

Also I have pounded the snot out of the Dodge truck clutch disc CP-4018 ($40)

I'm having a local clutch builder make me a few organic 11" Dia. for the swap kits I'll do time-to-time

Is the CP-4018 11" or 12"?

11"
Autozone stopped carrying them....byastads

RockAuto SACHS Part # BBD4163 11 inch for 1970 Dodge $43.89

Nice, I just saw another www image of the back-side of that disc and it has the same clearance for the pilot bearing....good find.

I added another feature to my C5 adapter plates. Redoing the clutch and removing the TOB would have been easier if I had this small pilot hole originally for the TOB clutch line input which is installed with a small cotter pin in the casting....

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I am also working on yet another Big Brake Kit for the NA cars that have the rotors mounted to the back of the hubs and will use The more compact Dynapro caliper so these 300 x 32 mm rotors will fit under the 15" phonies and be 6 lbs lighter than the 951 rotors they replace ....

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The billet hat I had was too tall so I modded the 86 Turbo spindle/shorter hub to fit it all up and will sell this as a 1-off kit. It will come with the brand new Wilwood 300x32 rotors, modded and rebuilt 86 951 calipers (New piston seals). The rotor/hat combo weighs only 10.5 LBs compared to the 16.2 LB factory 951 rotor! I can repaint them with VHT Yellow caliper paint for no extra charge. They are the 36 & 38mm pistons...... $550 shipped anywhere in the U.S. just PM

Mill down the inner rotor sweep nodules to clear the 32mm thick rotor....

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Take off 150 thousandths from the spindle ear interfaces....

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Drill and countersink the hat (1.5 Lbs) to the Early Porsche hub PCD 127mm...

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Drill and tap the Billet hat for 8 x 7" PCD for the Wilwood rotor (Weighs 9Lbs)

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I had to trim 1mm from each side of the pad shims for the thicker rotors....

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I always use Red Loc-tite on my Rotor/hat bolts, but I went the extra distance and cross-drilled each one for safety wire for whoever acquires this set.....

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I lightened the hats even more by cross-drilling the thicker portions on the same 5 x 127mm pattern......T-6061 T6 hats will keep the heat off the hubs/bearings:cool:....


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Rob, did you resurface the two halves? The general consensus is not to split the calipers because they warp together and pulling them apart can cause issues. This could be another rennlist rumor though.

Yes, I did, you can see it in the 2nd pic. But I did it moreso for my mill clamp to posistion it perfectly perpendicular for the caliper ear milling. I also have brand new grade 12 cap head bolts re-installed.

The keyboard builders over on the shitlist need more therapy.

Next up I will adapt the Wilwood Dynapro's to the 87-up NA spindles using factory 87-up 951 rotors.

New piston seals installed and New OEM pads and Fresh VHT ceramic caliper paint. Also throwing in a fresh tube of Red Loc-tite for the hat/rotor bolts. Also changed the Hub/rotor bolts to 5/16-24 Fine thread with full metal Locker Nuts just like the factory setup.... $550 shipped anywhere in the US-48....Just PM

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DONE?????? I don't think so. Theres too much still inside your head just waiting to get out!

This is another wonderful job well done. The question is "whats next"? I'm sure it will be good.