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Thread: Question about bilsteim shocks

  1. #1
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    Question about bilstein shocks

    Hi guys.
    I currently have h&r front springs in my car but i find that the front sits a bit too low. The shocks are stock boges and are really soft. When driving in highway it sometimes feels like i'm in a boat. I'm going to get bilstein shocks anyway but i'm wondering that does the bilstein shocks raise the car at all or do i have to buy different springs also.
    Last edited by mikae31; 09-12-2017 at 10:39 AM.

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    Pelican Parts is offline Senior Member Supporting Vendor
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    Hello - which year is your 8 series and I'm guessing that it does not have the EDC option? The Bilstein shocks are going to put the car at stock height and stiffen up the suspension considerably. Which ones were you looking at? The B8s?
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pelican Parts View Post
    Hello - which year is your 8 series and I'm guessing that it does not have the EDC option? The Bilstein shocks are going to put the car at stock height and stiffen up the suspension considerably. Which ones were you looking at? The B8s?
    My car is 93 and doesn't have edc. Bilstein doesn't offer anything else than b6 to these cars. Stock height ?? Hardly. I also have another eight with eibach springs and bilsteins and it isn't sitting at stock height.

    It's just that with this car the previous owner had h&r springs installed but with stock boges it is a bit too low. I'd like to know does the bilsteins shocks raise the height at all. I have been under the impression that bilsteins do raise the car a bit but would like to know for sure.
    Last edited by mikae31; 09-12-2017 at 02:57 PM.

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    Springs set the ride height, not shocks. Shocks control the springs, and the ride of the car. Your problem is the H&R rear springs are too soft. Try to get the CSI rear springs to firm up the rear and get rid of the boat like ride.
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    Quote Originally Posted by 72tpik5 View Post
    Springs set the ride height, not shocks. Shocks control the springs, and the ride of the car. Your problem is the H&R rear springs are too soft. Try to get the CSI rear springs to firm up the rear and get rid of the boat like ride.
    Then how come some folks here say that with bilsteins the car sits a bit higher than other shocks??

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    Good question. Unfortunately, I do not have an answer.
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    It's because the Bilsteins are gas pressurized.

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    I am interested in following this thread because i would like to change out shocks and springs once my car is running. I would like to lower the car an inch or so and increase the spring rate to reduce some body roll. But I havent even driven the car yet! The car has 245/50R16 tires on it now. Height at front fender well above center of wheel is 27 1/8"/ 689 mm and 27 3/16"/ 690.5 mm at center of wheel well at the rear. What are the most popular combinations of springs/struts for a lower/stiffer ride? I do like the Bilstein Sports I have on my old bimmers.
    Thanks,

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    Quote Originally Posted by JDP530 View Post
    I am interested in following this thread because i would like to change out shocks and springs once my car is running. I would like to lower the car an inch or so and increase the spring rate to reduce some body roll. But I havent even driven the car yet! The car has 245/50R16 tires on it now. Height at front fender well above center of wheel is 27 1/8"/ 689 mm and 27 3/16"/ 690.5 mm at center of wheel well at the rear. What are the most popular combinations of springs/struts for a lower/stiffer ride? I do like the Bilstein Sports I have on my old bimmers.
    Thanks,
    Instead of following a thread that may go no where or not detail what you need, why not go directly to the good stuff...
    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...trut+cartridge
    Last edited by m6bigdog; 09-13-2017 at 02:32 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by m6bigdog View Post
    Instead of following a thread that may go no where or not detail what you need, why not go directly to the good stuff...
    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...trut+cartridge
    I have read your topics but haven't really found an straight answer to this.
    Can you tell me that if i change my shocks to bilsteins do i get a small lift, about 10mm, or do i need to swap to eibach springs?

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikae31 View Post
    I have read your topics but haven't really found an straight answer to this.
    Can you tell me that if i change my shocks to bilsteins do i get a small lift, about 10mm, or do i need to swap to eibach springs?
    Yes, 10mm is pretty close:
    Bilstein shock are high pressure gas shocks (250-350 internal gas pressure) which produce an extension force (based on the shock rod diameter) that provides a suspension lift proportional to the spring rate.
    The H&R front springs are approximately 160 lbs/in and I anticipate the Bilstein extension force is somewhere between 50-80 lbs.
    Therefore if the front strut has an extension force of 65lbs then the suspension lift due to the shock extension force will be approximately 65/160=.41".
    The extension force it easy to measure with a bathroom scale. Just place a wood block on the scale (to protect the scale) with the shock on top, zero the scale, then push down on the shock to collapse the strut to what you anticipate will be the ride height.
    Calculating the rear suspension lift is more complicated as the wheel rate is but a fraction (.36) of the actual spring rate (410 lbs/in stock) that the extension force is working with to lift the rear suspension. However, you can anticipate a similar increase in ride height.

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    Can someone please clarify just exactly how much lowering difference there is between h&r and eibach front springs?

    I'd like to know for sure that if i go ahead and change my springs from h&r to eibach do i get a small lift or not?

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    Get KAW springs from Europe and Bilstein sports. They sit the lowest.

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    Quote Originally Posted by killian665 View Post
    Get KAW springs from Europe and Bilstein sports. They sit the lowest.
    You didn't read previous posts? My goal is to get a bit higher. Also those KAW springs are pretty much the worse thing you can put in such a heavy car.

    I have done my research and read topics that are related to springs and shocks. I must say i'm a bit confused. Can someone please confirm me this?

    When using billstein shocks car always sits a bit (about 10mm) higher than with other shocks, no matter what the springs are?

    I'm asking because i have seen photos with cars equipped with eibachs or h&r's and it seems some are lower than the others.
    Last edited by mikae31; 09-26-2017 at 10:28 AM.

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