Shock Suggestion for M535 WITHOUT raising up the car!

Enchanter · Post by **Enchanter** » May 04, 2011 3:17 PM

Hey All. My M535 is going to need some new shocks. I remember years ago putting Bilstein Sports on my M5 and it raised the front big time. My car sits pretty low and I dont want to put struts in it just to find it sitting 2" higher when I am done. The springs are factory 25 year old m techs. They sit low, which is OK with me!!

Which shocks do I buy? Factory? Koni?

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » May 04, 2011 5:21 PM

Tim,

Send your BMW Bilsteins in to have them rebuilt. That's what I'm doing with the ones from my M535i. I put Bilstein sports and Dinan springs on and it looks stupid. They charge $65/shock and they'll be like new when you get them back.

I'm assuming you can stand to be without them for a while.

rcbmw · Post by **rcbmw** » May 04, 2011 5:48 PM

wkohler wrote: Send your BMW Bilsteins in to have them rebuilt.

Great advice here.

Best,
RCBMW

gcracker · Post by **gcracker** » May 04, 2011 8:51 PM

wkohler wrote:They charge $65/shock and they'll be like new when you get them back.

Thought they were warranteed for life? What's the $65 for?

mooseheadm5 · Post by **mooseheadm5** » May 04, 2011 8:54 PM

gcracker wrote:Thought they were warranteed for life?

Yeah, if you were the original purchaser of the shocks and have the receipt.

George · Post by **George** » May 04, 2011 9:45 PM

Ted in T.O. · Post by **Ted in T.O.** » May 04, 2011 10:39 PM

George wrote:Spax

X2! Check the photo of the Old Beer wagon Tim. Billy sports with Spax springs.

Ted

Mark in Toronto · Post by **Mark in Toronto** » May 05, 2011 10:50 AM

wkohler wrote:Tim,

Send your BMW Bilsteins in to have them rebuilt. That's what I'm doing with the ones from my M535i. I put Bilstein sports and Dinan springs on and it looks stupid. They charge $65/shock and they'll be like new when you get them back.

I'm assuming you can stand to be without them for a while.

X2 on the Billy sports and Dinan springs.

junkyard_sal · Post by **junkyard_sal** » May 05, 2011 11:34 AM

+1 on the rebuilt Billy sports + Dinan or M-Tech springs

Personally, I like Koni shocks but I don't think they make a rear shock for e28s

If you want to dial out some understeer you could put koni sports on the front and rebuilt Billy sports on the back then dial the Konis softer in the front.

Your car has staggered tires and when I test drove it, there was a lot of push. The Konis will not change the ride height.

Rich Euro M5 · Post by **Rich Euro M5** » May 06, 2011 8:38 AM

junkyard_sal wrote: Personally, I like Koni shocks but I don't think they make a rear shock for e28s

The front Koni strut inserts are NLA for the E28. The only ones available are the universal Koni inserts / shocks Ground Control and TMS adapt for use with their coil over suspension systems.

Rich

mooseheadm5 · Post by **mooseheadm5** » May 06, 2011 9:29 AM

If you want it just like it was, rebuild the bilsteins. If you want adjustable damping, Spax.

Enchanter · Post by **Enchanter** » May 08, 2011 11:33 PM

Thanks for the help everyone! I will pull mine, if I see they are still the original Bilsteins, I will send them out. -- Tim

mooseheadm5 · Post by **mooseheadm5** » May 08, 2011 11:51 PM

Check for numbers on the rear shocks. You can see them without removing the shocks. Could help your decision.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » May 08, 2011 11:53 PM

I'll look at the ones I pulled off my M535i and let you know what the number is.

GaAlpinaOwner · Post by **GaAlpinaOwner** » May 09, 2011 10:52 AM

Talk to bilstein about what and how they rebuild. When I went through this 6mos ago with Alpina Spec Bilsteins they would only revalve to either HD or Sport valve stack settings. No spec'd BMW and No Alpina spec'd valving....

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » May 09, 2011 12:21 PM

He doesn't have to get them revalved. Just rebuilt. He's not changing settings.

GaAlpinaOwner · Post by **GaAlpinaOwner** » May 09, 2011 2:43 PM

I was told by the service dept at Bilstein that for the 65.00 charge they replace the valve stack also. Can anyone else verify? This sure would be the cats meow if they do not...As I have quite a few sets of Alpina Struts and shocks that would be valuable to Alpina owners if this is indeed the case....

Karl Grau · Post by **Karl Grau** » May 09, 2011 7:51 PM

GaAlpinaOwner wrote:Talk to bilstein about what and how they rebuild. When I went through this 6mos ago with Alpina Spec Bilsteins they would only revalve to either HD or Sport valve stack settings. No spec'd BMW and No Alpina spec'd valving....

When I talked to them about rebuilding the factory Bilsteins in the e30 I got nowhere. You'd think I'd just asked him on date to a Britney Spears concert by his reaction.
I'll be curious to see what happens with Tim.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » May 10, 2011 1:39 AM

I don't have enough digits to count the number of people who have done this without issue, so...

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » May 10, 2011 3:10 AM

There's a similar thread in Tech Talk where I asked;

1st 5er wrote:If someone has Bilsteins with Hartge stamped on them, when they are sent in for re-valving, will they be done back to original Hartge specs?

What say ye?

Karl Grau · Post by **Karl Grau** » May 10, 2011 10:24 AM

wkohler wrote:I don't have enough digits to count the number of people who have done this without issue, so...

Well maybe I'll just do a walk-in and see what they say. They're just up the road in Poway.

Blue Shadow · Post by **Blue Shadow** » May 10, 2011 12:21 PM

Karl Grau wrote:Well maybe I'll just do a walk-in and see what they say. They're just up the road in Poway. :dunno:

It would be nice to know the availability of the rebuild service to provide anything but the standard shocks and struts.

Obviously, those with specially built parts, be they Hartge, Alpina, BMW, Dinan or others would like to know if these can be made original and new again or not.

It would be nice to know if these special parts can be replicated from non-specially built parts, too. I doubt this possibility as the specs are proprietary.

I'd be disappointed if they can not rebuild the special parts to new specification of those parts.

Maybe you can discuss the differences, in general, of these special parts. They may tell you a bit about added compression or rebound differences without revealing confidential information. Might have to talk about current or recent vehicles to learn anything. Our cars are too old for them to know or care.

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » May 10, 2011 12:27 PM

Blue Shadow wrote:Obviously, those with specially built parts, be they Hartge, Alpina, BMW, Dinan or others would like to know if these can be made original and new again or not.

From here - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?p=857313#857313

535is-pa wrote:ive talked to bilstein usa about rebuilding custom valved shocks, they said that when they take them apart the valving is apparent by the use of the washer like disks that set the valving in the monotube shock. they will inspect them for any wear or damage and be able to rebuild the shock to the valving it had before hand.

my billys where revalved by a local shop that went out of business so i wanted to know my options if they need rebuilt.

MyE28.com

MyE28.com

Shock Suggestion for M535 WITHOUT raising up the car!

Shock Suggestion for M535 WITHOUT raising up the car!

Thanks Everyone