Shock Talk Episode 28: BILSTEIN B4, B6, & B8 - When Less Is More
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- Welcome to another exciting episode of Shock Talk! This week, hosts Mike and Junior are joined by returning guest expert, Ryan, to dive deep into the world of Bilstein’s renowned shock absorbers for street cars. Whether you’re looking to maintain factory comfort with the B4, enhance your ride’s handling with the B6, or take your lowered vehicle’s performance to the next level with the B8, this episode has got you covered.
Join us as we explore the features, benefits, and ideal applications of each product, helping you make an informed decision for your ride. We’ll discuss real-world experiences, common questions, and provide tips on choosing the right shock absorber for your driving needs. Tune in and get ready to elevate your street car’s performance with BILSTEIN!
I’m wanting to put B6 on my Jetta with stock springs which I would to buy new springs if I could find new decent springs on my car. I would like to make this electric car so there might be some extra weight.
Well I learned a lot but I still don't know the difference between b4 and b4 in regards to my vehicle.
Would the B4's be able handle a moderate lowering of 25-30mm as im looking for a better stance on my car while not sacrificing the softer ride characteristics, Or would the B8's be mandatory in any lowered application?. Also does using lowering springs with the B4 have a negative effect on the life of the shock ?
Hi, as long as your lowering springs are meant to be paired with OEM dampers, then the B4 should work well and give you the "softest" ride in our lineup. The B6 or B8 will perform a little better, especially the B8 as it is valved and tuned to be used in a lowered application, but the B4 will be good too.
Hope you can give me advice.
I own a 2017 Mazda 3. Because I prefer spirited driving around corners, I lowered the car with Eibach. My experience with my VW UP with that setup was satisfying, however the bumpstops rear still had work to do...
Now at 100.000km one rear shock of the Mazda leaked.
After some thinking I thought it might be not such a good idea to mount B8 dampers in the rear so I mounted B4's. I know that's not the preferred setup with lowering springs.
Reason: I also own an UP GTI on which I mounted a B14 kit and... sitting in the back is unbearable. No comfort left at all but on flat roads and corners it's perfect as long as I sit alone in the car.
My MX 5 has a Bilstein (yellow factory shocks that are said to be not B6 or B8) with Eibach setup, and that fits perfectly for road use but... no-one ever sits in a rear seat.
Now I want to replace the front shocks on the Mazda 3 because the B4 on the rear axis feels so much better than the standard TOKICO dampers. And with 100.000km they might be end of life anyway.
But what would you advice...
The car has Eibach springs 1" shorter) so B8 should be it, but will there be some comfort left in this 'family' car?
Will B4 introduce underdamped behaviour?
B4 are tuned to match the OE dampers ride and handling. B6 are a performance upgrade. B8 are an upgrade that's tuned for lowering. Hope that helps.
@@augustbilstein2351 yes, I already knew that.
But 'tuned for lowering' might lead to a harsh ride. With Eibach only and standard shocks the ride fitted me better. The B4 rear now feels better and doesn't compromise comfort too much.
But with FWD, Eibach and B8 I fear a harsh ride. So I wonder if B4 might leave some comfort but... I don't want a non-fit leading to under damping.
B4 is more comfortable as B6 / B8 - correct ?
Is comfort is what you’re after then the B4 is probably the better choice for you.
@@bilsteinUS improved comfort and sport cannot be achieved both (by aftermarket damper) ?
I heared people say monotube damper are superior, but I experienced that monotube damper was more harsh than twintube (on small bumps and at low speed)
Typically you are either after comfort or performance and as you lean further to one side of that equation, you sacrifice a little bit on the other side. A lot of times, the soft “comfort” that people feel is due to the lack of damping controlling the vehicle keeping it to the road, hence why there is increased body roll and decreased cornering performance. On the other side, increased performance (for example, a high end coilover setup for a track oriented vehicle) will be much more “firm” feeling as the increased performance and damping ability is keeping the wheels glued to the ground without introducing any body roll or sacrificing vehicle dynamics. In our lineup, the B4 will be the most comfortable if that is what you are after. The monotube damper will offer better damping performance over a comparable twin tube shock. But on the other hand, a twin tube will offer more “comfort” and a softer ride feel.
Nice catch JR. Best handling not the most reliable!!! I was thinking it!
Thats funny how close brand XYZ sounds to a known brand hmm haha