Experiences with rear Bilstein HD shocks

[Pete940]

Originally Posted by ton246

Is that for a set of 4 or just the rears ? Price ?

that was just the rears. I was quoted £55 per rear excluding vat and carriage, £80 for front.

[ian2000t]

Originally Posted by Pete940

that was just the rears. I was quoted £55 per rear excluding vat and carriage, £80 for front.

That's bloody good compared to the £140/160 per shock for Koni adjustables!!

[ian2000t]

Sorry to drag this up again - but did you get anywhere with the Gaz adjustable shocks? I may be interested in an upgrade as I'm not sure the Bilstein TC's are up to the job!

[Pete940]

Been running the gaz shocks for almost a year now. The adjustability is great, they go all the way from super soft to rock solid (ideal for any drifters out there). The ride is not comfortable though, something about the way they are setup doesn't seem ideal. They just feel rather bouncy on mine.
The adjustability can be useful, especially if the car sees track use, but personally I want to try something else next time.
Low cost, comfort, adjustability. I guess you can only have two of those three things.

[ian2000t]

Originally Posted by Pete940

Been running the gaz shocks for almost a year now. The adjustability is great, they go all the way from super soft to rock solid (ideal for any drifters out there). The ride is not comfortable though, something about the way they are setup doesn't seem ideal. They just feel rather bouncy on mine.
The adjustability can be useful, especially if the car sees track use, but personally I want to try something else next time.
Low cost, comfort, adjustability. I guess you can only have two of those three things.

Are you running them front and rear? What springs do you have? And what condition are all of your bushes in?

When you say bouncy do you mean they are stiff and bumpy, or that they "overreact" to bumps as if they aren't damping quite enough?

I have them on my mini and they damp very well but I have to have them set high as my springs are too stiff. If I wind them down more they just overreact to every bump, allowing the springs to almost launch the car - kind of like the front of the Volvo feels at the moment.

I'm sure I've heard people say Bilstein HD are too stiff, and my TC's seem too soft so maybe the super expensive Konis are the way to go?

[Pete940]

Just rear. HD's on the front, which are indeed pretty stiff but not unpleasant. Using Lesjofors springs, and my bushes are mostly ancient to be honest.

Yes they don't seem to damp enough over small sharp bumps at lower speeds. However, they do move a fair bit over larger progressive bumps. If I soften them up to reduce the bounciness then they compress too much over the large progressive type bumps, therefore the compromise is not ideal.

Shame we can't get a second opinion on them, although someone else in the country did get Gaz shocks for a 7 series (according to Gaz).

[ian2000t]

Originally Posted by Pete940

Just rear. HD's on the front, which are indeed pretty stiff but not unpleasant. Using Lesjofors springs, and my bushes are mostly ancient to be honest.

Yes they don't seem to damp enough over small sharp bumps at lower speeds. However, they do move a fair bit over larger progressive bumps. If I soften them up to reduce the bounciness then they compress too much over the large progressive type bumps, therefore the compromise is not ideal.

Shame we can't get a second opinion on them, although someone else in the country did get Gaz shocks for a 7 series (according to Gaz).

Oh OK, I think I could so with a set of Gaz adjustable for the front of mine, as that's where the TC's feel like they are under damping! The TC's on the rear are strange, they feel too harsh sometimes but then too soft others depending on the road surface.

I think the rear is hard to get right on these. Mine still rolls too much at the rear. If I add a second AR bar or stiffer shocks then the handling will be more responsive but the rear will lose grip easier (can be trail happy already!). I think there is too much unsprung weight at the back with the kart axle, especially with the weight distribution towards the front (especially diesel). In planning to poly bush everything as my axle bushes are awful and then see where that leaves me. I have a theory that the bouncy handling is actually not the shocks but too much movement in all of the bushes (before the shock moves).

We'll see! Won't be for a while though as the Mini is having a rebuild+turbo this year and the Volvo is getting converted to M90 manual.

[davebslater(uk)]

Problem with gaz is the damper rod size. Billy hd's are thick rod .

You can re valve any damper altho that can be expensive.

[Pete940]

I can't think what bushes at the rear could play a part in the bounciness? I hope you're right though because then there's a cure.

[Chesh740R]

Originally Posted by Pete940

Shame we can't get a second opinion on them, although someone else in the country did get Gaz shocks for a 7 series (according to Gaz).

That's me, but I must admit they have sat on the shelf for couple of years now as I haven't had the time to get them on. Plus I'm also awaiting for a few other suspension components to be made so I can fit my front gaz coil overs I had made.