.:Adapting VW MK1 Struts to a BMW

[vtgti]

Even with my coilovers as low as they could go, my car wasn't low enough to make the 13" wheels fit the car right, and even when I had the 15" wheels and tires, the coilovers were cranked all the way down and I wanted it to go even lower.

So I ordered up some VW Rabbit GTI Bilstein Sports, and they were just what I wanted. They have the same amount of travel, but are much shorter in length. So I cut 2" out of the strut tube, and sleeved it, welded it, made a spacer as the VW struts are actually too short, and reassembled. It lets me sit 2" lower and I'll have better shock travel. On with the pics:













PS: That spacer is just temporary, I'm going to have a solid piece machined out of aluminum, that fits the bottom of the shock perfectly. And I had to order a new set of strut nuts from Bilstein, as the strut nuts that came with my struts don't fit, as they are made for a VW.

[TheNeek]

YES!

We need more slammed E21s.

[jjgbmw323]

Yeah great, Metric Motorsports recommends using a 83 Golf. What year did you use and how much were they?

How much did you section out of the front strut housings after welding the spacers back in..

[vtgti]

I sectioned out 2". Probably could have taken 3, no problem.

Before:


After (and still being held up a bit by the passenger side still not being done):

[jrcook320]

cool, nice writeup. faq'd.

[vtgti]

I used '84 Rabbit GTI struts. I took out 2". I didn't put any back in, just sleeved over the seam for strength.

[jjgbmw323]

I used '84 Rabbit GTI struts. I took out 2". I didn't put any back in, just sleeved over the seam for strength.

I will have to check out the finished product if I ever get to see the car.
Are the diameter of the Rabbit struts the same as the 320 or 323i ones.
I thought the 323i ones where thicker.

And how much were the Rabbit struts?

I need something for my front end as my bilsteins are blown out.

[aschroeder92]

NICE! thats a really great idea, and the end result looks great

[Eurotrash323]

The rabbit struts are the same diameter as the 320i struts, and yes, the 323's are larger. I'm in the same boat as you but instead of blown bilsteins I've got HD's and I want to run GC's. I've been tossing up the idea of using either the e30 Bilstein sport (p36-0335) inserts or using the adapter ring sold by BavAuto and use the shortened GTI inserts. But I was afraid of the GTI struts being too low and throwing off the geometry of the front end....what little there is.

Good write-up and thanks for the pics.

I will have to check out the finished product if I ever get to see the car.
Are the diameter of the Rabbit struts the same as the 320 or 323i ones.
I thought the 323i ones where thicker.

And how much were the Rabbit struts?

I need something for my front end as my bilsteins are blown out.

[vtgti]

http://www.germanautoparts.com/Volks...spension/188/4

$120 a piece, plus $25 a piece for the strut nuts. Dunno if you could order them direct from Bilstein and get just the insert and the correct lock nut. (You 323 people are going to need an even different strut nut).

I will have to check out the finished product if I ever get to see the car.

You'll see it when I come down for those door cards.

[pastaroni34]

Just wondering if you're getting rattling with the spacer in your strut tube? Are you filling with oil after the change?

Thanks,
-Jason

[FranzE21]

I will have to check out the finished product if I ever get to see the car.
Are the diameter of the Rabbit struts the same as the 320 or 323i ones.
I thought the 323i ones where thicker.

And how much were the Rabbit struts?

I need something for my front end as my bilsteins are blown out.

I thought Bilsies had a lifetime guarantee?

[jrcook320]

No, but they are rebuildable and can be custom valved.

[jjgbmw323]

I thought Bilsies had a lifetime guarantee?

They do, the problem is that I have nothing to put in when I take the fronts out, as the 323i ones are NLA.

Koni also stopped making the e21 ones, or I have yet to find any place than can get Koni ajustables even if I have the correct numbers to order from.

I think I am going to get some plain stuff, slap them in and send the fronts out to bilstein for a rebuild.

[jrcook320]

They do, the problem is that I have nothing to put in when I take the fronts out, as the 323i ones are NLA.

Koni also stopped making the e21 ones, or I have yet to find any place than can get Koni ajustables even if I have the correct numbers to order from.

I think I am going to get some plain stuff, slap them in and send the fronts out to bilstein for a rebuild.

just leave the front on jack stands while they're being rebuilt...

[autox320]

Bravo, finally someone gets the VW billys. Same great shock, just more correct length for travel running coil-overs.

The sleeve sure looks easier than prepping/welding for TIG. Keep it simple, I like it.

[FranzE21]

They do, the problem is that I have nothing to put in when I take the fronts out, as the 323i ones are NLA.

Koni also stopped making the e21 ones, or I have yet to find any place than can get Koni ajustables even if I have the correct numbers to order from.

I think I am going to get some plain stuff, slap them in and send the fronts out to bilstein for a rebuild.

Seems like a whole lot of work as a temporary option my friend. I would agree with Josh on this one, take the jackstands.

[hakhawk]

i did similar, but with audi inserts. went koni for adjustable rebound

koni 8610-1262sport, come off audi 80/90 series. i took off about 3.75 inch all up.

lancer adjustable strut tops(they were cheap), i really need a set with the bush center at the top, to get more clearance back.




also changed rear shocks to get about an inch shorter

koni 8041-1164sport from honda integras/civics

[milotrain]

Hey Vtgti, those Rabbit GTI shocks are PN 34-184530 right?

EDIT: while the above PN shows up on their PDF their website gives me this PN: F4-P30-0032-M1

[Tom D]

Hey Vtgti, those Rabbit GTI shocks are PN 34-184530 right?

EDIT: while the above PN shows up on their PDF their website gives me this PN: F4-P30-0032-M1

milo

i went with koni single adjustable instead and i must say that i like them better than all the billies i've have installed on my cars for the past 30 years.

here is some info;


* VW golf mk1 is the most common shock used. however the koni single adjustables for the VW will not fit. according to koni the vw guys were complaining about the shocks rattling inside the tubes so they increased the body diameter. while digging around the junkyard i measured the rear struts for a toyota mr2 mk1 and it looked like it would do the trick.

below are the measurements i took or got from the manufacturer. the O.D. and length i cite is the body of the shock. the 320 billys i measured are the alpina ones i installed in 1980.

* 320I struts tubes are - 40.13 mm i.d. 457.2 mm deep

* bilstien stock / alpina - 38.32 mm o.d. 460.38 mm long 114.30 mm travel

* bilstien vw mk1 - 38.32 mm o.d. 317.50 mm long 158.75 mm travel

* koni toyota mr2 mk1 rears - 38.32 mm o.d. 358.78 mm long 161.93 mm travel

* koni vw mk 1 - 42.00 mm o.d. 291.00 mm long 166.69 mm travel - WILL NOT FIT!!

[milotrain]

Thanks for the info. Those dims are really helpful.

I like Koni shocks I just don't ever think I'd use their adjustability and I wouldn't trust where I set them without a shock dyno.

[AlaskaBimmer]

I'm running 320i billy sports on my 323i with the adapter nut and I'm not having any problems with them even after a rough 8000 mile trip. I have a set of 323i HDs in the shed I pulled out and saved and a set of koni reds and eibach springs in the shed for a 320i I was running on the last 320i I had.

[dubskeem]

I work at a v-dub dealer an I love seeing the mash up. I'm gonna def start looking at the parts differently. Cheers!

[meraniman]

milo

i went with koni single adjustable instead and i must say that i like them better than all the billies i've have installed on my cars for the past 30 years.

here is some info;


* VW golf mk1 is the most common shock used. however the koni single adjustables for the VW will not fit. according to koni the vw guys were complaining about the shocks rattling inside the tubes so they increased the body diameter. while digging around the junkyard i measured the rear struts for a toyota mr2 mk1 and it looked like it would do the trick.

below are the measurements i took or got from the manufacturer. the O.D. and length i cite is the body of the shock. the 320 billys i measured are the alpina ones i installed in 1980.

* 320I struts tubes are - 40.13 mm i.d. 457.2 mm deep

* bilstien stock / alpina - 38.32 mm o.d. 460.38 mm long 114.30 mm travel

* bilstien vw mk1 - 38.32 mm o.d. 317.50 mm long 158.75 mm travel

* koni toyota mr2 mk1 rears - 38.32 mm o.d. 358.78 mm long 161.93 mm travel

* koni vw mk 1 - 42.00 mm o.d. 291.00 mm long 166.69 mm travel - WILL NOT FIT!!

What's the koni part number for these ones? (the Koni vw mk1)

Thanks! Willy

[Saab9000]

Hey guys! I hope you don't mind me bumping this but I am looking for strut inserts to lower my Saab 9000 and thanks to y'all I am on the hunt for some Bilstein HD's for an MK1 inserts! Do y'all know the best/cheapest place to get just the insert?

Thanks!
Alex