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Big problems shock absorbers Bilstein B6


Johnm400
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UPDATE- Spoke to somebody at Bilstein technical dept and he wants me to measure the shock absorber dimensions. He also said that the spring seat could be the wrong one and for the rears so ive got to check that too. Failing that, they can alter the shocks at worst case scenario.

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As Sam has pointed out the rear and front springs are different lengths so are you sure this is the correct spring for the correct corner of the car??

 

However having gone through this length difference with Christians car neither were loose when fitted and off the car even when they were the wrong way round.

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As Sam has pointed out the rear and front springs are different lengths so are you sure this is the correct spring for the correct corner of the car??

 

However having gone through this length difference with Christians car neither were loose when fitted and off the car even when they were the wrong way round.

 

Yes they are deffo the right springs. I even have a spare front spring off another Supra and that is exactly the same. I am almost certain that something is wrong with the Bilsteins or the bottom spring seats they sent are wrongly machined.

 

If anybody is thinking of buying Bilsteins I'd hold off until I get to the bottom of this problem because something isn't right.

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Update. Still none the wiser with this. All shock measurements sent to Bilstein say everything is correct and are also stumped. The car has been lowered substantially at the front just by fitting the B6 shocks, i cant even get the jack under now. Bilstein are now looking into either altering the spring seat height or making me some sleeves that sit between the circlip and spring seat.

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If it helps you or me I have my setup pics to hand here: I’m using eibach lowering springs

 

https://jza80.mkivsupra.net/imports/2019/06/59.jpg

 

https://jza80.mkivsupra.net/imports/2019/06/60.jpg

 

Do the B6 part numbers match?

 

 

 

 

 

/QUOTE]

 

Yes the part numbers are right and Bilstein say all the measurements ive sent them are correct. They cant understand why the car has been lowered just by changing the shocks but its clear to me that the lower spring seat sits lower down on the Bilsteins than it does on the OEM shocks. Its only about 15mm lower but thats enough to stop me being able to get in and out of the garage without scraping. The lower spring seat and longer piston rod also means that the OEM spring is not long enough to sit under tension between the spring seat and top mount. If you put one of your Bilstein fronts next to your old Toyota front shock, you will sew what i mean about the spring seat being lower on the Bilstein.

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Now Bilstein have gone quiet and i am not getting a reply. No idea what im going to do now. Im stuck with two shock absorbers that are no good to me and 260 odd quid down the drain. Is there nobody that has a pair of new OEM KYB shocks i could buy?

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Yes, that holds the bump stop to the top of the rod. Ive had it all apart and checked 3 times and the Bilstein dampers definitely lower to car by about 15mm when using the original springs so with lowering springs, the drop must be about 35mm

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Chris is found in deepest Shropshire in his garage or the pub. He is an authorised forum trader who has been the resident suspension development and geometry specialist forever. Call him on 07971-952084 or email him on [email protected]

 

Don't PM him, he doesn't do PM's :D

 

Ah i see, ill give Bilstein until next week to come back to me, if not ill contact him and see what he suggests. Thanks for the help!

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Theres a little spacer type thing on top of the rod. Is this correctly fitted?
Yes, that holds the bump stop to the top of the rod. Ive had it all apart and checked 3 times and the Bilstein dampers definitely lower to car by about 15mm when using the original springs so with lowering springs, the drop must be about 35mm
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Mate

 

I forgot I was going to send you the numbers on my shocks which were supplied last year.

 

fronts - 24-017930 followed by B46 1793

 

This was an assembled front unit ready to fit. You can see the spring compressor fitted and the spring compressed so I could get the strut with OEM springs compressed to get the strut in place.

 

imageIMG_20190130_203641 by Jon Christie, on Flickr

 

I dont have a picture of the rears which shows the part number

 

I got my sets from https://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/category_results.mhtml?category=bilsteinsportsshocksrear;car=toyotasupra;manufacturer=bilst;sub_category=1

 

 

Hope this helps

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Can you post up your actually ride heights to the underside of the outer edge of the arch for all corners. What profile tyre are you using also all corners

 

Sorry if it’s a repeat comment but are your sure the old springs are OEM supra parts

 

 

 

 

/QUOTE]

 

Will do when i get chance tomorrow night. Tyres are 35 profile. Theres deffo a drop of about 15mm from just changing the shocks from standard KYB to the B6's. I cant even get the trolley jack under to jack it up now and i wouldnt really bother but now i cant get over the ramp out of the garage without a major scrape.

 

Springs are 100% OEM standard springs.

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Mate

 

I forgot I was going to send you the numbers on my shocks which were supplied last year.

 

fronts - 24-017930 followed by B46 1793

 

This was an assembled front unit ready to fit. You can see the spring compressor fitted and the spring compressed so I could get the strut with OEM springs compressed to get the strut in place.

 

https://jza80.mkivsupra.net/imports/2019/06/90.jpgIMG_20190130_203641 by Jon Christie, on Flickr

 

I dont have a picture of the rears which shows the part number

 

I got my sets from https://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/category_results.mhtml?category=bilsteinsportsshocksrear;car=toyotasupra;manufacturer=bilst;sub_category=1

 

 

Hope this helps

 

That shock in the pic is the rear mate.

 

The part numbers are correct as ive checked with Bilstein. They sent me a diagram of the shock with measurements and all those are correct too. I can only assume that the Bilsteins do in fact lower the car a little and are designed to do so but adding lowering springs with them must give a fairly large drop as you get the lowering effect of the spring and the shock combined. This is all well and good but the reason i bought the Bilsteins was because i was under the impression they keep the standard ride height when using standard springs.

 

Im also now in a catch 22 situation with the rears. I was going to buy the rears so they are all matching but the last thing i want to do is lower it at the rear too. I really could do with a 15mm sleeve that sits between the circlip and spring seat to lift it back to standard height.

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Just to also add, the strangest thing happened when i jacked the car up. The spring was now tight with the weight off. It seems the rod does not extend as far straight after there has been weight on the car but when left overnight the spring became slack again so im not too concerned with the spring being slack anymore, its the lowering effect thats now bothering me.

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So the update on this is that the Bilsteins will lower the car by 15mm if you were using the original Toyota KYB shock absorbers. They only keep the standard ride height if you are swapping from factory Toyota Bilstein shocks. Supras with Bilsteins from the factory must of been 15mm lower than Supras with the KYB shocks unless the springs that came with the factory Bilsteins were different/longer?

 

Bilstein say making a 15mm collar to sit under the spring seat wont work (ive no idea why not as surely any rise in the spring seat will also lift the car) and the only option is for me to return the shocks and have them machine a new groove into the shock body 15mm higher up and then fit another circlip for the spring seat to sit on.

 

This has now become a PITA! Im sick of taking them off and putting them back on and now ive got refit the old shocks to send the Bilsteins back and await them altering them then refit them all over again. I also have the exact same problem facing me when i buy the rear shocks.

 

I looked into just selling the Bilsteins at a loss to get some money back and then buying some coilovers but HSD say their coilovers will lower the car by 20mm on the highest setting so im assuming no coilovers will give standard ride height but ive also emailed BC Racing to see if their kit is the same. The only other option is air suspension so i can lift the car as i drive into the garage but i really do not want to go down that route.

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So the update on this is that the Bilsteins will lower the car by 15mm if you were using the original Toyota KYB shock absorbers. They only keep the standard ride height if you are swapping from factory Toyota Bilstein shocks. Supras with Bilsteins from the factory must of been 15mm lower than Supras with the KYB shocks unless the springs that came with the factory Bilsteins were different/longer?

 

Bilstein say making a 15mm collar to sit under the spring seat wont work (ive no idea why not as surely any rise in the spring seat will also lift the car) and the only option is for me to return the shocks and have them machine a new groove into the shock body 15mm higher up and then fit another circlip for the spring seat to sit on.

 

This has now become a PITA! Im sick of taking them off and putting them back on and now ive got refit the old shocks to send the Bilsteins back and await them altering them then refit them all over again. I also have the exact same problem facing me when i buy the rear shocks.

 

I looked into just selling the Bilsteins at a loss to get some money back and then buying some coilovers but HSD say their coilovers will lower the car by 20mm on the highest setting so im assuming no coilovers will give standard ride height but ive also emailed BC Racing to see if their kit is the same. The only other option is air suspension so i can lift the car as i drive into the garage but i really do not want to go down that route.

 

 

If you want a lift spacer machining up let me know. I can turn one up on my lathe. Its practically the same as moving the groove for the clip.

 

 

 

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