Hi all,

Rear bilsteins seem unavailable for a 140. I remember someone (Phil S perhaps?) posting ages ago that rear bilsteins from a 240 would fit with a little modification to, I think, the lower eye. So I bought some. Now there seem to be a couple of problems:
1. the metal sleeve is significantly longer than the unthreaded part of the bolt from the lower trailing arm that the shock goes on. I guess I can saw it down.
2. the metal sleeve o.d. is only a little larger - maybe 1/16" - than the o.d. of the unthreaded part of the bolt, which is 5/8". So I really can't just ream out the sleeve, because there would be hardly any metal left.

So, is my memory fault about the 240 shock fitting? Or am I missing something in making it fit.

Regards

JohnH
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JohnH, Sydney, Australia

Hi,
I bought some Bilsteins from IPD and they were for a 240 but mine had rubber bushes on the bottom , the tops had the metal sleeve , can send pix if you give me your e mail ?
Good luck,
Dave e mail mudgkin1@telus.net

PS my car is a 1972 142S

Hi Dave,

What size is the lower bolt for the rear shock on your 1972? The earlier models might be smaller than mine, which is 5/8"

The 240 bilsteins I bought has rubber bushes top and bottom with steel sleeves in both. The id of the top sleeve is 1/2" - correct for the 144 - but the bottom is 12mm whereas the bolt is 5/8"

I'd appreciate the photos. My email is hendo AT bigblue DOT net DOT au

Regards

JohnH
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JohnH, Sydney, Australia

Sending info in an e mail

I'm not fully up to speed on any suspension difference, if any, between your '74 and my '71 but within the last couple of years ago I got a set of Bilstein HDs from IPD for my 142 (still listed on their site). As you mention, the only issue I had was due to the larger OD of the front shocks. The rears were just drop-in replacements. Did you get HDs or TCs?

Hi,
I got HDs. The lower sleeve on the rear shock is 12mm on the 240 shock and the mounting stud on the 1974 140 is 5/8". The good thing is the other end of this stud,i.e where it goes through the lower trailing arm is 1/2". SO I've bought long 1/2" grade 8 bolts to replace the stud and reamed out the shock sleeve to 1/2". A couple of washers and a spacer and all is good.

Regards

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JohnH, Sydney, Australia

I did that when I fit my Koni back in1987ish. You will want to put a Gr5 washer between the control arm and the shockie bush tube to to stop the tube fretting a hole into the arm. You can adjust the Koni D on the rear without taking the wheel off if it is no bigger than standard. I adapted a W50 box back then too, wish I had the extra bucks for a W58, but times were tough then, hence I used XU-1 pistons instead just getting .040" Mahles.
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Three 164's, Two 144's, One 142 & a partridge in a pear tree.

Sounds like the same I did about 8 years ago on my '71 144 (in Auckland, NZ) for the same reason (unfortunately not Bilsteins). I recall buying longer high tensile bolts from an engineering shop and I think I've actually replaced the tubes on the shocks instead of reaming it out, I'm sure we had the right ID/OD stainless tubing at work. And a washer spacer. Looked OEM.