WhiteKnight '01

Last week I ordered a set of 4 bilstein shocks for my car, which just hit the 72,000 mile mark. Presuming the de-Carbons had more than had it, I figured it was time for an upgrade, and I've heard great things about Bilsteins.

Finally got around to installing them today. Firstly, I know anyone who's installed these is familiar with the infamous nut that is usually rusted on. Front left one came off nice and clean. The front right one was basically welded on with rust, no hope of ever getting it off with a ratchet. My friend's idea was to use a hammer and chisel. Old fashioned way, cut the sucker off. After about 20 long and stressful minutes of pounding away with a hammer and chisel the nut finally gave out, we had cut through it. I still have the nut, plan on posting a picture soon. Took about 3 1/2 hours from start to finish to get all shocks in, and put everything back together.

I was very anxious to get on the road and test out the feel of my new shocks. Most people have told me it's a night and day difference, so I was ready for it. Driving around slowly, I felt almost no difference at all. Highway speeds, still felt very little difference. I would assume since these are more performance oriented shocks that they make the ride stiffer, for some reason I was expecting a better quality ride, not so shaky and bumpy. The car does feel slightly more stable across bumps, doesn't bounce around as much...I guess.

Final test I did was a high speed test. Previously, on the old shocks, my car felt a little unstable at high speeds, and the handling decreased greatly, the car felt sluggish and slow to turn at high speeds. Tonight I took the car up to 105MPH and wiggled the wheel a bit. VAST improvement in that area, car feels VERY stable at high speeds, handling is EXCELLENT, very precise. I feel like I'm actually driving a Camaro now, not a minivan. So in that aspect I was very pleased with the new shocks. But overall I do feel a little disappointed, $367 for 4 new shocks and I can barely tell a difference, unless I go over 100MPH.

It was maintenance that needed to be done on the car, so I am glad I have gotten it out of the way. But looking back now, I sort of wish I had waited longer, till 80,000 or 90,000 miles, maybe I'd feel more of a difference by that point.

Final score 7/10

On a side note, anyone have any idea how long the Bilstein shocks should last?

Ghostintheshell

You may have other worn suspension parts causing the poor handling.

99 WS-sick

iTrader: (2)

ill be changing mine soon also an now know that i want be buying these lol thanks for letting me know. did u lower to car or just shocks?

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

You're tripping, for just doing shocks this is a vast improvement. The rest of your setup might be lagging. If you are looking for a value replacement set this is the set to go with. Only thing I'd rather have would be a Koni setup but its too much coin for my street needs. Remember you only did shocks, if you want to more you need to do more. Springs, sways, phb, lca's, tq arm can also be upgraded.

WhiteKnight '01

Springs are fine. They aren't worn out. The shocks just didn't make the impact I thought they would. I'm thinking it's either go Koni's or go home.

HAZ-Matt

iTrader: (8)

All I can offer is my observations on the matter, since I can't make observations for other people.

I had Bilstein HD's on my 2000 V6 with stock springs. The ride was mildly firmer, but the car was vastly more controlled over bumps. Roll control was better, wheel hop was reduced, less nose dive in braking. Definitely felt more precise. I would say the handling and control was night and day.

I currently have my '01 Formula and the first thing I did to it was put on a set of SA Koni's. They ride a little firmer than the Bilstein's They are adjustable of course, but I find the lower end of the rebound settings about as much as you would want for a stock sprung street car with standard wheels and axle. At any rate, the change was again at least as pronounced as on the V6.

The point of all of this: If you didn't think going from the stock dampers to the Bilsteins was much of an improvement, I doubt you will be happy going to Konis. I don't know what your expectations were for the ride, but you just cannot get a soft Lincoln ride as well as the damping required to make these cars handle precisely, especially considering the stock spring rates and the damping required to control the rear axle. If you want a softer ride, stick with the underdamped stockers. Or find some lower rate springs. I am more than happy to live with a slightly firmer ride given the increase in control with either shock over stock.

themealonwheels

iTrader: (20)

You know, I felt the same with my bilstein install. If you want to FEEL a difference, shocks are not what you want to touch first... IMO

99'CajunFirehawk157

iTrader: (57)

Curious: You mention SLP Bilstein, so you bought these from SLP or you bought these somewhere else?

Cars came with an option thru SLP for Bilstein......but I bought my Bilstein thru ebay, nothing affiliated w/SLP, not real sure if their is any difference, perhaps SLP's are valved a lil different. Sorry you didn't find them a better ride, those stock decarbon are pure junk after 35k miles.

Ya say you had nut issues...LOL

JD_AMG

I couldn't disagree more with this. Konis made a bigger difference BY FAR than any other suspension mod Ive done (springs, swaybars, torque arm, LCAs, LCA relocation brackets, SFCs, STB).
Bilstiens are basically a "sporty" stock replacement shock.

1quickTransAm

iTrader: (4)

I agree with you guys. The car did feel a little more controlled and composed, but it was nothing drastic. I too did shocks only. I imagine that springs would really make a difference.

WhiteKnight '01

I bought the "HD Bilsteins" from Ws6project.com. When they arrived in the mail the box was taped with SLP all over.

Yeah, the nut we took off looked very similar to that one.

dabest09

iTrader: (1)

At least get some lowering springs, that should help a little more.

pewter2002

iTrader: (4)

I found the SLP Bilsteins were a great improvement over my low mileage Decarbons (11,000 mi) let alone 70k old ones! The Bilsteins seem to have the ride/handling valving just about perfect for a DD. That said, I felt that the ride was excellent but I wanted more damping and moved up to the Koni SA and they are def more agressively damped compared to the Bilsteins which is what I was after. There was a certain amount of "wallow" and pitch that made the car feel a little too soft. The body motions are much better controlled with the Konis PERIOD. End of story.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I'm surprised to hear your take on the Bilsteins. I've replaced DeCarbons with them on four different cars with the stock shocks having from 40 to 100k on them. In every case they made a marked difference - a littler firmer, but a smoother ride, much less impact harshness, better rebound, and overall improved handling.

I have Konis on the front of my DD A4 car. They have better rebound control than the Bilsteins but more impact harshness.

WhiteKnight '01

Day 2 of having the bilsteins.

Ride quality overall has a very slight improvement, barely noticeable. I would say they ride slightly smoother, but feel more rigid and firm, therein making the ride a bit harsher at times too. But the car feels more stable, it doesn't bounce as much as it used to, though I still stand by what I said, they have made a slight improvement.

Took the car up to 90MPH today on an old country road on the way back home. Driving fast feels much safer, controlled, and overall more fun now. The car feels very stable, planted, handling is improved, though far from perfect, and the ride quality improves more at higher speeds.

Going over large or noticeable bumps. Feel a slight improvement, bounce isn't so harsh now, but still very noticeable.

To reiterate, I guess I was expecting more from these shocks. My car felt like it had 72,000 miles on it...which it did. I was under the impression that new shocks, and Bilsteins at that, would make the car feel brand new as far as ride quality and many handling aspects go. The car feels like it has 30,000 miles on it now. Better, but far from new.

ghardester

Is there room to get a 4" die grinder cut-off tool on that nut?

I am in the planning stages of changing the front struts.

riceburnerZ28

iTrader: (20)

3" disc work well for me, but I ended up using a air hammer because the cutoff wheel was cutting the mount too