JOELEE

I have searched the forum and can not find any information on this.

Can anyone offer any comparison information between the front OE Sachs struts and the Bilstein B4 replacements?

This would be for a 2001 C320 Sport. I know the part numbers are different for the Sport and Non-Sport Sachs struts, but the Bilstein seem to be the same(F4VNEE170BG).
I am not talking about the Bilstein sports or HD, but just their regular B4 line.

My front struts are severely worn and I am trying to decide on a good replacement. I want the struts to last long, but also perform well. In general, my assumption has been that the any Bilstein strut will be stiffer than OE Sachs, is this true? And on the E class section, I saw someone say that the Bilstein b4 replacements will make the car sit higher for some reason, but perform well.

Most discussion that I could find on the forum were regarding the higher end Bilstein struts, but I couldn't find anything on the B4's. I would love to get the H&R cup kit heavily discussed here, but it isn't in the budget for me right now. I am leaning towards the Bilstein B4's over the stock Sachs, but some of the ride height issues discussed on the E class forum worry me. Can anyone shed some light?

Thanks in advance.

phister

H&R cup kit is only 751 @ tirerack

phister

http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/S...1&autoModClar=

jkowtko

I know this is an old thread, but I too have found little information on the Bilstein B4 (TC - Touring Class) shocks/struts for the W203. I just finished installing Bilstein TCs on my 2005 C230 and am pretty happy with them.

The Bilstein TC is still noticably firmer than the Sachs. My car has 99k miles on it. I replaced the rear shocks first about a month ago and immediately noticed the rear become much firmer than the fronts. Just replaced the fronts last week, and now the whole car is firmer and sportier. I was surprised how firm they are considering they are supposed to be the softest of the three families of Bilstein shocks, but I have also heard they would soften up a bit over time.

If you think the Sachs suspension is a bit too soft then you should like the Bilstein TCs. Fyi this is for a W203 with sport suspension -- I don't know how these damping rates would feel against non-sport springs, and I imagine The Bilstein TC for other models of Mercedes will have different valving and may feel different altogether.

Actually, if you check the Bilstein site there is a sport version of the B4 shock, 22-168085:

http://web1.carparts-cat.com/default...8018004&12=140

however you can't buy it anywhere. I bought the non-sport suspension version, 22-141705:

http://web1.carparts-cat.com/default...8018004&12=140

which everyone sells and is listed for both sport and non-sport w203 models. You should note the following differences if you buy these:

• the full extension length of the non-sport strut is longer than the sport strut, presumably by 3/4" which is the difference in ride height between the two cars. This extra extension makes it a bit easier to install the spring and strut mount (you have to compress the spring less), but it also allows the suspension to hang a bit lower when you jack up the car, resulting in your control arm bushings twisting a few degrees more than they normally would. I was a bit worried about this at first, but after close inspection it looks like the bushings don't twist that much overall (15-18 degrees) and the rubber seems to take it with ease.
• The sport sway bar links have a large ball joint bolt than non-sport, so you will have to drill out the bolt holes on the strut housing a bit. I used a 15/32" drill bit.

Assuming HD and Sport are both firmer than TC, yes I would say that all Bilsteins are noticably firmer than OE Sachs.

Maybe that's something with the E class. I did not notice any ride height change on my car. Both front and rear are pressurized, but it takes only 20 pounds or so of pressure to push the pistons down, not enough to lift the car any noticable amount.

VVF

I perused Bilstein's website and found a different part# for front Sport shocks: 22-218537 (http://web1.carparts-cat.com/default...0018001&12=130 and choose the 203 320 75 30 part)
And one can actually find them online Hmm...

jkowtko

yes it looks like the sports are available now ... I could not find them a year ago or I would have bought them :|

VVF

I guess it's not a big deal though. I read somewhere that you should get shorter shocks only if your suspension is lowered by more than ~1.5''.

Ok... now I'm facing a dilemma because Sachs and Bilstein Sports cost within $5 of each other.
I don't want to go any firmer, because I currently feel almost every crack in the road when driving in the city. Is it because the suspension is firm or because my shocks are shot?

lkfoster

I don't know about Bilstein valving for MBs, but for BMWs Sport and HD shocks had the same valving, just shorter extended length for Sports so shorter springs wouldn't unseat.

jkowtko

For Bilstein are you talking the TC/TouringClass/B4 black shock, or the HD Yellow (B6 or B8, can't remember) shock?

The B4 shock is the one I bought, the black one ... it's the softest of the Bilsteins, is supposed to be valved per stock specs, but in reality comes out a bit stiffer than the actual stock shocks. I still feel cracks in the road, but that's also due to my Conti DW extreme tires that last only 12k miles . The B4 combined with the DWs gives me a nice tight extremely well handling ride I will find it difficult to part with.

I was told that if you want stock feel then go with the Sachs. However if you have DW tires, you'll have to lose those as well, and move to DWS which are supposed to have a much softer sidewall, or the stock ContiSportContact tires that MB sells the cars with (, also hugely expensive.)

The Yellow Bilstein shocks are supposed to be much stiffer than the B4 so I hope those are not the ones you are considering.

Regarding price, the Sachs includes the mounting kit of bolts whereas the Bilstein does not so you have to add another $25 per shock.

I don't know if the above info helps you out ...

VVF

Yes, I meant B4 for "sport" suspension, sorry... Guess I will get Sachs then.
Are you sure you are comparing Bilsteins with how the 'new' Sachs felt, not with how the worn-out 80k mile Sachs felt?

Did you try to get the DWS, I have about 5-6/32 tread left on the rears after ~16k miles. I don't really race on the public roads, and feel like they have enough margin for my driving style.
With DW I got about zero tread by 14k
Anyway everybody says our cars are slow, so why bother

jkowtko

I know my stock shocks got really soft towards the end ... but I don't ever remember the car feeling as tight as it is now. People I've heard from all say that the Bilstein TC is a bit "firmer and sportier" than stock.

I never bought DWS. However I've seen quite a few threads from people who say the sidewalls are really soft, and not to get them if you want a good handling car. Have you run with DWS before?

I should also say that the DWs seem like they are shot by the time the tread is only half gone. They seem to get noisy and hard pretty early on.

VVF

You probably shouldn't listen to me anyway, since I am on 140k shocks lol
I am running DWS now. Probably I really do drive like a retard and am not able to feel significant difference between DW and DWS...
I don't think that in everyday driving I am using even 70% of the tires' potential, even when I 'have fun'.
It's illegal and dangerous to race on the road.

lkfoster

I've been running DWS' for quite a while now and don't have any complaints other than the 12-15k tread life for the rears. And this is with me driving like my grandmother. I go through two sets of rears for every set of fronts. At least there's a 50k warranty so I get a fair bit off the replacements. Went with them after getting caught in snow with the summer performance OEM tires, not fun.

VVF

Where do you buy/install them? That 50k mile warranty magically transforms into 25k miles warranty if one has staggered wheels... kind of sucks. I expect to get ~20k of my rear DWS, so they will not give me a good discount...

lkfoster

The hard copy of the warranty that I saved somewhere ages ago when I first bought them made no mention of staggered. I just had to rotate them per the manufacturer's recommendation. Continental may have changed the terms since then.

I get my tires from Discount Tire/Tire America. They've always been good to deal with for credits. I'll have to pay more attention this next time to see what they give me for the warranty pro-rate.

Cruel-Merc

just noticed this thread and i been on bilstein B4's for few months , i got the sport version with OEM springs cut, can say the ride is much better than when i used to be on the stock shocks, i know i should have got a lowering springs too but im looking forward to just go straight for coilovers ( H & R ) , but overall i recommend bilstein B4 , theyre good .