bilstein tourings?

[dalex44]

Hey guys. My buddy sold his e34 and he threw me a brand new set of bilstein tourings for the car for 200 bucks. I thought it was reasonable so I did it. My struts are pretty bad and I'm gonna install them probably. Will these work with lowering springs? I know they'll work but will I have issues?

[Xenocide]

yes you will have issues with the shock bottoming out. They are not designed to be used with a lower ride height. You may as well not put them on if you want to lower the car, because you will have to swap them out again in 10k miles when they blow out.

[bfp9]

yea depends on the drop but in general not a good idea

[dalex44]

I'm planning on useing b&g springs

Why will it bottom out possibly? Aren't they close to stock struts?

[ClarkWGriswold]

Resell the bilstein touring shocks and buy a set of bilstein sports or heavy duty that are made for the lowering springs. Saves you from redoing the job later after the bilstein tourings fail.

[gtopaul]

Have Bilstein Touring strut inserts in the front with H&R lowering springs. Been running them for three years with no problems.

[Xenocide]

Have Bilstein Touring strut inserts in the front with H&R lowering springs. Been running them for three years with no problems.

you just don't know it but they are blown.

These struts are equal to stock sachs and have the same shaft length as a bilstein HD (though not as heavy duty)

Bilstein Sports are the SAME as HD's except they have slightly shorter shaft length to allow for the drop from lowering springs. By lowering your car you need to also shorten the length of the strut's shaft to allow proper suspension movement to occur.

Think about it this way, if your shaft is 20 inches long fully extended (I am making these numbers up) And you lower your car 2.5 inches. We have 20 inches of movement but are only supposed to have 17.5! When we move the fully 20 inches (fully compress the strut) we smack the bottom of it internally :eyecrazy

You need a shorter shaft length for lowering springs!!

[whiteghost1]

I've used my Bilstein Tourings with my Hartge lowering springs and I love em. On paper they are not as perfectly matched as Sports, but for me this combo provides the perfect balance between ride quality, firmness, and handling capabilities. I have yet to bottom them out with 5 people in the car or aggressive driving - you'd have to really push my setup in order to do so.

[Xenocide]

I've used my Bilstein Tourings with my Hartge lowering springs and I love em. On paper they are not as perfectly matched as Sports, but for me this combo provides the perfect balance between ride quality, firmness, and handling capabilities. I have yet to bottom them out with 5 people in the car or aggressive driving - you'd have to really push my setup in order to do so.

Thats funny because stock setups bottom out all the time, this is why we have bump stops :rolleyes. Bottoming out is probably not what you think and an untrained driver would not realized it when it happened.

[sfgearhead]

you just don't know it but they are blown.

These struts are equal to stock sachs and have the same shaft length as a bilstein HD (though not as heavy duty)

Bilstein Sports are the SAME as HD's except they have slightly shorter shaft length to allow for the drop from lowering springs. By lowering your car you need to also shorten the length of the strut's shaft to allow proper suspension movement to occur.

Think about it this way, if your shaft is 20 inches long fully extended (I am making these numbers up) And you lower your car 2.5 inches. We have 20 inches of movement but are only supposed to have 17.5! When we move the fully 20 inches (fully compress the strut) we smack the bottom of it internally :eyecrazy

You need a shorter shaft length for lowering springs!!

Seriously, you're telling him that they're blown? Don't you think he'd notice if they were blown.

I still think this is an interwebz myth. I believe some vendors will recommend the touring shocks if you don't want to go with a super harsh ride.

Going back to your math, on the surface it makes sense. But you're assuming that shock will be at full expansion at sitting ride height for both a stock and lowered suspension. In reality, the lowered suspension will have already compressed the shock 1/5 inches or whatever the lowering is.

OP, I'm running Bilstein tourings with M-Tech springs, and have yet to bottom it out. I have only been using them for a few weeks however, and M-Tech springs don't lower the car much.

[dalex44]

Thats funny because stock setups bottom out all the time, this is why we have bump stops :rolleyes. Bottoming out is probably not what you think and an untrained driver would not realized it when it happened.


ok 1 i understand yopur concerns but noone would drop there car your made up 2.5 inches....
2 bottoming out is probably unlikely for a set of brand new shocks/stuts no matter what springs
3. if these peoepl have had this setup with lowering spinrgs and yet to bottom out im pretty sure there not that bad
4 you would deff. know when you bottom out
5. you would deff know when your shocks are blown
6. dont you ever think the compamnys tell you lowering spirgns arent a good idea so you dont buy the 300$ set of touring struts and they make you go buy the 600-700$ sports just because THEY say you should for lowering springs sounds likea pretty celever sales technique! pretty much common sense:shifty


im going to do this setup and i dont ill have problems....

[Xenocide]

OP, I'm running Bilstein tourings with M-Tech springs, and have yet to bottom it out. I have only been using them for a few weeks however, and M-Tech springs don't lower the car much.

Yup, that is as low as I would go with tourings. I have Monroe's on my e39 sport package which is arguably comparable to the bilstein tourings (spec wise I won't argue that the bilsteins will outlast the monroes though)

[whiteghost1]

Thats funny because stock setups bottom out all the time, this is why we have bump stops :rolleyes. Bottoming out is probably not what you think and an untrained driver would not realized it when it happened.

You don't have to be a trained driver to notice bottoming out as it is pretty obvious. Really, do you think lowering a car 1-1.5" is going to make the difference in the suspension bottoming out or not? Putting 5 people or a load in your car drops the car much more than that and the car was designed to take that amount of suspension travel.

[dalex44]

^^^^^^^ I couldn't agree more

[520 Driver]

I think the shock bottoming before the bump stop is a myth too. Bottom is bottom and all the shocks have enough travel. The lowering springs simply don't lift as high at the top. They are stiffer to make up for the short travel.
I had a lot of sellers push the sport and HD shocks and springs because they stock them. Even though they are slightly less expensive I had to hunt hard to get Bilstein Touring Shocks. THey are stiffer than stock and feel really taught. I am very happy with the ride and for my daily driver, I want it comfortable.
The Sachs and Boge are not gas pressurized and do not have the same feel as the Bilsteins. THis is a matter fo taste and my wife hates the tight feel. She will get Sachs when hers need replacement.
When my shocks were shot, the biggest problems were hopping around anti-lock kicking in over bumpy sections. If they are shot you don't need to bottom out to know. MHO, Steve

[russde]

OP, I'm running Bilstein tourings with M-Tech springs, and have yet to bottom it out. I have only been using them for a few weeks however, and M-Tech springs don't lower the car much.
<<Sorry for the hikack>>
Gearhead, did you mount both the front AND the rear Mtech springs on your Touring?
If so, how much did the rear drop?
How is the ride?
I've been considering doing this on my S50 Touring swap project and, well...you'll save me the experimentation.
Feel free to respond via PM to save the original thread...or better yet start a thread about this because I think lots of Touring owners may be interested.
Russ

[dalex44]

No problem man. Ask away. I'm doing touring bilsteins and b&g springs that they claim drop 1.4 all around. It probably won't be a problem

[gtopaul]

[QUOTE=Xenocide;19657285]you just don't know it but they are blown.[QUOTE]

:rolleyes I only worked in a BMW serrvice department for 15 years. I'd know if they were blown. They ride great and have the proper rebound. Took off the factory foam bumpstops. The H&R's are Touring specific and since I have SLS I didn't use the rear H&R springs, just adjusted the back down a bit. I'm also running 18" Z8 staggered wheels so if it was bottoming out I'd know.

[renemesis]

Geez, so many people cutting corners to save marginal amounts of money lately.

[jimoreno]

I also have a set of Bilstein Tourings with M-Tech springs in my 530 and love the combination/ride!

[E36 328is]

Geez, so many people cutting corners to save marginal amounts of money lately.

I think it is more that people dont want their car to ride like crap which the bilstein sports and lowerings springs provide. I have the sports and bav auto springs on my E34 and it rides very harsh compared to my E36 with H&R coilovers. The E34 makes my E36 feel like a cadilac.

[dalex44]

I think bilstein tourings with my b & g springs will provide a great ride and ill take the chance anyday. And I'm not saving a little money I'm saving more like 300 dollars plus

[sfgearhead]

+1, I have a fun car, I want my BMW to ride firmly, but not harshly. The Bilstein tourings meet this perfectly.

[russde]

Geez, so many people cutting corners to save marginal amounts of money lately.

Not even sure what this is in reference to...expound upon your statement please.