The Bentley manual says when installing Volvo gas charged struts inserts (aren't Boge's the Volvo OEM part?) you are NOT to use the bump stop, only the bellows with its tapered washer.

Is this the case for these Boge Turbo Gas inserts?

And what is this about some washer with the bellows? None came out of my '84 244GL when I replaced those inserts with KYB's.

Zee,

I have installed the turbo gas in three different cars: 90 740, 89 240DL and 82 GLT. In all three cases I just substituted the new insert for the old. I don't know if by "bump stop" it means "spacer" but that was only a factor in the 82 turbo and they were already in the tubes with the original inserts. I even reused the top nut in each case. Isn't there a washer that interfaces with the top of the bellows to keep them from being stressed when tightening the nut. I'm working from memory here but it seems like the washer provided a surface for the nut to turn on so as not to tear the bellows.

Randy

Randy,

Well I installed those Boge Turbo Gas inserts. The tubes had the bottom spacers, whcih I couldn't use, because they made the Boge's stand too tall in the tube for the mounting nut to catch a thread on the top of the tube.

Some green Volvo (made in Japan) strut inserts came out. I wonder if KYB had supplied Volvo for a while during the mid to late '80's.....?

I reused the Volvo bump stops with their dust boots. If yuo eliminate the bump stops, as Bently says to do, I don't see any way to provide a covering over the piston, which is what the boots do. The Volvo boots fit around the wide bottom groove of the bump stop, just under the spring plate.

And now I have clunking on both sides. Just like I did when I installed KYB GR-2's in my '84.

I went back and installed my 3/4" ID washers on under the top nuts (above the strut beardings). But this didn't cure the clunk.

Let me see if I have things assembled in proper order...

Install the inserts and tighten the tube nut.

Slide the bump stop and collar down the piston until it rests on the piston journal.

Fit the still compressed spring with its top plate, making sure the spring ends engage into the notched in the seat and top plate.

Fit the strut bearing and piston top nut.

Shove the assembly back into the strut tower and fit the three nuts inside the engine compartment.

Torgue the piston top nut to final spec (15 ft lbs)

Retighten the tube nut

Am I missing anything?

I noticed that the hole in the top plate of the spring looked large engouh for the journal (shoulder) on the piston to pass through. Now, because I have the bump stop mounted under that plate, I can imagine the journal would not raise up and through thre top plate.

Could that be my problem?

There was a 1/4" gap under the piston top nut before I installed the extra washer under that nut.

Probably the piston journal isn't high enough to become flush with the top of the strut bearing where the piston top nut can clamp it tightly.

Are there any threads showing on the the tubes top nut at this point? Do you think the clunk is from the insert moving up and down in the tube even with the nut drawn down? It would seem that a clunk that was being caused by the insert moving in the tube would be able to be detected after the top nut was in place. I wish I had an answer for you.

Randy

I tightened down the tube nuts until each one hit a definite stop. Even so, they each have 2-3 threads still showing.

When I bounce the car, I can hear and deel the clunk at the piston top nut, or somewhere in the strut bearing area. Looks like the nut on the piston there is also moving sidways a bit.

My main focus now will be to replace the Volvo bump stops and sleeves with a set of KYB strut bellows. I have a feeling the Volv stops, which are in between the piston journal and the spring top plate may be preventing the piston from reaching the needed height to get properly clamped by the top nuts.

When I use the KYB belllows, I'll omit the washer (which would also sit on the journal) and just slide it down the piston so it protects it. The top of the bellows will be below the spring top plate and the journal should fit up through the top plate and into the strut bearing.

This makes sense.... It is only the threads (thinner diameter than the journal) which are through the strut bearing at this point. that is allowing a sideways movement in the top of the piston.

Good theory, anyway.

Maybe when Bently's says to eliminate the bump stop when using gas inserts, they understand that the journals are different (just one journal) on the gas cartridges compared to the oil inserts (two journals)

Ths bump stops on the oil filled inserts would slip down past the uppermost ournal and rest on the thicker journal below. That leave the upper journal to pass up throught th strut bearing and get clamped by the top nut.

Whatever the case, I need to do thins entire job a second time now. Stick around. It will take a couple of days before the bellows arrive.

> In all three cases I just substituted the new

> insert for the old. I don't know if by "bump stop" it means

> "spacer" but that was only a factor in the 82 turbo

> they were already in the tubes with the original inserts.

The spacers would go at the bottoms of the strut tubes, but Bentley is not talking about those. Ths bump stop if the hard rubber 4" tall cylinder on the shock piston just under the strut bearing. I suppose it is there to stop & absord the strut if it comprresses so much that it would bang up into the strut bearing. Maybe on standard oil shocks, this was possible. And, maybe on gas inserts is is not?

?>I'm working from memory here but it seems like

> the washer provided a surface for the nut to turn on so as not to

> tear the bellows.

I didn't find any washer when I removed the bellows from my '84 244GL. Then again, it has 206,000 miles on it. They could have been omitted during a previous change out.

The KYB bellows I installed came with washers. But these would not slide down far engouh on the piston where it made any sense. To use them would leave the bellows too high on the piston that they would not cover it and clamp to the strut tube below.

I merely lubed the rubber and slid the bellows down the piston far enough.

I just replaced the front struts on my 83 245 last weekend. You can use bump stop or bellows not both. Each of them have a thick washer/spacer built into the top that takes up the space between the shoulder at the top of the strut rod and the threads (see previous posts about cluncking struts that were fixed by adding washers under the strut nut on top of the strut bearing).

So if you upgrade to turbo struts, that include the bellows (bellows seal out dirt better), you have to discard the bump stops as they will not both fit on the end of the strut. If you don't add the bellows, you can keep the bump stop and the gator that covers (but does not seal) the strut rod.

I used KYB G2s they were almost identical in appearance to the regular Boges that I removed (I think that the car was untouched as everything is coated with undercoating). I kept the bumpstops and standard gator with no problems. Although the KYB instructions said to use the volvo strut retaining collars, I found that the end of the KYB strut was narrower (necks down slightly) than the Boge strut and would allow the strut to move side to side in the tube. The KYB retaining collar worked fine.

Yeah, I think I was the guy who had to install two thick 3/4" ID washers, douobled up, under each piston top nut in order to quiet the clunking in my GR-2's......

On that job I used new KYB bellows. This replaced the Volvo bump stop and collar. I couldn't firgure out, nor did I use, the washers that came with the bellows. The GR-2 has two journals (shoulders) on the psiton. This washer would not slide down past the upper shoulder. That meant the belloes would become ineffective as a protection of the piston because it would not reach down far enough to the strut tube.

I eliminated the washers and lubed the hole of the bellows. This let is slide down the piston far enough to do some good.

That upper journal, then, was also so high up the psiton that is raised above the top race of the upper strut bearing. That required the double washers under the piston top nut to eliminate the clunk.

Now, on these Boge Turbo Gas inserts, I could not use the bottom spacers the Volvo (green, made in Japan) inserts needed. But I have the clunking again, despits retrofitting with top washers.

Go figure.

I have never run across the "bump stop". From the description I'm sure even my poor memory would remember it.

Randy

This is a timely topic for me... Am shopping for new front strut inserts and rear shocks for my 84 245 Ti.

Question: Boge was the original fitment for the Turbo (which strut model)? Good to know; am looking for original ride and fit. Was looking at Bilsteins too, any advice? Dont want a firmer "sport" ride; original ride is firm enough for this car.

Thanks, Robert

You can visit an on-line parts store like thepartsbin.com and find the part number for the turbogas (ends with something like 327F)

Having just installled mine on all four corners ('86 244DL), I find them firm without being harsh.

The car also has a set of turbo swaybars.

Zee, thanks. I will check them out. Having read other recent Brickboard posts on installation issues (and chasing down "clunks"), did the Boge's drop in with all hardware bolting up correctly?

Thanks, Robert

> did the Boge's drop in with all hardware bolting

> up correctly?

Since I still have clunks, who the heck knows?

I believe my s=use of the Volvo bump stops under the spring plates (when Bently manual said not to use them) has something to do with the clunks.

The Boge inserts come with their own tube top nuts. Easy to get a monkey wrench on the flats.

I have never thought the Boge Turbo Gas was the least bit harsh on any of the 240's I installed them on. I did not like them on a '90 740 GL that I had- they were too harsh for my taste.

The only cross reference I have is a 1988 240 DL on which I installed original replacement shocks from Volvo. The ride in that car was a bit softer than in the 1989 240 DL that I installed Boge Turbo Gas. I have Boge Turbo's on my 82 GLT and like them very much.

Randy