[TSiSPY007]

So, is this a design flaw (length) in the B8's? Even though they claim to be designed for pairing with lowering springs? Does it happen only under extreme conditions (eg. Road course) and during the odd, freak accident of running into a giant pot-hope? I'm awaiting a reply from my local distributor but I expect him to tell me Bilstein denies anything is wrong...

I just got some H&R Sports (ie. relatively conservative drop) and was about to pull trigger on some B8's for my 335i XDrive, so seeing this thread is bad news! What other shock options do we have to go with something like the H&R Sport Springs?

Thx!

Fred

[Project Elite]

Originally Posted by TSiSPY007

So, is this a design flaw (length) in the B8's? Even though they claim to be designed for pairing with lowering springs? Does it happen only under extreme conditions (eg. Road course) and during the odd, freak accident of running into a giant pot-hope? I'm awaiting a reply from my local distributor but I expect him to deny anything is wrong...

I just got some H&R Sports (ie. relatively conservative drop) and was about to pull trigger on some B8's for my 335i XDrive, so seeing this thread is bad news! What other shock options do we have to go with something like the H&R Sport Springs?

Thx!

Fred

I wouldn't blame the shocks entirely. Could just be the way they designed the top hat.

[TSiSPY007]

Originally Posted by Project Elite

I wouldn't blame the shocks entirely. Could just be the way they designed the top hat.

Hmm...if it's solely a top-hat design flaw, then wouldn't there be lots of similar cases/reports with other shocks or coilovers?

Fred

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by Project Elite

I wouldn't blame the shocks entirely. Could just be the way they designed the top hat.

Originally Posted by TSiSPY007

Hmm...if it's solely a top-hat design flaw, then wouldn't there be lots of similar cases/reports with other shocks or coilovers?

Fred

Perhaps it's just a case of driveway mechanics piecing together a bunch of components and thinking they could do better than real engineers that spent countless hours designing the suspension.

[Project Elite]

Originally Posted by Polo08816

Perhaps it's just a case of driveway mechanics piecing together a bunch of components and thinking they could do better than real engineers that spent countless hours designing the suspension.

Countless hours designing the suspension... OR the turbo?!

We're notorious for blowing charge pipes, ones "real engineers spent countless hours designing."

Driveway mechanics aren't so bad after all.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by Project Elite

Countless hours designing the suspension... OR the turbo?!

We're notorious for blowing charge pipes, ones "real engineers spent countless hours designing."

Driveway mechanics aren't so bad after all.

I've read the anecdotal evidence on the forums and this appears to be largely a problem with those running tunes. Does it happen on a stock engine? Perhaps. Does it have way more frequently on a tuned engine that is pushing boost levels higher than stock? Definitely.

I'm waiting for driveway mechanics to tell me I should just "eyeball" my alignment specs.

[tboooe]

I am as guilty as anyone of being a "driveway mechanic". I actually do have my mechanical engineering degree and yes I do believe at times my analysis and modifications are better because I am not constrained by price points, timelines, or the myriad of other compromises "real engineers" are forced to accept in the corporate environment.

That being said, what happened in this situation could simply be a matter of product failure due to a defect in the material or manufacturing process or both. It does happen and could have happened regardless of what the OP did or did not do to his suspension.

My point is, it is not fair to simply say the part failed because of what the OP did. An analysis needs to be done of the failure and the part itself before we can definitively say the "real engineers" are not fault.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by tboooe

I am as guilty as anyone of being a "driveway mechanic". I actually do have my mechanical engineering degree and yes I do believe at times my analysis and modifications are better because I am not constrained by price points, timelines, or the myriad of other compromises "real engineers" are forced to accept in the corporate environment.

That being said, what happened in this situation could simply be a matter of product failure due to a defect in the material or manufacturing process or both. It does happen and could have happened regardless of what the OP did or did not do to his suspension.

My point is, it is not fair to simply say the part failed because of what the OP did. An analysis needs to be done of the failure and the part itself before we can definitively say the "real engineers" are not fault.

What are the odds that all the people who have reported a failure with the H&R/Bilstein combo have had parts from the same lot? This leads me to believe that it's a design issue with the combination rather than a one-off manufacturing defect.

The "real engineers" have designed a system (OE suspension) that has not yet failed in such a spectacular way as the "amateur engineers" that are piecing together suspension components. It's a matter of credibility. Are we to believe that the "real engineers" messed up when their design has so far been show to work OR is it more likely that our "amateur engineers" didn't take into account the actual design of each component they replaced and how they work in tandem with each other? I think it's really on the "amateur engineers" to prove that their design should work and the failure is a design flaw with BMW's top hat design.

So far, not many with premium suspension kits (Bilstein PSS10 coilovers, Ohlins Road & Track, KW, BMW M Performance Suspension, etc.) have reported the same failure.

Has either Bilstein or H&R said that their spring/shock works well with the other?

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-19...28i-m235i.aspx

Front Bilstein Sport shock. Sport shocks are for cars lowered from the factory ride height and are about 20% stiffer than the factory shocks. Sport shocks work great with lowering springs such as H&R or Eibach. Includes top nut. Price is per shock.

...this is a retailer that is saying it, but did they actually test this out?

[Shazsta]

Originally Posted by Polo08816

Perhaps it's just a case of driveway mechanics piecing together a bunch of components and thinking they could do better than real engineers that spent countless hours designing the suspension.

Obvious troll is obvious

[TSiSPY007]

So, guys, I thought it was clear that I'd get some Bilstein B8's to go with the H&R Sport Springs that I already have (this combo has been raved about by so many forum members)...what are my shock options if I don't go with the B8's?

No offence to my local Bilstein distributor, but he gave me the expected "I've heard of no complaints" type of answer when I asked him about the issue with the B8's paired with H&R Sports and the F30 front tophats.

I still don't understand why we have not heard (at all?) about other aftermarket shocks or coilovers having same outcome on the tophats. It's just a Bilstein thing??

Fred

[Darekme]

Originally Posted by TSiSPY007

So, guys, I thought it was clear that I'd get some Bilstein B8's to go with the H&R Sport Springs that I already have (this combo has been raved about by so many forum members)...what are my shock options if I don't go with the B8's?

No offence to my local Bilstein distributor, but he gave me the expected "I've heard of no complaints" type of answer when I asked him about the issue with the B8's paired with H&R Sports and the F30 front tophats.

I still don't understand why we have not heard (at all?) about other aftermarket shocks or coilovers having same outcome on the tophats. It's just a Bilstein thing??

Fred

Use eibach pro kit instead of hr together with bilestein b8 and you will be very happy. I did on them over 10k km and I am very happy with this combo. Bilstein b8 is great but just simply does not match with hr springs.

[cocojiang]

very nice..i like


--------------------------
long sleeve prom dresses

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by TSiSPY007

So, guys, I thought it was clear that I'd get some Bilstein B8's to go with the H&R Sport Springs that I already have (this combo has been raved about by so many forum members)...what are my shock options if I don't go with the B8's?

No offence to my local Bilstein distributor, but he gave me the expected "I've heard of no complaints" type of answer when I asked him about the issue with the B8's paired with H&R Sports and the F30 front tophats.

I still don't understand why we have not heard (at all?) about other aftermarket shocks or coilovers having same outcome on the tophats. It's just a Bilstein thing??

Fred

It's not a "Bilstein" thing. It's a combination of mixed springs and struts and insufficient testing.

Has anyone with Bilsteins + OE springs experienced the same issue? If not, then I'm not inclined to say it's Bilstein's problem.

Bilstein can't control what type of lowering springs the customer uses.

[djpeetur]

Dinan with b8. Top hat busted over pot hole last night.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by djpeetur

Dinan with b8. Top hat busted over pot hole last night.

Sounds like lowering springs are a no go with Bilsteins.

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by djpeetur

Dinan with b8. Top hat busted over pot hole last night.

Was it a massive pothole? I wonder if the stock setup would have also broke the top hat??? I know its impossible to say without a proper controlled test.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by tboooe

Was it a massive pothole? I wonder if the stock setup would have also broke the top hat??? I know its impossible to say without a proper controlled test.

We need volunteers!

[efunnra]

Originally Posted by Polo08816

We need volunteers!

I went over TWO (yes wtf TWO) mother flipping pot holes (looked to be about 15cm + deep with a 20cm diameter) with my 20" on stock suspension (non-adaptive) this was a few weeks ago. so far nothing wrong AT ALL with the suspension. no noise no nothing, everything seems fine. however when i ran over those pot holes it felt like my car was going to fall apart

[TSiSPY007]

Are the B8's actually shorter than the factory shocks? (I have a 335i xDrive.)

If so, how come we're seeing this issue with the B8's and not the OEM?

[CharlieVu]

Reviving a dead thread.

Last year I replaced my left strut mount after hitting a pot hot.
Suspension- B14's

Last night I destroyed my passenger side.

$173 at Schomp BMW Highlands ranch.. or

$117
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-F30-32...ion/ES2664936/

or $115
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/b...ut+mount,7600?

Mfg Part #
31306863135
ECS Part #
ES#2664936

[Darekme]

It has been a year since I have Eibach Pro Kit (E10-20-031-06-22) + bilstein B8 with 20" wheels now and they work great. I NEVER heard any hit from my suspension whereas with my first combination of HR + Bilstein B8 it was happening everyday including destroyed strut mount top hat. Go for it!

[bbog2008]

Originally Posted by CharlieVu

Reviving a dead thread.

Last year I replaced my left strut mount after hitting a pot hot.
Suspension- B14's

Last night I destroyed my passenger side.

$173 at Schomp BMW Highlands ranch.. or

$117
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-F30-32...ion/ES2664936/

or $115
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/b...ut+mount,7600?

Mfg Part #
31306863135
ECS Part #
ES#2664936

Just curios, what rims and tires are you on?