Suspension overhaul

[LJH888]

Ok buddy, thank you for the advice.

[MilanM]

Personaly I like low profile tyres and I think I will stick to 225x45x17...I dont mind lose some comfort and obtain greater look Tnx for reply tough

[oh_superb]

What do you think how much more money do I need if I want to lower my car (like 30 mm-not to much) and put B6?

Is it good investion? What springs do you recomend me?

Will I lost comfort or not? I would like to see her lower not buy much but I think it would look great. Currently I have 17'' rims. I dont want to go to bigger rims it look like  she is just perfect with 17"

Oh yes and can you recomed good tires? I can small big investion in future

Milan, why would you like to lower your ground clearance in Serbia??  I have driven there many times, including the mountains (Zlatibor ski resort as well as across the Rallye stage Crni Vrh - Black Top)… lovely stunning roads, but I definitely don't want a bumpy sports suspension lowered car there….

My standard springs with B6 work well though.

Tyres are Barum 225 45 17, relatively cheap and I am happy with them.  More than 33000km on them and still only half worn.

[MilanM]

Yes you are sooooo right, to this day I had not lowered her and I think I wont. Sure, it would look better, but I would lose much more than I gain.

Ps. Zlatibor is very nice, also Zlatar and Kopaonik...

[jimbof]

Anyone know if B6 shocks with standard springs would be notifiable for the purpose of UK insurance?

[jimbof]

Scratch that, they are bright yellow, so I guess they would be notifiable.  

I am tempted to get a set of what I believe are B4's.  With the current 33% off at GSF, they will be £142 for the whole set. (they just state Bilstein, without the model family).

I believe the B4's are set up for "factory damping forces"?

Do I need new springs if using B4's?  Or keep using the old ones?  What else do I need to give my mechanic to get a good job done?

[dieselV6]

Colour has nothing to do with notifying, you do not change height etc you just put better shocks. I had yellow Konis on RIP Mk1 Octy and nobody complained after it was rear ended and written off.

 

B4s are good shocks and much cheaper, just do not expect massive improvement. The difference B4s to B6s with same stock springs is ~45mph vs ~55-58mph on a "test road" near where I live.  But if you do not want to invest in the old car (quite understandable), B4s are the way.

 

You only need new springs if old ones are corroded, damaged, or if they sagged and e.g. rear sits lower to the ground than front (or there are ground clearance issues). B6s are slightly better fit for an old car as each provides 25kg of spring force, so lifts each corner somewhat (100kg total).

[jimbof]

Thanks, went for the B4's and when I got to GSF they had out for me - a pair of TRW's for the rear and something shoddy looking for the front... GAAHHH!

They are getting the B4's delivered from their head office for the price agreed (£141).

I can't justify £600 on this kind of thing really - if they perform as good as factory (or even slightly better) it will be an upgrade for me - I have 137K on the originals, and no doubt they must be a little past their best now.  MOT before last they picked up on two of them having some misting but the guy said not to worry about it for now.  That was 40K miles ago...

[oh_superb]

My rear ones were knackering the rear tyres at 100k, even without any misting and without noticeable bounce.

I think you will see a positive change once you put the new ones on.

[jimbof]

Going to pickup the B4's in half an hour or so (hopefully).  I ordered new dust covers for the rear ones too, but they won't be here for a couple of weeks from Germany.  I couldn't see anything like dust covers etc for the fronts - are they not needed?

 

I don't get any weird tyre wear (that I notice, anyhow) - but I have noticed recently the car seems to "bounce" a fair bit after hitting dips in the road, and the amount of body roll around corners seems to be worse than I remember.   

 

I'm taking the car to a trusted local independent for him to have a look and see if there is anything else in the suspension dept that needs doing at the same time.  As far as I know it is all original, but the last time I was tracking down a rattle noise both the guys who looked at it thought everything was fine.

 

Are the front shocks a pinchbolt-out job?

[jimbof]

Seems like a lot of metal for the money

 

[CRC]

I was impressed with them and I think you will be as well. Money well spent imho.

 

When you do the fronts, there's a second metal bit that comes in the box that, I think, slides onto the shock and allows the spring to seat ..... or something like that.

 

When we were doing the change, the Bilsteins are a larger diameter than the originals and there was a horrible moment when I thought I'd bought the wrong ones as the original spring seat wouldn't fit over the new shocks. Only after a phone call to the sellers did I realise that the new seat that fits the Bilsteins actually comes with them in the bottom of the box ..... frustration, elation and embarrassment all in one call

 

All was well after that. Glad I hadn't thrown the boxes away.

[jimbof]

Thanks for the tip, this is a job well outside my comfort zone though, so I'll be letting the pros do it.

My pinch bolts haven't been getting the recommended attention over the last 3 years, I have no way to get the car in the air safely, nor any tools like spring compressors etc. Will be a couple of hundred quid well spent, I reckon.

[wiilydog]

Unless you paint them black, you can tell they are upgraded shocks from the colour so best to tell them even if it doesn't lower the car.

[jimbof]

I've gone for the black OE spec B4's in the end - don't want to complicate my life and not worth investing £600 on shocks for a car will close to 140k miles on it

[jimbof]

Just got the B4's fitted on Friday. Seem to have made a significant difference to the handling, less bouncing over bumps, much less roll at roundabouts, so quite pleased really. Looks like one of my rear springs is a little sagged vs the other, so looking to replace. Was thinking of KYB RX6650 - any opinions?

[Hermon]

Just got the B4's fitted on Friday. Seem to have made a significant difference to the handling, less bouncing over bumps, much less roll at roundabouts, so quite pleased really. Looks like one of my rear springs is a little sagged vs the other, so looking to replace. Was thinking of KYB RX6650 - any opinions?

 care to share any pics of your car fitted with b4 ??

[jimbof]

Nothing to see really. I just changed the shocks and not the springs. If anything it might even be slightly higher up now!

[jimbof]

Here you go, as I say not much to see. It is on the winter 16" steelies at the moment.

[Hermon]

ok now i wish my car was black !!    ...looks gud mate ...my left rear shocks are dying ! ..i need to change mine aswell ! oh buowy here we go again with the  :$$$:  :$$$:  :$$$: ....