M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
DISCUSSION => Suspension => Topic started by: oldtimer on October 01, 2007, 08:43:06 AM
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I don't want to bring up an old thread but I am in need of new shocks on my daily driver and soon to be dropped as well. Which shocks would be ideal for daily driver?
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dropped = lowered?
bilstein sports, koni's are popular.
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sorry, yes lowered just to get the ground affect and alittle better handling
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I would go w/ bilstein sports. I have some bav auto springs if you are interested.
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I would go w/ bilstein sports. I have some bav auto springs if you are interested.
I wonder how those would work with my bilstein touring ???
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great I would think ;)
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I wonder how those would work with my bilstein touring ???
the tourings aren't valved for lowering/sport springs.
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the tourings aren't valved for lowering/sport springs.
I know that but I wonder what would happen if you did it ???
In the old days they cut the springs to lower a car and I assume they used the same shocks.
Has anyone done a set of lowering springs with stock shocks?:confused:
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If you value the fillings in your teeth and like your gauges to remain in your dash, STAY AWAY FROM BILSTEIN SPORTS. If you going to track the car, maybe. But day-to-day they are too stiff at low speeds around town. Trust me on this.
Koni's, while more expensive, are a much better way to go. Plus you can adjust them.
BMW owners have been brainwashed about Bilstein Sports. :)
Gary
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bilstein > koni
thats true for either dd or track. They are deff not too much for dd at ALL. They ride very well and are just an all around great shock.
Trust ME on this...
I have tons of first hand experience and even the best in the BMW market agree. Some ppl think koni's are better but its because of the brainwash marketing of the user adjustability. Bilsteins self adjust so they can handle all road conditions not just one like the koni's. W/ koni's you can only set it up for like a smooth or rough road, not both.
Don't get me qrong, they are both nice shocks. But bilsteins are just superior and cheaper.
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I have Bilstein Tourings with lowering springs. The rates are 165-265. They are Tokico springs I bought used. The springs aren't real stiff and it's a pretty well balanced setup. Also running stronger front bar. It's a good street setup. I go to the track also and park in the parking lot.
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Bilstein Sport and H&R Sport springs. Very liveable in the street, also great for the occasional track day.
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Bilstein Sport and H&R Sport springs. Very liveable in the street, also great for the occasional track day.
+1
Bilstein Sports are NOT too harsh for a daily driver. I ran them for 5 years on my previous e30.
I'm installing them on my new IS soon.
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Okay...so we can all agree to disagree. But as one who has built two magazine BMW project cars, and know the marketing and technical folks at Bilstein and Konis, I'll just say that the Koni's are more liveable on the street at slower, urban speeds, over rough surfaces.
If you drove two identical e30s, back to back, one with Billy sports, the other with Koni's -- you could, as they say, feel the difference.
For another opinion, check out http://www.bimmerhaus.com in Colorado. Owner Bob Tunnell has won 10 national SCCA autocross titles in e30s and e36s -- all on Konis. He's forever removing Billys and replacing them with Koni's for customers.
Both are excellent shocks, don't get me wrong. But for day-to-day driving, the Koni's are more supple around town. It's a fact. You might prefer Bilsteins and think they are okay for YOU, but don't tell me the ride is as comfortable as Bilsteins. They are not.
Cheers, Gary
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I have had identical m42s with the same spring rates on GCs. One car had Koni SAs and the other Bilstein Sports. I noticed the difference, my buddies noticed the difference and my non-car enthusiasts buddies and ladies noticed the difference as well in daily driving conditions.
We will have to agree to disagree, there's a reason why options exist in the market. :cool: No one shock is better than the other per se. It's all up to what valving you want and intended application.
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So...E9...I'll put you on the spot: Which are more comfortable on the street? Taking into account the adjustability.
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Konis in my humble opinion. Bilsteins are an option as well. Personal preference is the key phrase here.
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This, from a factory tech at Koni (yes, biased, but he describes why there is a difference):
"Bilsteins are harsh for several reasons but primarily the mono-tube high pressure gas design is always starting behind the 8-ball on ride quality to begin with and also BMWs are the single brand that is easiest to generate ride complaints on. We never make mono-tube street shocks for a BMW and we almost never get BMW ride complaints. Because the mono-tube already is at a ride quality disadvantage, Bilstein also has to compromise their valving choices and reduces so low speed damping.This tends to give you a trend that we have seen on a number of Bilstein applications in recent years that cars on their dampers tend to be not well controlled on low piston speed, subtle body motion and then over damped when the piston speeds get high. Add that to the mono-tube telegraphing more negative ride feel into the car and you have very common ride complaints. In some recent light truck and street car comparative testing, our R&D Manager commented that Bilstein lately has become "an easy mark" to improve ride and handling over."
Or in the words of Bob Tunnell at Bimmerhaus:
"Bilstein's bump damping is too harsh for normal street comfort."
That said, Bilsteins are a good choice for track and autocross applications.
Cheers. Gary
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Making absolute statements about shocks is meaningless. They don't exist in a vacuum. It's relative to the vehicle's setup, operating environment, and driver preference (and I don't mean brand) to name a few of the main factors.
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Well I am biased aswell...for me...harsh is good...so yeah, I love the bilsteins. And you should see the size of the shaft on the front bilsteins....