Another Bilstein Question!
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
Another Bilstein Question!
I know the whole Bilstein Sport discussion is very old. But I called up my mechanic yesterday and started asking about getting some Bilstein Sports installed, and he said he would not recommend them... He said that he has installed them in customers' lowered cars, and they were so harsh that customers asked to have them removed. He said I'll feel every bump and that they are so stiff that they would only be a good idea if I was going to be racing my car...
He's an excellent mechanic and I highly value his opinions. However, he's the only person I've encountered who has given a bad opinion of the Sports. He says Bilsteins are excellent shocks, but that I should go with the Comforts. He claimed that the Comforts were in between the HD's and the Sports in terms of stiffness, but that doesn't make sense to me... I thought the Sports were between the HD's and the Comforts.
Should I just tell him to STFU and install the sports, or what?!? I want to be sure I make the right decision the first time, cuz I'm gonna be spending a good chunk of change!
He's an excellent mechanic and I highly value his opinions. However, he's the only person I've encountered who has given a bad opinion of the Sports. He says Bilsteins are excellent shocks, but that I should go with the Comforts. He claimed that the Comforts were in between the HD's and the Sports in terms of stiffness, but that doesn't make sense to me... I thought the Sports were between the HD's and the Comforts.
Should I just tell him to STFU and install the sports, or what?!? I want to be sure I make the right decision the first time, cuz I'm gonna be spending a good chunk of change!
Last edited by Bigpete123; Apr 13, 2006 at 01:03 PM.
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re:
my front had been custom lowered when I bought my car, I do not know the brand of suspension parts I can check if you want but I know I have bilstein shocks, believe me I can feel every bump, but this is not such a problem, the main problem is alignment the front can not be aligned properly, so my tires wear out pretty fast
what I would reccommend to you if you decide to go with lowered front make sure the axle can be aligned and there would still be enough travel for the future adjustments
Vlado
what I would reccommend to you if you decide to go with lowered front make sure the axle can be aligned and there would still be enough travel for the future adjustments
Vlado
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From: Walnut, CA
MB 1990 300E
the bilstein sports are 30% stiffer than the HD. Im not sure where the comforts are, but i dont think getting the sports are necessary. Probably just go with the HD and that'll be stiff enough.
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
thanks for quick replies. So the HD's aren't as stiff as the Sports? I didn't realize that. Maybe I assumed they were stiffer due to the connotation of "Heavy Duty"...
I know bilsteins have lifetime warranties on them, but if my car is lowered and I use shocks that aren't made for it, wouldn't that be an issue?
I know bilsteins have lifetime warranties on them, but if my car is lowered and I use shocks that aren't made for it, wouldn't that be an issue?
Super Member
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From: Walnut, CA
MB 1990 300E
yeah the whole heavy duty and sports confused me too. Im not sure about the whole warranty thing, because i mean they did make the shocks specifically for our car so it should still be valid. I have no idea though.
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From: London, UK
W124
the bilstein sports are 30% stiffer than the HD
As far as I know Comforts are the softest and H/D and Sports have the same damping? The difference between the H/D and the Sports is that the Sports are valved for lower cars.
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From: Orange County, CA
W124's
All I know is that I love how my car feels with my Bilstein sport set up paired with the Vogtlands.
My car feels the same like it did when it wasn't lowered. The only differences now is improved handling and it's lower
Just go with the Bilstein Sports, If you feel the ride is harsh then switch out the H&R's. Afterall, H&R/Intrax are said to be the harshes springs you could get for the W124.
My car feels the same like it did when it wasn't lowered. The only differences now is improved handling and it's lower
Just go with the Bilstein Sports, If you feel the ride is harsh then switch out the H&R's. Afterall, H&R/Intrax are said to be the harshes springs you could get for the W124.
Last edited by CDP; Apr 14, 2006 at 04:34 AM.
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Thread Starter
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
Okay, so I have come to the conclusion that I'm just gonna get the bilstein sports. The comforts sound too soft for me, and if the sports and HD's are valved exactly the same, with the only difference being that the Sports are shorter, then it seems clear what the correct decision is.
A guy over at mercedesshop told me that he installed HD's on his lowered w124, and they wore out after about a year. So the same logic would apply to the comforts, which are the same length. So my only choice is the sports. Plus, everyone seems to love them. Thanks guys!
Peter
A guy over at mercedesshop told me that he installed HD's on his lowered w124, and they wore out after about a year. So the same logic would apply to the comforts, which are the same length. So my only choice is the sports. Plus, everyone seems to love them. Thanks guys!
Peter
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From: Walnut, CA
MB 1990 300E
Originally Posted by ChrisDPham
All I know is that I love how my car feels with my Bilstein sport set up paired with the Vogtlands.
anyways, this was the site that I read the sports are 30% stiffer than HD. It says it at the bottom of the page in the question "What is the main difference between the different settings?"
http://www.eshocks.com/bil_veh.asp?M...cedes&Manf=All
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From: Orange County, CA
W124's
Originally Posted by X03
I thought you had the bilstein HD and vogtland setup.
anyways, this was the site that I read the sports are 30% stiffer than HD. It says it at the bottom of the page in the question "What is the main difference between the different settings?"
http://www.eshocks.com/bil_veh.asp?M...cedes&Manf=All
anyways, this was the site that I read the sports are 30% stiffer than HD. It says it at the bottom of the page in the question "What is the main difference between the different settings?"
http://www.eshocks.com/bil_veh.asp?M...cedes&Manf=All
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I'm really confused with the discussion about Bilsteins!
Here in Europe the "Sport" is for cars that are not lowered while a type called "Sprint" is for the lowered cars.And then you have the type "Sportline" which I believe is for the factory lowered Sportline model.You can watch Bilsteins catalog here http://katalog.bilstein.de/
Here in Europe the "Sport" is for cars that are not lowered while a type called "Sprint" is for the lowered cars.And then you have the type "Sportline" which I believe is for the factory lowered Sportline model.You can watch Bilsteins catalog here http://katalog.bilstein.de/
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From: London, UK
W124
I think it's just a branding thing.
In Europe H/D is sold as Sport and Sport is sold as Sprint.
From the Bilstein website "BILSTEIN Sprint B8 shocks are tuned to exactly the same degree as the B6 Sports units". I think eshocks.com has made a mistake.
http://www2.bilstein.de/en/produkte/...vergleich.php3
In Europe H/D is sold as Sport and Sport is sold as Sprint.
From the Bilstein website "BILSTEIN Sprint B8 shocks are tuned to exactly the same degree as the B6 Sports units". I think eshocks.com has made a mistake.
http://www2.bilstein.de/en/produkte/...vergleich.php3
