Bilstein B6's turned up this week

S

Stu Boy

Active member
 Tunbridge Wells
Finally got around to ordering these :D

IMG_2061_zpsuy1vgxnk.jpg

Started with the rears this afternoon. The link below is a must if you are thinking of doing this job, cheers Jembo :thumbsup:


http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=51205&p=752213&hilit=rear+shock#p752213

Hopefully we might have a go at the fronts tomorrow, def an easier job than the the PITA rears :lol:

Oh and check out the girth :o of those shafts on the front struts :thumbsup:
 
Mister T said:
Nice :)

I fitted Eibach springs on mine today, was a lot easier than I was expecting.
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Yes you're correct, easy job. Just need a mate to help with the rears, I didn't even need compressors on the front :o
 
So my spring compressor's have been on yet another holiday in Paddock Wood without even being let out of thier bag!! :rofl:
 
Great, very interested what the ride is like with these. Are you using lowering springs?

Cheers, Alan.
 
quote "Hopefully we might have a go at the fronts tomorrow, def an easier job than the the PITA rears :lol:"

Assuming (dangerous thing to do) that the M is the same as standard E85-86.

Iv'e read so many times about how difficult it is to do the rears, due to the shelf and brackets removal before gaining access to the top nut of the shocks, I am so confused by this. I fitted new rear top mounts a few months ago and it took me 10 minutes to remove everything and gain access to the old mounts. On Thursday my new set of Bilstein B8's arrived from Germany so I fitted them straight away. I found the messing about compressing the springs, and then fitting them to the new shocks, made the fronts much more of a pain than the backs. I'm not trying to be a smart ass, just genuinely so amazed that removing the shelf and brackets has become such a dreaded job. It's just 1 torque screw at one end of the plastic bracket, a bolt (10mm spanner) at the other and a plastic expanding body panel type fastener & pin on the top, and the same the other side. Pull off the hood end, push the clips up and out and lift out the shelf. Fiddly- yes, difficult-no, don't be put off.
 
abar121 said:
Great, very interested what the ride is like with these. Are you using lowering springs?

Cheers, Alan.
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I fitted Eibach's all around when i found i had a broken rear, they are slightly lower and uprated, trouble is now the standard dampers struggle. So i'm hoping these B6's will sort this.
 
Midhurstman said:
quote "Hopefully we might have a go at the fronts tomorrow, def an easier job than the the PITA rears :lol:"

Assuming (dangerous thing to do) that the M is the same as standard E85-86.

Iv'e read so many times about how difficult it is to do the rears, due to the shelf and brackets removal before gaining access to the top nut of the shocks, I am so confused by this. I fitted new rear top mounts a few months ago and it took me 10 minutes to remove everything and gain access to the old mounts. On Thursday my new set of Bilstein B8's arrived from Germany so I fitted them straight away. I found the messing about compressing the springs, and then fitting them to the new shocks, made the fronts much more of a pain than the backs. I'm not trying to be a smart ass, just genuinely so amazed that removing the shelf and brackets has become such a dreaded job. It's just 1 torque screw at one end of the plastic bracket, a bolt (10mm spanner) at the other and a plastic expanding body panel type fastener & pin on the top, and the same the other side. Pull off the hood end, push the clips up and out and lift out the shelf. Fiddly- yes, difficult-no, don't be put off.
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I agree the rears are a fiddly job but not difficult, now i've done it i could do it again in less than half the time :thumbsup:

As for the fronts i didn't need compressors to remove the old springs or fit the new ones, again not a difficult job. I didn't get around to fitting the new struts today, hopefully i'll be able to carry out this work one evening this week.
 
matash said:
So my spring compressor's have been on yet another holiday in Paddock Wood without even being let out of thier bag!! :rofl:
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Yes Matt, they're having a great time loafing about in my garage, not done a seconds work as of yet :lol:
 
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get these from and how much were they?

Look forward to your review :)
 
gwatson said:
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get these from and how much were they?

Look forward to your review :)
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Bought them from Larkspeed, £700 delivered. You might get them for less if you shop around, a mate said they were available at Euro Car Parts :o

I think the rears are common to all Z4's but the fronts are M specific.
 
gwatson said:
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get these from and how much were they?

Look forward to your review :)
Click to expand...

Check out http://www.Ebay.de Got my full set of B8's incl delivery in 3 days by DPD for about £460.00 last week, here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311307487033?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I know the M fronts are different in the bottom mountings and probably cost a little more but B6's start off cheaper than B8's. Couldn't fault the service.
 
Thats it all done. Finally got around to fitting the front struts today, easy job and i didn't need the spring compressors either, cheers though Matt :thumbsup:

On the rears when i compared the old units to the new you could tell that the Bilsteins offered better damping but not as much as i expected, but the fronts had a marked difference when compared, requiring more that twice the effort to compress them.

So out i went for a quick spin :driving: it feels so much better, more planted, rides our dreadful roads nicer, great around the twisty's and i don't think the ride has been compromised, they suit the Eibach's very well :D . All in all very pleased, i should have done it sooner :?

Midhurstman, you got a great deal there :thumbsup: Prob could have saved myself a fair sum had i ordered from there.

I did enquire about B8's for mine but i was informed that they are not available for the ///M so it was the B6's for me. Apparently they are the same the difference being the B8 has a shorter piston/rod to compliment lowered springs.
 
Just wondering how you're getting on with your B6's now you've put some miles on them :)

Can get all four for £488 from Germany which is pretty reasonable. I'm also running Eibachs but one of my standard rear shocks isn't extending when disconnected, 62k miles now.
 
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