M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Suspension => Topic started by: budgetown/6 on June 07, 2009, 05:07:06 PM

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: budgetown/6 on June 07, 2009, 05:07:06 PM

looks like a bilstein to me. how can i tell if the fronts are to. i couldnt see any yellow up front.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c332/austinmayer/0606091511.jpg)

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: DesktopDave on June 07, 2009, 07:02:18 PM

I'm voting Bilstein Sport.  Looks like the sticker fell off on the shock body near the top.  Nobody else uses that yellow, do they?  Some of them have grooves machined up under the spring hat.

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: 1991 E30 M42 on June 07, 2009, 08:02:32 PM

koni sport possibly, they are yellow

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: roundel318 on June 08, 2009, 03:22:09 PM

I have Bilstein Sports, they are yellow, although do have a Blue Bilstein logo around the bottom.
I even see where your's may have fallen off?
I am not sure if Bilstein HD's look the same.

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: tony92ic on June 09, 2009, 09:50:10 AM

Re: the fronts.

I don't know of a surefire way to tell what is in the strut tubes without disassembling them.  However. the stock shocks and low budget replacements have a fairly thin rod (like 1/2" in diam. whereas the Bilstein sports is much thicker 1" or 1 1/4" maybe. This is from memory its been a few years since i installed mine.  Pinch or loosen the plastic boot inside the front springs and see how thick the rod is in there. It will at least give you some idea if they are after market.  If you loosen the bottom of the boot. Look at the cap that holds the strut into the tube. The Bilstein one is different than stock. You may be able to tell by looking at just that part. You'll probably need a mirror to see it while its in the car.

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: Deftones on June 09, 2009, 12:55:26 PM

i've got some TA-tecnikx from germany which is a 5th choose shocks and they still are yellow

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: cravo on June 12, 2009, 05:47:48 PM

that kind of yellow look´s like Koni sport to me, the tone of yellow Bilstein uses is lighter than that ;)

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: DesktopDave on June 21, 2009, 08:34:36 AM

I'm now sure it's a Bilstein shock.  I found a pair just like them...I'd suspect they're a BMW 325is M-Technic shock.  I just pulled a pair and they have both the BMW and Bilstein logos with p/n 3352-11274912.  The other side has 6320604w11, maybe the Bilstein batch number?  No match for those part numbers, and no other labels.

The front struts are definitely Bilsteins as well.

Title: identify this shock please
Post by: finite on June 22, 2009, 01:23:44 PM

yeah got the same on my 318is e30 at the mo