Bilstein Sport -rear shocks continually FAIL - Replace with E36 M3 shock??!

Originally Posted by ega2081

I want your wheels!

So my replacements have arrived at TMS, and need to go pick them up. Interesting little story for you guys:

When I called I asked about continual failure of this shock, as well as switching to E36 M3 shocks to solve the issue, and he said the problem lies in the geometry of the E46 rear suspension, and that the only cure is to sell the car, because any shock you put on there will likely fail.

I don't really know what to think about this. I mean, I feel like if ALL shocks were failing on these cars there'd probably be a recall, and I've even never heard of rear shock issues until now, so my bet is the problem is related to Bilstein. Thoughts?

im going to agree with you sam, we dont see many koni failures. thanks for the lifetime warranty and how easy they are to change!

Sachs seem to last about 100k miles too.

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

I want your wheels!

Many mixed reviews on these wheels, people either love them or hate them.

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

im going to agree with you sam, we dont see many koni failures. thanks for the lifetime warranty and how easy they are to change!

Bingo!
MAYBE the geometry of the car is a bit off... fine. But as Sam said, Koni doesn't seem to have this problem.
Bilstein has to pass the buck, otherwise the "problem" is theirs... and we know big companies never like to admit to any kind of failure. (E46 subframe for example!)

I am happy with my M3 shocks - as long as they are the last ones I need to install.
I don't care who's fault it is, but I do expect it to be resolved & not just pass the buck.

Very interesting. I had a set of Billy sports on my E36 M3 and the rears were definitely beefier than the rears on my current 330. I've been noticing creaking coming from the back as I go up driveways, etc. I have new Meyle HD mounts on there too. I've been on these new mounts/Bilstein sport shocks for about 6 months. I will keep an eye on the rears and see if they leak (if they aren't already leaking)

Wanted to chime in and ask a question of those XI owners in this thread with Bilstein Sport struts and Eibach or H&R lowering springs up front. How much travel (space) is there between your front bumpstop and the top or bottom spring pearch and are you running OEM XI front bumpstops?

I have been running ACS springs and Koni struts w/OEM front bumpstops on my '04 325xit for years now and was always baffeled by the fact that there is no space between the front bumpstop and the upper and lower spring perch (when the car is on the ground). Basically, the amount of travel I have is the amount the front bumpstops will "squash" when I hit a bump.

With the Dinan XI set up which uses Knoi struts, they replace the OEM front bumpstops with E36 M3 front bumpstops.

Guys I have a few questions.

First Ega2081, I love that your car seems to have no rake to it. It's the exact stance I want for my car. Could you go over again what your spring and shock setup is?

The way I understand it is you have billstein sport shocks and H&R sport springs in the front? and H&R sport springs in the rear with e36 M3 Shocks? Is that stock e36 M3 shocks or is it a bilstein replacement that turner sells for the e36 M3?

Also how do you guys go about exchanging them? Will Turner substitute the e36 rears in place of the e46 bilstein sport rears?

I have Eibach+Koni for my 330xi and I am using 31336752832. It's totally fine.

Originally Posted by Shred Sled

Wanted to chime in and ask a question of those XI owners in this thread with Bilstein Sport struts and Eibach or H&R lowering springs up front. How much travel (space) is there between your front bumpstop and the top or bottom spring pearch and are you running OEM XI front bumpstops?

I have been running ACS springs and Koni struts w/OEM front bumpstops on my '04 325xit for years now and was always baffeled by the fact that there is no space between the front bumpstop and the upper and lower spring perch (when the car is on the ground). Basically, the amount of travel I have is the amount the front bumpstops will "squash" when I hit a bump.

With the Dinan XI set up which uses Knoi struts, they replace the OEM front bumpstops with E36 M3 front bumpstops.

H/why would the geometry be different from the E36 than it is for the E46? Bilstein just made a wimpy shock for the E46--I'd imagine it overheats quickly. The E36 M3 unit is way thicker and beefier.

Just got my new M3 shocks from Essex, will install them when the rain stops, I hate working on a wet pavement, from the looks of it they look shorter than the hd's, but woah, they sure are heavier and beefier...hopefully this will result in a net improvement

Just a digression...
When I changed my blown rear Bilstein shocks for a set of used E46 M3 dampers a few weeks ago, I noticed the "spacer ring" (don't know what else to call it, see picture) was longer on the M3 shocks than on the Bilstein's.

Maybe the Bilstein "spacer ring" is to short, thus making the piston rod grind more on one "side" of the seal ring in the damper...!?
I mean, the damper may not be aligned properly from top to bottom, giving it a "banana shape"...!?

Or are Bilstein just ****?

[IMG][/IMG]

Bavarian Autosport has them on sale now for $118.75 each

Not to ask the obvious questions, but everyone with blown Bilsteins has had the boots on the entire time right? I know a cracked / no boot will kill a shock in no time; as soon as a dab of sand gets on the shaft, it damages the seals.

I've had the the Bilstein HDs in the rear for about a year now (including a Vermont winter) with no signs of leaking yet...

Originally Posted by Avet4

Guys I have a few questions.

First Ega2081, I love that your car seems to have no rake to it. It's the exact stance I want for my car. Could you go over again what your spring and shock setup is?

The way I understand it is you have billstein sport shocks and H&R sport springs in the front? and H&R sport springs in the rear with e36 M3 Shocks? Is that stock e36 M3 shocks or is it a bilstein replacement that turner sells for the e36 M3?

Also how do you guys go about exchanging them? Will Turner substitute the e36 rears in place of the e46 bilstein sport rears?

Sorry it took so long to answer. Yes you are correct HR Sport springs all around, Bilstein Sports on the front and Bilstein E36 M3 shocks on the rear. I also purchased some HD shock mounts. I purchased everything from BAV Auto in NH and decided to make the switch to the E36 rears before the actual install. BAV Auto had no problem exchanging them however the M#3shocks are quite a bit more......

Originally Posted by OffCourse

Not to ask the obvious questions, but everyone with blown Bilsteins has had the boots on the entire time right? I know a cracked / no boot will kill a shock in no time; as soon as a dab of sand gets on the shaft, it damages the seals.

I've had the the Bilstein HDs in the rear for about a year now (including a Vermont winter) with no signs of leaking yet...

A brave soul here No you are quite right sir!
The boot is important.
I used the boot on all three Bilstein dampers, yes the same one but I cleaned it before install every time.

This thread rocks. Just a bump for now, I'll be doing some of this work shortly. I'm riding ~1" lower with Bilsteins and H&Rs and there's LOTS of clunking, the rear shocks are definitely blown, completely covered in smudge. I'll warranty the current Bilsteins (not sure which ones they are, just recently bought the car used, will find out) but might end up doing the swap to E36 M3 Sports ... This the right model number @ BavAuto: BE5 2453 ?

when you are talking about "boots" you mean the dust cover that is help by the bump stop right? My bilsteins didn't come with a rubber boot or anything that seals the shock.

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

when you are talking about "boots" you mean the dust cover that is help by the bump stop right? My bilsteins didn't come with a rubber boot or anything that seals the shock.

You reuse the oe covers for the rear on the xi version. The M3 version comes with new blue boots.