Modified B6 Valving

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wyshyvanuk

Member
 Tucson AZ
I'm looking for comments about the Bilstein B6 system with modified valving from Birds BMW. Birds has an excellent reputation for their differential installations and I'm hoping that the same extends to their damper modifications. Any specific comments about the valving changes are welcome. I had previously replaced the OEM dampers on my Z4M with standard a B6 system, and was very impressed with the improvement in ride quality.
Thanks,
Ted
 
Didn't know Birds did a modified B6 for the Z4M. What sort of money they charging?
I just fitted a B12Pro kit with B6 plus Eibach springs to my Z4M roadster and it bottoms out too easily and very harshly at the front. Otherwise agree general ride and handling improved. Booked in to have the internal bump stops shortened to allow more travel for the Eibach springs that come in the kit. If that doesn't work then I'll revert to standard springs I think.
 
I have no direct experience but I'm fairly certain Dan Prosser late of piston heads ran an M135i with the birds modified dampers on it, and he rated them very highly.
 
From Kevin Bird in 2018, "£1213.35 + shipping", but I suspect the price has increased since then.
99ron: are the B12 Pro kit Eibachs shorter than standard?
Ed Doe: are you running the InTrax coil-overs in the rear or the split spring and damper system? I'm guessing the coil-over with some reinforcement.
Thanks, gentlemen!!
 
wyshyvanuk said:
From Kevin Bird in 2018, "£1213.35 + shipping", but I suspect the price has increased since then.
99ron: are the B12 Pro kit Eibachs shorter than standard?
Ed Doe: are you running the InTrax coil-overs in the rear or the split spring and damper system? I'm guessing the coil-over with some reinforcement.
Thanks, gentlemen!!
Click to expand...

Original owner of mine ran true coilovers for a chunk of time, doing all sorts of spa and ring trips. 2nd owner reverted to divorced spring and damper setup. I have just reverted back to true coilover rear again, but personally have yet to do more than 10miles on this setup as the car is with the garage getting various other bits sorted. The car is on about 75k miles and the rear is entirely standard (ie no reinforcement), and there is as yet no evidence of deformation of the rear turrets/mounting points.
 
wyshyvanuk said:
From Kevin Bird in 2018, "£1213.35 + shipping", but I suspect the price has increased since then.
99ron: are the B12 Pro kit Eibachs shorter than standard?
Ed Doe: are you running the InTrax coil-overs in the rear or the split spring and damper system? I'm guessing the coil-over with some reinforcement.
Thanks, gentlemen!!
Click to expand...
Yes 20mm drop. You'd think sold as a kit the internal bump stop in the front dampers would be sized accordingly but seems not. I remember the M135 Birds article. I think EVO covered it as well. Think Prosser was working for them around that time. I had checked their website but no suspension options listed for Z4M. I think they tune each kit for each model type. With less than 1000 Z4Ms in the UK I guess that's a limited market and maybe not worth their while.
 
Alas, received from Kevin Bird this morning:

"Hi Ted,

Sorry, we can't do that anymore. Bilstein have been busy culling inventory and redesigning dampers in such a way as they cannot be opened for revalveing!
Last set we ordered took months to arrive, and when they did, we discovered the changes they had made. We have to back out of this kind of solution.

Regards, Kevin Bird.
www.birdsauto.com
+44 (0)1753 657 444"
 
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