[OSUClevage]

Originally Posted by LYTSOUT

Dude, they're out. I just ordered them from shockwarehouse. The chat line guy have me a coupon code (HD21) for $21 off plus shipping was free and the didn't even charge me sales tax! $2586 total

https://www.shockwarehouse.com/site/...-and-Rear-B16-(DampTronic)-Suspension-Kit-BMW-xDrive-228i-,-230i,-328d,-328i-GT,-328i,-330i-GT,-330i,-335i-GT,-335i,-340i-GT,-340i,-428i,-430i,-435i,-440i,-M235i,-M240i

Here's the link to Bilstein's site which shows the same part number as what I just bought. I even called their tech line to confirm that the 49-255980 was indeed the Damptronics (that plugs into the EDC) for the xDrive and not the Ride Control or PSS10 or PSS9 or RWD only or whatever.

https://www.bilstein.com/us/en/produ...15917054524808

My shop is going to install them for $500. I'll be sure to check back in with my impressions once it's all done. I may even start a new thread about them b/c they seem to be so rare/new.

Nice find! I'll definitely be watching for a write up on your first impressions and review after you get them installed. Did they give you a lead time till you get them?

I am curious as to why Bilstein has conflicting part numbers of the B16 Damptronic for our cars, 49-255935 vs 49-255980. One must be for xdrive and one for rwd....only thing I can think of.

Btw, I'm located about 2 hours north of you. My brother n law lives in downtown Indy.

[cfm56d7b]

Very interested in first impressions of B16 Damptronic coilovers. Early adopters - please post an update after installation.

[M140_BCS]

Originally Posted by Kefka

I think yes, about high, but it is minimal or almost nothing.

(Just front installed)

2nd pic oem adaptative + eibach pro kit

3rd pic with bilstein b6 hd damptronic + eibach pro kit

Just bought a set of B6 Damptronic dampers and wanted to use the Eibach Pro springs on my F36 440i RWD

Is your setup with the Eibach Pro - E10-20-031-02-22

Which bumpstops did you install?

[Hali_Mark]

Hi all,

I need to replace the front struts in my 14 F31 w/ M-sport & damptronic suspension, and wanted to ask about the difference between the B4 and B6. I would be perfectly happy to go with the cheaper B4 as long it will be the same ride quality as oem, as this is my daily driver and will never see a track.

What would I gain by moving up to the B6? The difference from Bilstein Canada is $250 after tax, is it worth it for my driving needs?

Thanks


Oh, I need to maintain stock ride height and will be keeping my springs, the car is already low enough for our winters here.

[Tchao]

If you want OEM ride quality, go B4. B6 is for a stiffer less compliant ride, more geared towards performance.

Originally Posted by Hali_Mark

Hi all,

I need to replace the front struts in my 14 F31 w/ M-sport & damptronic suspension, and wanted to ask about the difference between the B4 and B6. I would be perfectly happy to go with the cheaper B4 as long it will be the same ride quality as oem, as this is my daily driver and will never see a track.

What would I gain by moving up to the B6? The difference from Bilstein Canada is $250 after tax, is it worth it for my driving needs?

Thanks


Oh, I need to maintain stock ride height and will be keeping my springs, the car is already low enough for our winters here.

[Hali_Mark]

Originally Posted by Tchao

If you want OEM ride quality, go B4. B6 is for a stiffer less compliant ride, more geared towards performance.

Thanks. I found some reviews on another site and came to the same conclusion. With the condition of the roads around here the B6 would be too much.

[LYTSOUT]

Originally Posted by LYTSOUT

Dude, they're out. I just ordered them from shockwarehouse. The chat line guy have me a coupon code (HD21) for $21 off plus shipping was free and the didn't even charge me sales tax! $2586 total

https://www.shockwarehouse.com/site/...,-M235i,-M240i

Here's the link to Bilstein's site which shows the same part number as what I just bought. I even called their tech line to confirm that the 49-255980 was indeed the Damptronics (that plugs into the EDC) for the xDrive and not the Ride Control or PSS10 or PSS9 or RWD only or whatever.

https://www.bilstein.com/us/en/produ...15917054524808

My shop is going to install them for $500. I'll be sure to check back in with my impressions once it's all done. I may even start a new thread about them b/c they seem to be so rare/new.

I ended up installing the B16 Damptronics myself this weekend. I plan to start a thread with a more thorough review, but for those of you considering them including OSUClevage , here's a brief synopsis:

Stance:
I originally set them at nearly the highest ride height (technically I was a few mm or maybe 1/8" lower than what they recommended) and the drop is only about 3/4" not the 1.2" minimum they said it would be. That's fine b/c I have plenty of room to go further down and I never intended to slam it anyway.

Ride:
Zero NVH. No creaks, squeaks, rattles, etc. The normal ride in a straight line at standard speeds including going over rough roads and a few small potholes is almost identical to OEM. It's surprisingly smooth and not nearly as stiff as I expected it to be. When driven a bit harder, that's when you can tell it's improved over OEM. Less squat with acceleration, less dive with braking, less body roll in turns. The difference between Comfort and Sport is noticeable and is about the same delta as OEM Comfort vs Sport (each setting is just a tad stiffer than they were before).

Overall:
I've only driven it a handful of miles, but it's by no means too stiff to be a DD, and that was my biggest concern so I'm happy that it's not too stiff. It's also not stiff enough to be a race car so if this is your intention, you should probably look elsewhere. For me, personally, I think I'd like it to be just a little tiny bit stiffer...ideally there'd be a third stiffness setting even higher than sport (kinda like the F80 has Sport +)...or if Bilstein just would've made Comfort as stiff as Sport currently is and Sport were one notch higher.

I drove around for 30 minutes yesterday almost exclusively in Sport and never felt like I was being beat to death so, again, it'd be nice of both settings were turned up a notch. This would give me an even stiffer setting to have when I wanted to throw it around in the turns. That said, I do plan to lower it another 1" or so, and I suspect it may stiffen up a bit once that's done.

Generally speaking, what it feels like now is a proper German OEM sport suspension. The EDC on the xDrive was anything but that, so this is a significant improvement. Don't expect a 911S or an F80 level of stiffness b/c this isn't that either. But it is very appropriate for a 3 series BMW for spirited driving or possibly the occasional track day.

Like I said, I'll eventually get around to writing up a more comprehensive review with pics later, but that's the quick and dirty.

[cfm56d7b]

LYTSOUT, thanks for sharing. Could you please post pictures of front and rear wheels (wheel well + wheel) to have a better idea of suspension height? Many thanks in advance.

[Tchao]

Originally Posted by LYTSOUT

I For me, personally, I think I'd like it to be just a little tiny bit stiffer..

As a PCA instuctor, if you were to do it all over again would you get this or say EDC delete and OhlinsR&T, KWs,etc...?

[LYTSOUT]

Originally Posted by Tchao

As a PCA instuctor, if you were to do it all over again would you get this or say EDC delete and OhlinsR&T, KWs,etc...?

I really don't want to get into a super detailed write-up on this thread b/c the suspension isn't fully setup yet. I haven't lowered it to it's final ride height, gotten aligned, corner balanced, and driven it a ton yet. Once I get all that done, I'll start a new thread with pics and thorough review of installation and such.

I haven't driven the B4 or B6, but assuming the B4 is a direct OEM replacement and this B16 kit is stiffer than the B6 (and I don't know that to be true but it seems plausible), I would probably disagree with your post above telling Hali_Mark to avoid the B6 and get the B4. In my mind, the OEM adaptive suspension (at least on the xDrive) was WAAAAY too soft to the point that it's embarrassing for a BMW. This B16 kit gets it back to where it should be and, to my relatively sensitive rear end, is not too stiff even for crappy Indianapolis/midwestern roads. For example, I highly doubt my wife, kid, or mom would even notice the suspension was different and certainly wouldn't complain about it.

To answer your question, this car probably won't see much if any track time. I tracked my E90 xDrive once in the pouring rain b/c I didn't want to drive my [now sold] 997S, and it was actually amazing. It was literally bone stock and did surprisingly well just on a set of Michelin A/S 3+ and nothing else. So I may take this car out in a similar/wet situation when I don't want to drive my wife's 997, but I never intended this to be a primary track car. I've never driven the R&Ts or the V3s, but I'm satisfied with the Damptronics so far, and I really like the push-button functionality for a DD which those other two options don't have. If I were to track it, I'm confident it'd be far superior now than how it was before. If and when I get around to installing xDelete, it'll probably be even better. But is it a track-level suspension setup? Probably not. Then again, the F30 isn't exactly a track-level platform and that's okay b/c it wasn't designed to be. I run primarily with PCA and BMW CCA and most of the serious guys are driving 911s, Caymans, Boxsters, E46 and F80 M3s, Corvettes, and the occasional gutted/caged E36 M3, S2000, etc. You almost never see E90s and F30s except in the lower level run groups, and those are typically ppl who are just out there messing around for the first time or two to try out the experience.

[Matthewricha]

Originally Posted by Hali_Mark

Thanks. I found some reviews on another site and came to the same conclusion. With the condition of the roads around here the B6 would be too much.

This is the reason I went with B4 to accompany my MP Springs.

I have put about 600 miles on the B4's and have loosened up a bit. There is now definitely a marked difference between comfort and Sport, moreso than OEM. I remember driving a Vauxhall senator back in the late 90's with adaptive shocks and there was a larger difference between modes, these are similar perhaps.

I'd say with 600 miles that they are definitely slightly stiffer/more controlled than oem in both modes but that may change over time. Certainly they are more controlled, less body roll in both modes and more sporty. Feels much more taut. My reasoning for going b4 over b6 was that these shocks are not chassis specific so for the smaller cars like the mlites they are potentially more damped than on an F30?

I can feel the front shocks are more damped than the rears. Even in comfort mode, going over a sharp speed bump you can tell the cars front compresses and then stops with 1 rebound. OEM in comfort mode would bounce a couple of times on same speed bump.

Again caveated that I have only performed limited mileage. Part of me thought I should have spent the extra 600 pounds and bought the b16 kit, but at the time there were no reviews and the harsh reviews of the B6 put me off as I wanted to retain comfort level, but with more control.

[Tchao]

Originally Posted by LYTSOUT

I would probably disagree with your post above telling Hali_Mark to avoid the B6 and get the B4. In my mind, the OEM adaptive suspension (at least on the xDrive) was WAAAAY too soft

I think the same way, but got the message he *liked* the OE feel. Everyone is different I guess. My RWD EDC shocks are insanely under dampened with H&Rs.

You almost never see E90s and F30s except in the lower level run groups, and those are typically ppl who are just out there messing around for the first time or two to try out the experience.

Isnt that interesting? Its the same observation from my end. When I was in AZ running with NASA, all you see are E46's as the most current BMW outside of HPDE1/2s. Supports the views of many about BMW shifting its mission.

I came from E30's so riding more performance oriented coilovers are what I am use to. I almost pulled the trigger on Ohlins R&T but held out for the damptronics. I wont be tracking this car much, maybe a few HPDE's but this wont be a TT car. But I want a more performance orientated setup on this F30. Looking forward to a more in depth review when you get the chance. Always interested in hearing opinions from real track guys.

[SystemOfUrdaW]

Could help choosing wich Bilstein Coilovers to choose depending on your need

[TWIN-SCROLL]

Got my full set of B6 Damptronic's recently, will put them soon on my 440i X-drive Gran Coupé.

Car is already lowered with an Eibach Pro spring kit.

[GSband]

Hi again folks !

About a year ago I posted my experience with Bilstein B6 Damptronic dampers on my 05/2013 F30 335i with 225/45 R18 non runflat winter or summer tyres (see this thread p. 11).
To summarize : B6 DT ‘s first position is already quite sporty, second position is too hard for a daily driver, and the rear slides out really easy (oversteer).

As announced, I decided to swap B6 DT for B4 DT, because B6 DT just isn’t comfortable enough. So here’s my comparison on 3 variable damping systems.

In short :
1st Position
- OEM (2013 version) : rear underdamped , car wallows, no good at highway speeds
- B4 DT : front and rear suspension are in harmony, comfortable yet dynamic
- B6 DT : suspension sporty, car rides on rails, rear dampers stiffer than front, car drifts easily

2nd Position
- OEM : car bounces, useless for daily driving
- B4 DT : a bit sportier than 1st Position, useable for daily driving, efficient
- B6 DT : car bounces, useless for daily driving, rear slides even more happily

In more detail :
In 1st Position the B4 DT delivers exactly what I was looking for : a comfortable ride without wallowing, AND I can still feel the road surface beneath my wheels. Perfect for long distance highway driving. The dampers are in sync front and rear, i.e. the car bounces front and rear in the same frequency. The OEM’s variable dampers were way too soft, the rear continuing to move up and down when the front was already done, very annoying at speed. The OEM’s, while being extremely comfortable, gave an impression that the whole riding experience was ‘distant’. B6 DT in 1st position is sporty, car rides on rails, but not comfortable.

In 2nd position the B4 DT stiffens the dampers, but not to a point where you can’t use them on a daily driver. I would call this sporty yet efficient. The OEM’s and B6 DT in 2nd position were (IMHO) useless for daily driving : the car just bounces, and doesn’t seem able to cope with uneven road surfaces.

It’s quite remarkable how the B6 DT lets the rear of the car slide in tight curves, with a push on the accelerator. While this is fun, it stopped me from playing with the gas pedal in curves, as the rear slides out really easy, not always when you want it.
What I didn’t expect : since the B4 doesn’t want to drift so easy, I have a higher confidence in curves. I would say that B4 has better grip in curves. Or perhaps, that B4 gives a clear indication where it’s limits are.
Since B4 is more comfortable, I’ve noticed I drive faster, because less cabin movement gives less feedback I’m driving fast. I’m driving more sporty with B4 than B6 - go figure .
There’s also a downside to B4 DT : it feels less “on rails” as B6 DT. And since B6 DT dampers are stiffer, this means that with B4 DT there’s more cabin roll in curves.

It seems that you can either have a fun car for playing on back roads, or a comfortable car for long distance driving. B6 DT is more for having fun, B4 DT is capable of doing both. Exactly what I was looking for in a variable damping system.
That’s it. After 3 years I’m happy I’m finally done with the search for an efficient AND comfortable suspension.
I’ll end with : happy hunting and good luck to all !
GSband

PS Good to know : BMW changed hardware and software on it’s variable dampers in later production years; also the anti sway bar(s) became thicker, and the spring rate(s) were changed. Together with wheel and tyre choices this makes comparing difficult.

[cfm56d7b]

GSband, thanks for the review which is almost priceless. Were you able to sell B6 DT shocks and then buy B4 DT shocks?

[M140_BCS]

Picked up a set of used B6 Damptronics with a few hundred miles on them as the owner complained how harsh they were even in comfort setting. At half the price of new I thought I'd give them a go.

Hopefully installing this weekend with Eibach pro springs and F80 bumpstops on 440i GC RWD.

I don't use it as a daily driver so the stiffness should be ok to live with.

[GSband]

Hi,
No, I've driven a year or so on B6 DT.
I haven't decided yet what to do with the B6 DT.
Thanks for the compliment.
I usually read only on forums, so basically it was my turn.
Cheers,
GSband

[cfm56d7b]

While thanking GSband for his review, it's interesting to observe that B6 DT shocks do not appear to be a reasonable compromise for daily driving vs B4 DT shocks.

For me, this was a surprise.

[Lancelot]

Thanks for the review!

Makes me question my decision to move to non EDC Koni sport dampers :-/ (dampers in the shop not mounted on car yet)

Are you on stock springs or lower stiffer springs?

Thanks

Originally Posted by GSband

Hi again folks !

About a year ago I posted my experience with Bilstein B6 Damptronic dampers on my 05/2013 F30 335i with 225/45 R18 non runflat winter or summer tyres (see this thread p. 11).
To summarize : B6 DT ‘s first position is already quite sporty, second position is too hard for a daily driver, and the rear slides out really easy (oversteer).

As announced, I decided to swap B6 DT for B4 DT, because B6 DT just isn’t comfortable enough. So here’s my comparison on 3 variable damping systems.

In short :
1st Position
- OEM (2013 version) : rear underdamped , car wallows, no good at highway speeds
- B4 DT : front and rear suspension are in harmony, comfortable yet dynamic
- B6 DT : suspension sporty, car rides on rails, rear dampers stiffer than front, car drifts easily

2nd Position
- OEM : car bounces, useless for daily driving
- B4 DT : a bit sportier than 1st Position, useable for daily driving, efficient
- B6 DT : car bounces, useless for daily driving, rear slides even more happily

In more detail :
In 1st Position the B4 DT delivers exactly what I was looking for : a comfortable ride without wallowing, AND I can still feel the road surface beneath my wheels. Perfect for long distance highway driving. The dampers are in sync front and rear, i.e. the car bounces front and rear in the same frequency. The OEM’s variable dampers were way too soft, the rear continuing to move up and down when the front was already done, very annoying at speed. The OEM’s, while being extremely comfortable, gave an impression that the whole riding experience was ‘distant’. B6 DT in 1st position is sporty, car rides on rails, but not comfortable.

In 2nd position the B4 DT stiffens the dampers, but not to a point where you can’t use them on a daily driver. I would call this sporty yet efficient. The OEM’s and B6 DT in 2nd position were (IMHO) useless for daily driving : the car just bounces, and doesn’t seem able to cope with uneven road surfaces.

It’s quite remarkable how the B6 DT lets the rear of the car slide in tight curves, with a push on the accelerator. While this is fun, it stopped me from playing with the gas pedal in curves, as the rear slides out really easy, not always when you want it.
What I didn’t expect : since the B4 doesn’t want to drift so easy, I have a higher confidence in curves. I would say that B4 has better grip in curves. Or perhaps, that B4 gives a clear indication where it’s limits are.
Since B4 is more comfortable, I’ve noticed I drive faster, because less cabin movement gives less feedback I’m driving fast. I’m driving more sporty with B4 than B6 - go figure .
There’s also a downside to B4 DT : it feels less “on rails” as B6 DT. And since B6 DT dampers are stiffer, this means that with B4 DT there’s more cabin roll in curves.

It seems that you can either have a fun car for playing on back roads, or a comfortable car for long distance driving. B6 DT is more for having fun, B4 DT is capable of doing both. Exactly what I was looking for in a variable damping system.
That’s it. After 3 years I’m happy I’m finally done with the search for an efficient AND comfortable suspension.
I’ll end with : happy hunting and good luck to all !
GSband

PS Good to know : BMW changed hardware and software on it’s variable dampers in later production years; also the anti sway bar(s) became thicker, and the spring rate(s) were changed. Together with wheel and tyre choices this makes comparing difficult.

[GSband]

Hi,

Yes, it seems B6 DT is not a happy compromise for comfort, even more so when taking into account I'm riding on 225/45 R18 NON runflats.
It's likely that comfort on 19" or 20" wheels, or runflat tyres, will be worse.

Before trying B6 DT I had Bilstein B16 PSS10 Comfortversion installed for a very short while. These dampers are not controlled electronically; damping force can be changed through a wheel underneath the dampers. I haven't mentioned this because that's not the subject of this thread. Anyway (long story short) : the springs that are included in the B16 PSS10 set helped me decide to go back to the original springs.

So, to clarify, I went OEM -> B16 PSS10 -> B6 DT -> B4 DT.
Yes, I know, I spent some dough looking for a suitable suspension system.
But hey, you only live once. And , I've learned a lot.

Cheers,
GSband

[Solid67]

Originally Posted by GSband

Hi,

Yes, it seems B6 DT is not a happy compromise for comfort, even more so when taking into account I'm riding on 225/45 R18 NON runflats.
It's likely that comfort on 19" or 20" wheels, or runflat tyres, will be worse.

Before trying B6 DT I had Bilstein B16 PSS10 Comfortversion installed for a very short while. These dampers are not controlled electronically; damping force can be changed through a wheel underneath the dampers. I haven't mentioned this because that's not the subject of this thread. Anyway (long story short) : the springs that are included in the B16 PSS10 set helped me decide to go back to the original springs.

So, to clarify, I went OEM -> B16 PSS10 -> B6 DT -> B4 DT.
Yes, I know, I spent some dough looking for a suitable suspension system.
But hey, you only live once. And , I've learned a lot.

Cheers,
GSband

Would you say the B4 in 2nd position is a noticeable difference/improvement over stock? I would like to pair it with the MSS HAS:

https://shop.mss.company/shop/mss-sp...ies-f22-coupe/

Some more information on the MSS kit

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1650208

They are really popular with the 1 & 2 series crowd.