torque240

What do you all think about the bilstein shocks and struts as compaired to the d specs. I know they are not adjustable but i really doubt that if i have the ability to adjust that i will do it anyway, more than likely get them to a setting that seems good and leave them.

alloutt

I have them sitting in my garage waiting for them to be installed they look pretty good and there made in Germany.

UrS4

Bilstein is a great company,

I have them on my Audi and loved them.

If you don't need the adjustability of the D-specs then go for them. It all depends on the suspension goals you have.

alloutt

where they aftermarket for you audi or were they stock?

F1Fan

Hi torque240,

There is no comparison, the D-Specs are intended for use asadjustable performance oriented struts and dampers with a very wide range of applications where they will work extremely well. The Bilsteins are designed as an ultra-high quality OEM replacement strut and damper set.IMO Bilstein makesthe highest quality struts and dampers for production cars in the world. The Bilsteinstruts and dampers currently available for the S197 chassis are the HD line whichareintended to be used asHeavy Duty replacements for the stock struts and dampers. The Bilstein HD struts and dampers are not designed or engineered to be used in a high-performance application and to use them this way will leave you with a negative impression due to the inappropriate valving and strut and damper rod lengths as used. The Bilstein HD'sare not intended to be used on S197 chassis withsprings that lower the car's ride height significantly orwith Sport springs with lowered ride height and higher spring rates. The Bilstein HD struts and dampersride very nicely, better than stock with stock springs once broken in and the Bilstein HD's also slightly improve body control over the stock struts and dampers. If you want improved ride and handling with an emphasis on ride the Bilstein HD's are the way to go. For a performance application jump straight away to the D-Spec struts and dampers or Koni Sports.

HTH!

torque240

I am looking for a good set of shocks and struts to go with my eibach sport kit springs, so i guess the bilsteins are not intended for this then? what is the best set of shocks and struts for a lowered car?

UrS4

F1FAN answered your question I think,

D-specs.

Alloutt,
They were aftermarket for my Audi S4, I matched them with H&R sport springs which were basically the same spring rate as the Audi V8 of that era.

F1Fan

Hi torque240,

Eibach Pro-Kit springs or Sportline springs? I'd recommend the D-Specs for either Eibach spring kit and can also recommend the Koni Sport struts and rear dampers for the Pro-Kit springs. The Koni Sport are usually tuned for a sport springs in the 30% stiffer than stock range and the Pro-Kit springs are right in that catagory. The Sportlineshavepsycho spring rates ranging from near stock to 275# working range and this is just too high fo the Koni Sportvalving. The D-Specs can handle the Sportline spring rates O.K. becauseof theirdouble adjustable valving meaning that as you adjusta D-Spec damper both the compression AND rebound are adjusted unlike the Koni Sport dampers which only adjust rebound. This gives you more range of options in spring rate that will work well with a D-Spec damper.

HTH!

RodeoFlyer

I have Bilsteins w/ H&R race springs and i'm still on the fence.The car handles great. I really have no complaints. This is in no way to question F1Fan's respected (myself included ) technical knowledge and experience.

The problem I have is that Bilstein in fact advertises their HD series as suitable for our car with springs up to a 1.5" drop. After talking with F1Fan I spent a lot of time on the phone with both Maximum Motorsports and Bilstein. Bilstein literally said to me - "Maximum Motorsports probably knows our product better than we do and does a lot of track testing - go with their reccomendations". I have trouble thinking that a company of Bilstein's caliber would intentionally sell a product for a misintended use - but then who would have thought Steeda would bite the hand of the very mouth that feeds them? It frustrates me sometimes but then I remind myself that I run away from S197's all the time at the track so why question a setup that's working? I also have a friend that is using them on his S197 American Iron Seriescar (front only, rears are Penske coilovers). He feels thatthey areadequate for the car's needs, reinforced with the successI have had with them for the last year.

Having said that, i'm still not so sure I would reccomend them at this point. I initially bought them because Koni's weren't available and Tokico had quality issues in the past. I didn't originally have a need for adjustablility because the inital plan was for the car to be an open track toy. Now that it is becoming a full time racer and Koni's are availableI want adjustability.The ride quality of my car is on the rough side but I can't blame the Bilsteins because there are many other contributing factors (k-member,motor mounts, tires, bushings,etc.). I can say that the Tokico's have clearly been proven and are considerably cheaper than the Bilsteins.

So where does that leave us?

My car has performed exceptionally well with them and they are of the utmost quality, howevermy opinion is that they are better suited for applications as described by F1Fan than an application such as mine. The reality is that there are a lot of guys out there that want their car to handle like a race car but not ride like one lol.

Nuke

So now I'm a bit confused (happens more frequently after 50...)... My suspension is stock and I was considering Bilsteins to firm up the ride slightly and tighten things up. I have Bilsteins on my SUV and they took a lot of lean out of turns and the ride is tight, just how I like it. What's the recommendation in my case?