front struts a critical question on bilsteins

hi

i have an urgent and critical question to be able to continue the assembly of the front struts

i received the bilsteins today, and as you can see the front ones have a blue protective cap:



this blue cap is responsible of protecting the chromed moving part of the shock



but the original assembly has a black protective cap already, and this cap is fixed to a plate that i must install:



so my question is: how to install all these parts ?

the black cap alone: and no blue cap



the blue alone and no original black:



both of them together (they are compatible, i mean the blue one goes inside the black)






my ideas:

i tend to think that installing both blue and black is better:

- blue is tighter and longer, this means that when the shock is elongated (i.e. car on the jack or hoist) the blue will still cover the chromed part of the shock),
- black is rubber, it seems more flexible and adaptative
- both can work together
- only drawback: possibility of interference between one and the other while in compression mode,...consequences ???


your help will be highly appreciated

regards

I have blue only, never seen the black one before.

I would definitely go with both, cannot see any downside the fitting of 2 will not affect the cars ride when compressed as they are only rubber / composite and very flexy !

Blue only for me too, I would think 2 would trap moisture

yes, finally i went for blue only

black and blue, too close, too much chances of interference

blue is longer and fits better, plus is a bilstein solution conceived for this setup...

thanks

Off topic but related, does anyone know if the Bilsteins for the E9 will fit E24 struts?

I know, ( at least I think I know ), that the E24 struts alone will fit so will I need E24 Bilsteins for the E24 struts and will this combo fit straight in?