Hey Larry...yep, can you believe this happened? Man, I shiver to think what would have happened if I would have had the Collection do the install and the thing broke on the way back to Baton Rouge! I'm REALLY lucky I was just backing out of my garage! Hope you're doing well.

 

I'm in same same camp as drkbrent. I already had the Bilstien's installed in my car a while ago and I wanted some additional work done on the suspension of my turbo (dog bones, control arms etc.). Found out that the two front coilovers had "O" ring seal leaks (btw: explained why the front end started to bob around more than usual!). These were replaced under warranty by Bilstien with two new fronts. Drove the car for about 100 miles and when I backed out of a parking space, heard the crack and saw the left side wheel caved in just like drkbrent's. Car went back to my installer and the coilover had snapped at the same location.

I was very worried because I had one of my kids in the car and thought if this happened when I was at speed....yikes!

Called around to several tuners and suppliers to see if they experienced this with Bilstiens. Everyone I spoke to said this was very weird and that they all had great experience with the B16's. Thought about changing to a different solution, but ultimately I decided to replace the broken part and so far so good with about 300 miles on it. In the whole process my installer was great to work with took care of the calls to Bilstien directly and handled a tough situation very professionally.

 

Ok, so now I'm REALLY concerned !

 

Me too . One flaw is bad enough but two ?

 

Wow, thought I was in this thing alone! If Bilstein manufacturers the original shocks, I just don't understand how their "upgraded" version snaps in two? Has anyone ever heard of the OEM shock just snapping in two without any aggressive driving whatsoever?

 

One is bad enough, but two is alarming.

 

Subscribed for resolution to this problem. This after I just bought a lightly used set.....

 

I just had them put on as well, they work pretty well....but so did my gmg springs. If I have any issue at all, they're gone and the gmgs are back.

 

Chris, are the bilsteins equal to or better than your GMG spring set up?
I currently have the GMG springs and sways and am curious to know if I'm really missing out?

 

No, you're not missing anything. The bilsteins are only marginally better. Test drive mine sometime.

 

Well --I started with my Techart springs on my 997tt and my PDK car was stock. I have Bilsteins now on both . No problems .

I do feel that the coilovers give a better drive but I am concerned at the solution to this. It's inexcusable to have this type of flaw . Since the process involves a manufacturer, a distributer, and an installer it spreads out the accontability but that doesn't do one bit of good had Derek or Rockamoto faced this at higher speed .

The first and most difficult task is to locate the cause -- is it manufactuer defect? shipping damage? poor installation? Once the cause is determined then its my opinion that some reassurance be provided . In the meantime .. I feel the least that can be done for Derek is a free set of coilvers installed just for his trouble. Given that the outcome was simply a mechanical fix I feel that the accountable party is damn lucky .

 

Larry, yes I'm anxious to see the exact cause of the problem. I have to think it is simply the quality of the steel that Bilstein used? The Porsche tech is coming to the house tomorrow afternoon to pull the shock so I can ship back to AWE. I'll be taking several pictures and posting them. I'm pretty sure the steel just snapped at the very top...simply amazing to me that this happened as I was backing out of my driveway!

 

Worrisome yes. Cause likely will never be known unless this goes to court -- and even then maybe truth will be somewhere in between. More than likely, Bilstein will blame installer and vice versa.

But has anyone else noticed, both problems occur, at low speed, and not at high speed where the force from a bump on the road is A LOT more:
1. During backing out?
2. Soon after installation?
My vote (and I could be wrong): Until I hear otherwise from an well known installer, 10 to 1 installer's problem. Shock is bent at un-natural angle from steering angle + improper installation and breaks.
I do think it's a valid concern. For me, the concern is that the system is only fool proof, and not idiot proof (installer, NOT user). Kidding.

drkbrent & rockamoto, you have reasons to be concerned and I hope you will have a happy solution! What will happen is the shock will be sent to Bilstein, and they will make the determination, which as mentioned, may or may not be the truth at all. Lowering springs (a half-way solution due to unmatched dampening rate to spring rate and shaft position possibly being out of spec), or KW V3 are alternatives.

 

Can, how could the most seasoned Porsche tech in Baton Rouge have installed these wrong? He installs these shocks all the time. I'm not a mechanic, but it seems to me that the only way this thing could have broken would be to over tighten with a breaker-bar or something? The tech just hand tightened them (as he does with all the suspension systems they install). I, too, doubt Bilstein will claim manufacturer defect...we'll just wait and see.

 

Have you ever made a mistake? (Not being sarcastic at all.)
I agree with "wait and see"! And it is just a vote -- I could be wrong and don't mean to make light of this situation at all. OTOH, one has to take into consideration the unusual, and identical, circumstances that have not been emphasized: backing up, low speed, soon after installation. There was hardly any powerful high speed force on the shaft when it broke. I could think something was loose, or a screw broken, and causes the whole weight of the car to be applied at an odd angle. If the breakage occurs on straight line at high speed, then I would have more reasons to think the shaft is defective.
I don't necessarily let Bilstein go free in this case either: Assuming it is installer's error, a perfect system would not allow said installer to make such error.

If Bilstein says it's their error, you won't ever use it. If Bilstein says it's installer's error, you, AND I, would still be suspicious. So like I said, answer will never be known and bottom line is thankfully you are safe, and if you are concerned, there ARE alternatives. Stock Turbo is a very very soft car and anything that stiffens suspension is a step in the right direction.

BTW, probably a good idea to have the tech check on the rest of the suspension to make sure no arm was bent when the car collapsed, have you looked?