Why are Bilstein Sports so ROUGH!?

[FredK]

I'm blushing dude...but you can stop PMing me for my Grindr profile ;)

Ah, playing hard-to-get, eh?

That'll only make me try twice as hard, then.

[jeffnhiscars]

ROFLROFL

Necessity being the mother of all invention, I like the look of your Grindr!

I'm blushing dude...but you can stop PMing me for my Grindr profile ;)

[FredK]

Fred great idea. I made this for a Grindr and used it to ream out....my strut (get your mind out of the gutter) !!...ask Tim Cook why it's in my ohone

My insert slid right in ;)

Come to think of it Fred....it's in your phone now lol

ROFLROFL

Necessity being the mother of all invention, I like the look of your Grindr!

[nando]

Custom valving changes the conversation but it does go to prove my point. both Bilstein and Koni spec their dampers to factory springs.

how so? the race inserts I run now aren't meant for any "factory" springs. And I couldn't even tell you what my rears are from originally. But I can tell you they ride 10x better with my coilover springs than the "custom" bilsteins did.

Custom valved to "optimum" damping for that spring rate based on a calculation for track use.

Our iX with stock Bilsteins AND trimmed internal front bump stops has a ride best described as gooshy. (Before trimming the bump stops and swapping in properly matched springs, the ride was spine shattering.)

well, yes and no. When you specify custom valving they can do street or track. I asked for street valving. If track valving is even worse, I can't imagine how that would handle well if the pavement isn't smooth as glass.

[Rob Daman]

Just installed billies and IR stage 3 springs. Seems compliant enough on my So Cal daily route to and from work. I don't drive out to the rougher road areas so I'm happy with the results so far.

I've had Megan and Tein Flex coilovers on my s2000 and those wore me out on the same drive.

[jeffnhiscars]

Question: why is Grindr in your phone's dictionary?

Don't worry, I'll wait for an explanation.

Jk[emoji14]

Fred great idea. I made this for a Grindr and used it to ream out....my strut (get your mind out of the gutter) !!...ask Tim Cook why it's in my ohone

My insert slid right in ;)

Come to think of it Fred....it's in your phone now lol

[Northern]

In my opinion, H&R Race are too soft for their fairly significant drop, especially when paired with Konis turned way down low in damping force.

I agree with this, specifically the front springs. The M3 rates just don't seem to handle the heavier M20. With billy sports it would be alright over any tiny bump, but anything larger felt like something was broken until the bump was big enough that they bottomed out completely.

I switched to the group buy GE coils (450f/650r) and that extra spring rate up front made a huge difference with bottoming out over bumps, but then the car became a little bouncy.

Then I switched to the -1021 koni SA's and found out that they're a few inches shorter when compressed. Whether that makes a difference or not, I don't know. Felt fine with the (top adjustable) 8041-1026 sport mustang shocks in the rear (all 4 were from a GC kit, and I'm assuming they weren't revalved.)

I'm swapping the fronts out for the 8610-1437 Race short body ones after GC refused to sell me their short body setup. Sometime this year maybe.

[FredK]

Like so many supposedly simple things we do, fronts are turning in to a clusterf*%k.

Seems the weld for the upper perch is interfering with the inside bore preventing the new strut from sliding in more than bout 4 inches. I worked it with a file which helped marginally but at the moment I think it's going to my machinist on Monday. Perhaps he has some kind of Grindr/reamer with a reach.

Question: why is Grindr in your phone's dictionary?

Don't worry, I'll wait for an explanation.

Jk[emoji14]

[jeffnhiscars]

Sounds like your having the same exact problem I had when I had new spring perch's welded on. Shock wouldn't slide into the strut body because the weld went into the bore. I know I started filing it down by hand, can't remember if I ended up using air tools in the end. Regardless my brand new shock got all scratched up trying to slide it in and out which I was kinda bummed about. Aghh, the fun of modifying cars.

Misery does love company so I feel a little better lol. Funny thing is this is a stock strut so it could also be bent.

I'm thinking to find a break hone with some course stones just so I don't waste a Sunday on something fun or relaxing. Failing that it goes to the shop tomorrow.

[KIRIEIW]

Like so many supposedly simple things we do, fronts are turning in to a clusterf*%k.

Seems the weld for the upper perch is interfering with the inside bore preventing the new strut from sliding in more than bout 4 inches. I worked it with a file which helped marginally but at the moment I think it's going to my machinist on Monday. Perhaps he has some kind of Grindr/reamer with a reach.

Sounds like your having the same exact problem I had when I had new spring perch's welded on. Shock wouldn't slide into the strut body because the weld went into the bore. I know I started filing it down by hand, can't remember if I ended up using air tools in the end. Regardless my brand new shock got all scratched up trying to slide it in and out which I was kinda bummed about. Aghh, the fun of modifying cars.

[jeffnhiscars]

Like so many supposedly simple things we do, fronts are turning in to a clusterf*%k.

Seems the weld for the upper perch is interfering with the inside bore preventing the new strut from sliding in more than bout 4 inches. I worked it with a file which helped marginally but at the moment I think it's going to my machinist on Monday. Perhaps he has some kind of Grindr/reamer with a reach.

[nrubenstein]

My bilsteins were custom valved to match my spring rates. Still rides 1,000 times better with off the shelf konis.

Custom valved to "optimum" damping for that spring rate based on a calculation for track use.

Our iX with stock Bilsteins AND trimmed internal front bump stops has a ride best described as gooshy. (Before trimming the bump stops and swapping in properly matched springs, the ride was spine shattering.)

[jeffnhiscars]

Custom valving changes the conversation but it does go to prove my point. both Bilstein and Koni spec their dampers to factory springs.

[nando]

I will def share my observations and try to limit them to the topic of this thread, namely the harshness factor. Just keep in mind the set I ordered are not spec for a Cabrio mainly because the Cabrio SA's are not top adjustable and who in their right mind is going to pull a strut, tweak the SOB then get an alignment every time they want to adjust rebound ?

Having said that, dampers are intended to work with specific spring rates (which are of course tied to vehicle weight) and since few of us have stock springs, I think the science of valving to a particular factory spec goes down the toilet and it becomes more seat of the pants....like most things we do with our cars.

My bilsteins were custom valved to match my spring rates. Still rides 1,000 times better with off the shelf konis.

[jeffnhiscars]

I got the rears in today in about an hour. No mystery whatsoever with the install but I did call Koni for clarification on adjusting them. There's a split nylon washer I R the upper housing that has to be removed before you can adjust them.

From there, despite what the pictograms and videos say, there isn't really a pronounced notch for the adjuster to lock into. It's more like a subtle detent so you have to screw around a bit to make sure your in it. Then you need to keep firm compression to insure it stays engaged. I was told you cannot turn it too far despite the adjusting range being 2-2.5 turns. This makes it a little tough to know when you are at full soft or full firm. Eventually you stop turning the. Back up to get it where you want it. I'm at 1/2 turn from full soft.