Who runs shortened bilsteins with their coilovers?

[mbonanni]

I will be getting a set of blown HD bilstein shocks/struts soon, and plan to get them revalved/rebuilt and shortened.

I called bilstein today, and they said they are in fact able to shorten the struts, but they could not answer how much I should shorten them, and that is when I come to you guys.

I plan to shorten my strut tubes as well, and go with a set of the GC coils. I would like to be able to get my car low and to have the "stance" look but also be able to raise it up a little. I want to be practical. I initially had the plan to run 225/45, 225/50, or 225/55 on some 16x8 wheels, but I am undecided currently.

How much do you guys recommend I get them shortened by?

If anyone here is running regular bilstein sports/HD's shortened with coils please post up pictures, and how much they were shortened.

[ak-]

Anything above a 225/45 on your 16x8 will not allow "lows" or "stance" lol.
FENDER EATER.

Anyway, shorten 2" and purchase a 1" longer coil when ordering from GC so your adjustments won't be useless.
I did 2.5" on my last setup and the car was near useless until I got an inch longer springs. Highest setting and my iS lip was a bottle cap off the floor; not fun when you HAVE suspension travel.
It didn't help that the shorter springs were only 450lbs which caused more compression.
That car was totaled due to an asshat who thought Red means go.

For this car, I did 3" with a 1" longer front coil from GC.
My highest adjustment on the collar gives me about a fat thumb's worth of tire/fender gap with 225/45's on a 9" or 205/45's on an 8" (last setup).
You can use imagination to wonder how low the car would go, though I don't recommend it. You get over having to stress out driving everywhere reading road-braille and the fact that your car will handle pretty poopoo if you car much about that.

The car is lowered to hide all front fender gap, and let me tell you SUSPENSION TRAVEL IS GREEEEEEAT BEING THIS LOW.


I also have IE Race camber plates that are a shorter stack height than regular top hats of course.

[mbonanni]

Yeah, I understood that with such tall tires, which is why I decided against them pretty much.

When you say 2" shorter does this mean they shorten the rod, and outer yellow part 2"? I read someone who got the rod shortened 2" but the yellow tube 1". I was thrown off by this, but then agian it was bilstein ix HD's.

My concern is not being able to go low enough. People are getting their ix bilstein HD's shortened 2", when aren't they already shorter than regular sports/HD's by 2"? That would be a total of 4", am I right or wrong?

Also, not sure if you meant to post a picture.

Thank you for the response.

[ak-]

I don't have any pictures to show chronologically how it looks at the settings mentioned.
Just random ones at certain heights.

I don't know who would get the iX's shortened when they are 3" shorter already.
Read my post in suggestion of the housings getting sectioned too.

What are you trying to accomplish by doing this btw?

[mbonanni]

I actually made a mistake. I reread the GE coilover group buy and people are buying ix HD's and shortening the housings, not both.

Nando did actually have a set of ix HD's shortened an inch, then the yellow part shortened 2".

I will most certainly get my housings sectioned however much, and plan to get m3 tabs as well.

What I am trying to accomplish is the ability to go low and have suspension travel.

If you have any pictures of the lowest setting on your car, medium, and max height that would be great. Any pictures would help. thank you.

[einstein57]

The yellow part is just a sleeve. You could shorten that yourself. The cost of machining the cartridge, the piton shaft, and then rebuilding them would make it a very pricey proposition. I'd say just buy a set of new IX HDs and cut the bump stops or buy a set of re-valved konis from ground control. Or pick up a blown set of corrado bilsteins and have those rebuilt.

[mbonanni]

I have sourced a set of blown bilstein HD's, and I called bilstein today. the quote they gave me for rebuilding/revalve and shortening will put me about the same price as if I bought brand new ix billies that are not valved to the rates I want.

$75 for each front -$150
$65 for each rear - $130
$65/hr for machine time (about 2 hours) - $130

That comes to $410. Inluding shipping

The blown ones I found will put me under $500 for a full set of bilsteins that are revlaved, rebuilt, and shortened for better travel; which is about the same as new ones.

Mine will be better fit for the high spring rates I want.

[ak-]

Nigel's option is more affordable, but hey if you could swing that successfully then cool!

This setting, half way on the collar, with 550lbers:


Puts me at this height:




I don't have a picture at the lowest setting.
I wouldn't attempt it to be honest lol, but you get the idea.

[mbonanni]

Nigel's option is not smart to me though. I am planning to run 550f/700r, which are rates way too high for regular bilsteins. I do not want spend all this money on suspension and not have it perform to the best of its abilities. I plan to do it right the first time.

I think that 2" will be plenty for what I want. I figure that 2" spun all the way down will get me to about where you are sitting in that picture. In my imagination at least.

[ak-]

Nigel's option is not smart to me though. I am planning to run 550f/700r, which are rates way too high for regular bilsteins. I do not want spend all this money on suspension and not have it perform to the best of its abilities. I plan to do it right the first time.

I think that 2" will be plenty for what I want. I figure that 2" spun all the way down will get me to about where you are sitting in that picture. In my imagination at least.

Yes. Look at my collar, and pretend you are an inch lower on there.
That will get you my height with the inch longer spring.

[einstein57]

Don't forget to shorten the rears.

[mbonanni]

Yes. Look at my collar, and pretend you are an inch lower on there.
That will get you my height with the inch longer spring.

Which length spring are you running?

Don't forget to shorten the rears.

from my understanding shocks cannot be shortened.

Elaborate please.

Edit: Now my concern is if the regular HD's will be able to handle the car being lower..?

[ak-]

Which length spring are you running?



from my understanding shocks cannot be shortened.

Elaborate please.

Edit: Now my concern is if the regular HD's will be able to handle the car being lower..?

I can't remember. 1" longer than what GC's kit offers.
7"?

[mbonanni]

Okay, cool.

Does anyone know if revalved HD's could handle being low?

I was never sure if the rear mattered.

Thanks

[ak-]

I don't get the question. If they are re-valved for the rates, why not?
People run over 550lbers on Sports with success, although it's probably not the most efficient.