What NON-coilover suspension do you prefer

[Icecream]

Good info, thank you. The 20mm/10mmdrop is on the b6s "HD" correct? That is music to my ears as I thought they didn't like any drop at all! Also, their gas pressure seems to lift people's cars, perhaps that's partly where the "b6s don't like any drop" came from.

I asked bilstein about this too. They repeatedly told me that the shocks cannot raise the car and has no effect on height. Nearly the entire internet seems to disagree but this is coming from the source and makes sense to me. I had B4s before which are not high pressure and now B6 shocks. To my eye, the car sits exactly the same.

[Arith2]

Good info, thank you. The 20mm/10mmdrop is on the b6s "HD" correct? That is music to my ears as I thought they didn't like any drop at all! Also, their gas pressure seems to lift people's cars, perhaps that's partly where the "b6s don't like any drop" came from.

Sometimes you just need to call the source.

Another note I fogot to mention is he highly suggested NOT using camber/caster plates with these. It voids the warranty if that causes any problems. I would not advise telling them you have camber plates unless they ask. He said it puts stress on the shaft and cause leaks or other issues.

[yhp2009]

The shocks are designed for 20mm of drop in the front and 10mm in the rear. That's .787" and .393" whereas the springs drop .9" and .6". This will bottom out as previously stated if driven too hard.

Are there coilover conversion kits compatible with the B12? Perhaps we can simply adjust for that difference in drop?

[Obioban]

I asked bilstein about this too. They repeatedly told me that the shocks cannot raise the car and has no effect on height. Nearly the entire internet seems to disagree but this is coming from the source and makes sense to me. I had B4s before which are not high pressure and now B6 shocks. To my eye, the car sits exactly the same.

I was taking measurements on my soon to go to FCM bilsteins the other day and was able to compress them reasonably easily with my weight, and they didn't have any meaningful spring force. Hard to imagine they'd meaningfully raise the car.

The Bilstein shocks have a reputation for not working well with lowered cars because they have less bump travel than any other shock I can think of sold for the car. The are low on bump travel with stock springs. Lower the car and you may be sitting on the bump stop by default.

[Arith2]

Are there coilover conversion kits compatible with the B12? Perhaps we can simply adjust for that difference in drop?

The B12 is a kit with B6s shocks and the Eibach Pro Sport kit so no. It isn't a coilover kit. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by your question but I can't imagine any interchangability possible.

I don't know why anyone thinks shocks will raise the car. They control movement, not push the car up. You what controls ride height? Springs do it. This is a stupid rumor from people who don't understand basic undercar theory. You don't put ride height adjusters on shocks, you put then on the springs, always. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

[r4dr]

Another note I fogot to mention is he highly suggested NOT using camber/caster plates with these. It voids the warranty if that causes any problems. I would not advise telling them you have camber plates unless they ask. He said it puts stress on the shaft and cause leaks or other issues.

I've seen this mentioned in GC's camber plate description. They also call Bilsteins out as specifically being susceptible to this.

These camber plates are built at an angle, just like the engineers correctly determined the stock ones should be.......A straight camber plate will always hold the strut at angle, causing premature wear of the side seals, especially on Bilstein PSS9. This is because the e46 M3 strut NEVER is straight.

https://groundcontrolstore.com/collections/e46-m3-camber-plates/products/bmw-e46-m3-camber-caster-plate-street-pair

[maupineda]

The B12 is a kit with B6s shocks and the Eibach Pro Sport kit so no. It isn't a coilover kit. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by your question but I can't imagine any interchangability possible.

I don't know why anyone thinks shocks will raise the car. They control movement, not push the car up. You what controls ride height? Springs do it. This is a stupid rumor from people who don't understand basic undercar theory. You don't put ride height adjusters on shocks, you put then on the springs, always. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

I don't think is a rumour, there are physics behind it. If the shock/strut has more gas pressure, that gas pressure will support the weight of the car. all things equal, if you have a shock with 20lbs more of gas pressure, well, 20lbs of the car's weight will be needed to overcome that resistance, reducing the distance the car will drop. there may be other differences in the strut design too as explained in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlppKcxGWzA

So to be sure, as all things in engineering land, without data, is all speculation or opinions. Anyone with side to side dimensions of Bilstein VS OE, or other brands, please share.

[trigtm]

I went with Koni and Dinan springs and love the combo. I got my Konis for 780 shipped earlier this year and the Dinan spring for about the going rate. I didn’t want to go low and screw the handling or the ride.


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[Tbonem3]

I believe I read about the gas pressure raising the car slightly from EricSMG and Dal back on m3f, both respected guys, especially Eric with regards to suspension/chassis.

IIRC, Dal even went so far as to make a .gif showing the effect of the bilstein b6 pressure

[Icecream]

I believe I read about the gas pressure raising the car slightly from EricSMG and Dal back on m3f, both respected guys, especially Eric with regards to suspension/chassis.

IIRC, Dal even went so far as to make a .gif showing the effect of the bilstein b6 pressure

You can compress the shock by hand, how would that affect ride height. They have high pressure in a specific place to do a specific job. The gas is not supporting the shock.

[maupineda]

You can compress the shock by hand, how would that affect ride height. They have high pressure in a specific place to do a specific job. The gas is not supporting the shock.

The gas at pressure is at the bottom of the shock in a separate chamber, high-pressure gas plays an opposing resistance/force to the weight of the car, it will limit how much the car drops as it rests on its suspension (not much, is just 40-50#), we are talking about 3-4mm (1/8in) in a stock car, will you notice it? maybe.

This is exactly how air suspensions work and why those air suspensions can lower and raise the car by just adding/removing air pressure from the chamber, in the case of shocks is not compressed air, but nitrogen, but is the same physical phenomena

[yhp2009]

I think a good analogy is a bench press scenario. You are the spring, the car is the barbell and weights, and the shock is the spotter
If youve ever bench pressed with a spotter you'd know that the slightest upward pressure makes a huge difference. It can actually result in the spring coming to rest at a less compressed state

[Icecream]

I think a good analogy is a bench press scenario. You are the spring, the car is the barbell and weights, and the shock is the spotter
If youve ever bench pressed with a spotter you'd know that the slightest upward pressure makes a huge difference. It can actually result in the spring coming to rest at a less compressed state

From my very limited knowledge that is not how it works. I think a better analogy is a marble in a coke can. Even though the can is under pressure, the marble can freely move around insiide.
The only difference on the shock is there is a valve instead of a marble that allows oil to move back and forth between chambers. The oil is under pressure but a valve allows oil to flow freely (at some rate) between chambers. There is no higher pressure on one side of a valve vs the other until the shock is rapidly compressed or extended.

[yhp2009]

Hmm I see what youre saying. Ive always understood it using my bench press analogy.
The solution in my mind is that at any point along the compression of the B6 shock, it will take more force to press it further compared to an oem shock. And then it follows that the spring will reach "equilibrium" at a higher position.
But Im not an expert on this so just take it as my 2c

[R60BBA]

Bilstein B6 dampers make the car sit higher due to its high gas pressure.