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Thread: Bilstein HD's VS. Bilstein Sports

  1. #1
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    Bilstein HD's VS. Bilstein Sports

    Okay Ive dont my research on both and found out that the sport is 1) stiffer 2) has a shorter valving for lowering springs. On the HD's 1) they are more comfortable and 2) longer valving. I have HD's not installed yet. I was wondering If i put lowering springs on either one, will they lower the same height or which one would be higher??? Some say HD's will be higher than sports and some say they are the same. Please chime..... Thanks

  2. #2
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    I'd like to know this too. I've heard a few say HD Bilsteins will raise the car, but no one has stepped up to tell me they've experienced it first hand. I always thought the coil spring supports the weight of the car. I can push the rod down into my HD's slowly by hand, so I can't imagine they are so stiff they will push up the weight of my car!

  3. #3
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    springs for the most part determine ride height - hydraulic pressure in teh shocks will not determine ride height. However, what will affect ride height depending on the shock is the spring perches.

    HDs and Sports have been verified with Bilstein representatives multiple times as having identical valving, the HDs are simply optimized for stock ride height and the sports are for cars with sports or aftermarket lowering springs.

    Ride comfort is extremely dependant on the driver - some people love how aggressive the bilsteins are and in my experience having bilstein sports on my old 540i, they really stuck like glue. However, as a DD I wouldn't be able to live with them - far too stiff.

  4. #4
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    I ended up having Bilstein Sports on my car unknowingly. My mechanic was supposed to order HD's. Anyway, I only kept them about two months (I kept asking myself how HD's couls be so stiff, but it was the sports the whole time). In terms of feel Bilsteins are amazing, but unbearable for me, especially in NY.

  5. #5
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    My friend, from my experience I had fitted the same H&R spring to Bilstein HD and Sport, YES they are different height. The HD sat much higher than Sport.
    Actually from what I read about Bilstein HD and Sports the rate are the same only the struts are different in length.
    Cheers
    528i E39 1999 Solid Super Deep Black with BBS LM 20' Bilstein and H&R Spring

  6. #6
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    HDs will not make your car sit higher. There are guys around here with cars slammed on HDs.

    I know Bilstein says the valving is the same but there has to be something different other than length to make them ride so differently.
    "If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti"

  7. #7
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    So pretty much some are saying it will and some say it will not raise the height. LOL. But yeah i have seen some people with HDs that are slammed. Just want to get other's opinions. I guess i wont find out until i install them.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by supark View Post
    springs for the most part determine ride height - hydraulic pressure in teh shocks will not determine ride height. However, what will affect ride height depending on the shock is the spring perches.

    HDs and Sports have been verified with Bilstein representatives multiple times as having identical valving, the HDs are simply optimized for stock ride height and the sports are for cars with sports or aftermarket lowering springs.

    Ride comfort is extremely dependant on the driver - some people love how aggressive the bilsteins are and in my experience having bilstein sports on my old 540i, they really stuck like glue. However, as a DD I wouldn't be able to live with them - far too stiff.

    I was also told by the Bavarian Autosport guy that the HD's and Sport Bilsteins are valved the same. The Sport Bilsteins have shorter internal bumpers than the HD's to allow for being fitted to lowered vehicles, and the shock body is the same length for both Sport and HD models. With some lowered vehicles, the car may be riding on the internal bumper all the time if that car is on HD's due to the larger internal bumper. OEM shocks don't have internal bumpers, that's why there is the external hard foam piece at the top of your OEM shock, it's proection for when the car bottoms out. OEM shocks have the bumper on the outside, Bilsteins have the bumper on the inside.


    Quote Originally Posted by jnyost View Post
    HDs will not make your car sit higher. There are guys around here with cars slammed on HDs.

    I know Bilstein says the valving is the same but there has to be something different other than length to make them ride so differently.
    Who says they ride differently? And there is no difference in length. Only a difference in the height of the internal bumper.
    Quote Originally Posted by B4SH View Post
    If anyone knows, it's this guy who knows literally nothing about everything.
    Quote Originally Posted by fcvapor05 View Post
    Do you even OT? The mean 401k around here is probably about $6, what with all the shiny cars and $1,000 watches and donations to get other members' Volvos running.


  9. #9
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    alright, the shocks on my 528i are totally shot. I wanna put billy HD's in. my 528 has the sport package and all but i dont wanna go with the stock sports. I need a definate answer as to whether keeping the stock springs in will affect ride, ride height or anything else. I'm sort of impartial to ride height in the sense that, i like where it's at right now, but i def. don't want it higher, but i dont want it too low cuz i still have to drive this thing in the snow unfortunately from time to time when i can't get my dad's truck.
    1998 BMW M3 Sedan

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    ...more to come


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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by jecain View Post
    alright, the shocks on my 528i are totally shot. I wanna put billy HD's in. my 528 has the sport package and all but i dont wanna go with the stock sports. I need a definate answer as to whether keeping the stock springs in will affect ride, ride height or anything else. I'm sort of impartial to ride height in the sense that, i like where it's at right now, but i def. don't want it higher, but i dont want it too low cuz i still have to drive this thing in the snow unfortunately from time to time when i can't get my dad's truck.
    The HDs will NOT change your ride height.

    http://www.eactuning.com/parts/produ...ails/VE3B406H1
    http://www.eactuning.com/parts/produ...ails/BE52828H2

    I'd consider new mounts and spring pads too.
    "If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti"

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by jnyost View Post
    The HDs will NOT change your ride height.

    www.eactuning.com/parts/product_details/VE3B406H1
    www.eactuning.com/parts/product_details/BE52828H2

    I'd consider new mounts and spring pads too.
    +1!
    To what Jared has said!
    He is the guy to talk to.
    I recommend contacting him or Mark at EAC Tuning!

    I would also consider Koni Sports for the adjustable perch settings and the adjustability in rebound.

    Thanks!
    Jason

    Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …

  12. #12
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    I ran both. Started with the HD's & H&R springs. It seemed to bottom out over alot of bumps so I switched out to the sports. Problem solved.

    With the lower springs - even though they didn't seem much lower than the stock sport springs - the sport shocks were nicer for me. They seemed to have enough travel room vs. the HD's that had less room to travel resulting in bottoming out.

  13. #13
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    now if my mounts and pads arent close to being out of it, can i get away with not replacing them, or is it cheap enough where i should just crack open the wallet a little more.
    1998 BMW M3 Sedan

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    Bilstein Sports

    ...more to come


    Sold: 00 528i
    Gone: 07 (B7) Audi A4 2.0T

  14. #14
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    Difference between Sports and HD's is the piston length. A lowered car has a smaller spring so the "rod" coming out of the shock needs to be longer to fit the spring in there.

    If you try to install lowering springs on HD's sometimes you don't even need a compressor since the shaft is so long.

    Valving is identical, but HDs need to compress more to work with a spring on a lowered car, they can actually bottom out, hence the shortend shafts on the Sports.
    M50 3.1L Stroker - TC Kline D/A

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by jecain View Post
    now if my mounts and pads arent close to being out of it, can i get away with not replacing them, or is it cheap enough where i should just crack open the wallet a little more.
    How many miles/years on your mounts and pads?
    "If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti"

  16. #16
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    its a 2000, 90,781 miles. i bought it at 87,XXX. and the shocks are kaput...soo i'm assuming stock original
    1998 BMW M3 Sedan

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    ...more to come


    Sold: 00 528i
    Gone: 07 (B7) Audi A4 2.0T

  17. #17
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    There is a lot of conflicting info. Some folks are saying that HD rides stiffer than Sport and vice versa.

    In theory, sport is a comfier ride due to the fact that they wont bottom out as much... Correct?

  18. #18
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    I don't know if e39's are different, but I found the HD's to have a very "bouncy" ride on my 911. Maybe it was the sport springs, but I found the suspension to lose composure on harsh roads.

  19. #19
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    I just put on bilstein HD's with stock springs and the ride is SOOO much better. The old shocks were definitely toast. The ride height is exactly the same as before, the car just sticks much better and is noticeably more stable.

  20. #20
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    ok here is fact ...
    bilstein hd and bilstein sport ride EXACTLY the same.. on sport springs
    if you have oem sport springs i recommend bilstein hd jdjg have groaning noise on his billy sport and oem sport billy sport are too short for oem sport springs it seems.

    i was riding on monroe struts and oem sport springs and my ride height was as in with sach sport struts, when i change to bilstein hd it have the same height as jdjg with his bilstein sport. so ride height will be the same with billie sport and hd.

    so actually bilstein lowered the car about half an inch in front compared to original sach boge sports.


    on the rear the billies tend to give you a raky look they sit higher than original sach boge.
    96 318is Sport --sold
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  21. #21
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    Stock non sports springs on Billy Sports

    Ok, so I kind of unintentionally bought Billy Sports but I have stock non sport springs. Anyone has experience with this?

  22. #22
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    Currently I have oem non-sport suspension. I have a set of sport springs waiting when I overhaul. I would like a slightly lower ride but I don't want to harshen it up ( a hemorrhoid could break loose!). What is the recommendations of those who actually know from experience?
    Last edited by fortunateson; 09-13-2011 at 08:51 PM.

  23. #23
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    Thumbs down E21 suspension!

    NEED HELP! Well i have. 320is and put eibachs and bilsteins sports in rear,came acroos just the set!got my buddy changing the clutch...the front has stock sports(red) springs..my buddy figured he would cut them an inch to match the eibachs for now...i didnt even know???now i was about to order front Bilsteins sports.....how do you think that would work out since i missed out on the front eibachs last time!??also replacing strut mounts and pads!! And with all the talk of HD vs Sport??should i stay with HD or sport considering my buddy cut the springs already??(Or at least till i find the front eibachs)

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by matagalpino1 View Post
    NEED HELP! Well i have. 320is and put eibachs and bilsteins sports in rear,came acroos just the set!got my buddy changing the clutch...the front has stock sports(red) springs..my buddy figured he would cut them an inch to match the eibachs for now...i didnt even know???now i was about to order front Bilsteins sports.....how do you think that would work out since i missed out on the front eibachs last time!??also replacing strut mounts and pads!! And with all the talk of HD vs Sport??should i stay with HD or sport considering my buddy cut the springs already??(Or at least till i find the front eibachs)
    First off, your in the wrong form, this is the 5 series and you have a 3 series. Completly different animal. The HDs and Sports for our cars are going to be different for your cars. Try posting in the 3 series forms.

    Second off, your buddy cost you a set of springs. Cutting them is not safe and will probably negatively impact your suspension. Also it is ricerish but hey it is a 3 series.

  25. #25
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    I rode in a 540 with HD and it rode similarly to my 540 with PSS (non adjustable damping). In other words, both rode very firmly.

    The reason for the possibility some might report a slight increase in ride height with Bilstein is the spring perches are slightly different heights than oem? Also the difference in the clamp spot on the body of the front strut. The problem seems unique to the E39 application for Bilstein. As others said, the gas pressure cannot account for this.

    There is mention of this here:http://www.bmwdiy.info/suspension-survey/index.html
    Last edited by f355spider; 12-07-2011 at 12:11 AM.
    2001 540 M-Sport (cdn), ST X (KW) coilovers, H&R 15mm spacers, Eibach anti roll bars (28mm/18mm), Beastpower rear antiroll bar brackets, M5 rear chassis reinforcements (traction rods), Strong Strut front upper strut bar, Dinan Stage 1 software, factory M-Audio subs, Bavsound speaker upgrade, Bluebus bluetooth integration, Stop Tech SS brake lines, ATE coated brake rotors, ATE ceramic brake pads.

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