Bilstein B4 shocks ok for Msport setup ? anybody got them??
- Thread starter Rory
- Start date
I've just fitted today, to my 3.0i Coupe with M Sport suspension, B4's and Eibach springs. One of the shocks wasn't returning on inspection after strip down. Already have the springs fitted to the rear, just shocks to do next week. I need gaskets for the rear top mounts first. Visually it looks spot on, not to low, ride is better, not much but slightly less crashy. Better under braking. Happy with my choice and a great price, £330 for four shocks, £120 I think for the springs from eBay, Germany. New top mounts, went for lemforder (factory used apparently?)as I've read reports of knocking from the Meyle rears! Can only echo what others said who've fitted them. They work fine!
Checked my tyres to find out they are extra load rated, so that won't be helping my ride!
Going to try to run them at a couple of PSI lower to see if it makes much difference.. theres loads of meat on them ( z4 seems to hardly use tyres at all! ) so don't want to change them really.
Going to try to run them at a couple of PSI lower to see if it makes much difference.. theres loads of meat on them ( z4 seems to hardly use tyres at all! ) so don't want to change them really.
Did you ever find a solid answer? I have the 2004 z4. I’m in the same boat. I don’t know if these b4 struts will keep the same ride height or make it sit higher in front. B6 and 8 say it will work with the m sport susp. Olso read that the Koni yellows will work. There adjustable and cost more tho. About worn out reaserching what ones will and won’t.
Mine are shot and need new top hats so looking for struts that will do well when I take my monthly 100 mile hwy trips and my country drives on not so great curvy roads.
Mine are shot and need new top hats so looking for struts that will do well when I take my monthly 100 mile hwy trips and my country drives on not so great curvy roads.
I went with B4's on my E86 with the M-Sport suspension, and I think it's a great compromise. My friend's son, who's a BMW master tech, said that he thought I'd find the B6's too harsh on our local roads - especially with the coupe being a bit stiffer chassis than the roadster. The B4's seem to work fine with the shorter M-Sport springs, and they didn't increase my ride height, once the car settled.
Dampers don't control the ride height, the springs do, so if you're sticking with OE spring lengths your ride height shouldn't change. FWIW I changed my original M-Sport suspension for B4s and Supplex springs (to standard M-Sport spec) and it now rides great, and at the OEM ride height.
Thank you guys for all the good info! Looking at some b4 earlier and they say not compatible with m sport susp. The koni yellow said in there site that there good for up to 35mm spring drop and the B6 were to 30mm. I’ll see if I can find the B4s that work with my sport springs. Would like to have adjustable but can’t find enough info to justify higher cost and don’t want a jaw clamping ride 25/7.
One post said the spring stool
Had to be modified to work and other said tube shaft was like a mm off and had to do some honing and grinding to fit the koni. Idk!
But I know but anythings better than what I’ve got. Seals leaking now on front right I see and some on left.
I guess bumps and covers for fronts are same besides for the b6. Those tubes are bigger around. Thanks again guys for the help here. Getting older and slower and want to dive into this as soon as I can and drive Before it gets cold again!
One post said the spring stool
Had to be modified to work and other said tube shaft was like a mm off and had to do some honing and grinding to fit the koni. Idk!
But I know but anythings better than what I’ve got. Seals leaking now on front right I see and some on left.
I guess bumps and covers for fronts are same besides for the b6. Those tubes are bigger around. Thanks again guys for the help here. Getting older and slower and want to dive into this as soon as I can and drive Before it gets cold again!
I can only share my own experiences, I have fitted B4s as have many others and had no issue with M-Sport spring lengths. Parts I fitted as follows:
Rears - 19-158983_759
Fronts - 22-164575_758 and 22-164575_757 (now 22-164575 and 22-164568)
M-Sport spec Suplex springs are 06248 and 06231 - 20mm shorter at the front and 3mm shorter at the rear than SE spec springs.
No issues at all pairing this hardware.
Rears - 19-158983_759
Fronts - 22-164575_758 and 22-164575_757 (now 22-164575 and 22-164568)
M-Sport spec Suplex springs are 06248 and 06231 - 20mm shorter at the front and 3mm shorter at the rear than SE spec springs.
No issues at all pairing this hardware.
There is lots of confusion about E85 suspension. B4's work fine with Msport and standard springs lengths but they are not compatible with cars that have M suspension (so M cars).
On my 2004 E85 3.0 I'm running B4's front and rear with Msport Suplex springs at the front - and i was running stock BMW Msport springs at the rear but they got a bit flakey so I bought a set of what i was told were Mpsort rear springs for cheap but it turned out they were standard ones. I put them on anyhow and haven't yet felt the need to change them!
On my 2004 E85 3.0 I'm running B4's front and rear with Msport Suplex springs at the front - and i was running stock BMW Msport springs at the rear but they got a bit flakey so I bought a set of what i was told were Mpsort rear springs for cheap but it turned out they were standard ones. I put them on anyhow and haven't yet felt the need to change them!
Thanks Ben for the info and part #s that helped a lot!
I agree Rockhopper, There’s a lot of crossed info on net.
That’s what I don’t get. Says won’t work with m susp. But that’s what we have.. thicker sway bars lower springs ect. I don’t think they made a M until 2006. Anyway that’s what kept
Throwing me off. I bet they do ride better.
I agree Rockhopper, There’s a lot of crossed info on net.
That’s what I don’t get. Says won’t work with m susp. But that’s what we have.. thicker sway bars lower springs ect. I don’t think they made a M until 2006. Anyway that’s what kept
Throwing me off. I bet they do ride better.
M is different to Msport 
I think he means M sport / M tech. Not M series.
I just installed b4's on my 'm-sport'. 2005 3.0i 6 speed manual. It is a big improvement. However, the original struts and shocks were shot with 141K miles on them and 20 years of driving. Here is my post...https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=148916&e=1&view=unread#unread
