Bilstein B6-HD Vs Bilstein B8
 

Have any of you gone from the B6-HD (which I believe is OEM on the MR) to the B8 shocks and struts on lowering springs? From what I am reading, the B8's are designed for lowering springs and I would like some feedback from those that have used both.

-Ryan

B8s aren't available for the EVO. I'm sure they would be popular if they were available though.

Why does Bilstein say they are available?

http://cart.bilsteinus.com/search/mm.../drivetype=AWD

35-118459

24-118460

What is the value of having a shortened shock stroke?

Dunno, i'm not a suspension guru. Bilstein does however state that the B8's are designed to be used with lowering springs. So that may be a question better suited for them.

I am simply looking for anyone that has had experience with the B8's so they can give me a comparison bewteen the B8's and the B6's in regards to behavior/feel.

Lowering springs that are well made use progressive spring rates to match the valving of the Bilstein B6 shocks. So while the B6 shocks were not made for lowering springs in mind. They made lowering springs that work with the B6 shocks.

Does pose a great question though as I have never heard of the B8 shocks but I am going to guess they are a coil-over type shock and not similar in construction to the B6 shocks.

Interesting as they aren't listed in the applications list on their web site and even in the store they aren't listed for the '03s.

FWIW, the good springs made for the B6 still perform even better if the B6s are revalved. If the sports provide more low speed damping, then they would likely be better then the B6s.

Not all sports have a shorter body length though. Some of them just remove length from the shaft so the extended length is shorter but are not any shorter once compressed. If that is the case, then I see no point to the sports out side of valving differences.

Bilstein USA is pretty awesome on answering questions though. Call them up and they will give you damping rates and length measurements on their parts to find out what the exact differences are. These actually might be a new release as the places I see carrying them have them listed as beeing added to their website within the last month or so and the install instructions on the rears is dated May 6, 2013.

I just tried calling them and keep getting a VM box, and can't find an e-mail address; so I will just try again tomorrow.

Just got off the phone with Brian at Bilstein. He stated that the B8's will NOT work with standard/OEM springs. They need to be used with lowering springs. He also stated that the B8's were special order, so if you go through a Bilstein dealer, you are looking at 8-10wks, as they are coming from Germany.

So to the people who said they don't make them for the Evo, there's the response from Bilstein.

The 8-10wks is kind of a downer though...

Did you get any specs on valving or lengths?

It would be good to know why a stock spring wouldn't work, or what their requirements are for a spring that would work. Can someone call about that as well? If not, I'll call.

I'm sure the extended length is shorter so getting a stock spring on would require like an inch or so of extra pre-load.

Like I said though, extended length isn't all that important here. We want to know fully compressed length to see if it would get us any additional bump travel.

Lame...

Here was the info I got:

B6/B8

FRONT

Free Length: 19.35/18.7
Compressed Length: 13.35/13.39
Compression Valving: 58/60
Rebound Valving: 150/126


Rear
Free Length: 21.73/21.14
Compressed Length: 15.96/15.96
Compression Valving: 96/96
Rebound Valving: 147/147

The valve profiles could be completely different and still have these same numbers. It would take a shock dyno or a more helpful individual at Bilstein to better answer this question. Unles they cranked up the low speed damping and ended up with roughly the same high speed damping, I see no point to the sports. They are probably targeted to work with Ebiach Pro-Kit spring rates.

I did not acquire that information while on the phone with them today.

Are you gonna try to reach a more helpful person there? Would be interesting to compare the valving numbers to the factory MR Bilsteins.