Why not just ask Bavauto to compare for you? They appear to have both in stock.

DOC

 

Which is why, several pages ago, I begged people to measure everything when they go their Bilstein Sports and compare to stock. And to post pics.

- Andrew

 

...and nobody did

 

I just installed my Bilstein Sports with my NM springs last night. Initial impression is very good. Takes the road gaps much quieter and the bump at both sides of a bridge that once sent me upwards is much improved. The ride height is about 3/4 " higher in both the front and back but not nearly as bad as stock. I had the much lowered look for about a year and you suffer with scraping the front air spoiler and the travel in the stock sport springs had me nervous. I also has a slight vibration in the front that some folks relate to the CV joint and the lowered angle. That vibration is gone now that I'm a bit higher that before, but less that stock. Good compromise.

 

 

Give your set up a few days and more miles. It will settle some.

 

Blackbart, please post up some pics. I'm considering this change myself. Before and after would be great if possible.. thanks.

 

Hey Kevin. I actually have before and after pics in my gallery. On page 2 and 3 is the stock suspension and wheels. On page 1 and the one gallery is with the NM springs and Bilstein HD's. I had stock wheels and the black Konigs on with the NM springs. Hope that helps.

 

I just had a "smack myself in the head moment"...I never cut my rear bumpstops. Maybe that's why my rear is so high, I'll put my money on it that the rear struts are resting on the bumstops. Can anybody chime in on this?

Will the car settle out a little more with the increased piston travel?

 

Well, no one has measured or taken pictures of anything, so it's impossible to tell. Grumble grumble grumble. :P

Do you have sports or HDs?

- Andrew

 

HD's. I hate that the bumstops are covered with the black dustcover so I can't just go under the car and look.

Another way I can tell is that when I press down on the rear of the car there is practically no suspension travel.

 

You can find pictures of my stance before and after the Bilstein Sports - its about a 3/4" difference.

The pictures were taken with the camera at "tire height" so it looks more lowered looking down from standard viewing.

 

Did you cut your rear bumpstops, and has your car settled after install? It looks like Mach V springs lower more than the NM springs.

 

Yes, the bump stops were trimmed per the directions that came with NM springs - about 1" off the 3" original length - but that's a guess.

 

3/4" drop with just swapping to Bilstein Sports? or did you also change to NM springs at the time?

What I really want is measurements of the physical dimensions of the shock.

-Andrew

 

-Andrew - we have a misunderstanding.

The drop with stock "Sport Suspension shocks in combination with NM Springs is 1.4"+.

Since the Bilsteins use nitrogen gas internally (to avoid gas entrainment in the oil and valving), the pressure places an upward force on the car - reducing my drop.

I just measured my car. The distance from the ground to the lip of my black molding is 24 3/4" both front and back. I'm reporting that prior to the Bilstein change over, the height was 24".

Even with the "loss" in visually desirable drop, which could go away over time, I really like the way the car handle and feels on the freeway.

I have the Sports and not the HD so the benefit to me is that I would not bottom out as soon as cars with the HD shocks.

-Russ

 

Ah, i see. Thanks for clarifying.

- Andrew

 

Hey Chilimini, let me know what you find out. I have the HD's and TSW springs and the rear is 3/4" higher than the front. I am sure the dealer didn't cut the bump stops either. I guess I was under the impression that the bumpstops didn't fit the bilsteins anyway because the piston diameter is larger. Of course I just threw out my stock shocks today. Crap. would have been easy to just open the box and look to see if the bumpstops weres still on the old ones. I am sure the trash will have come and gone by the time I get home. Figures.

TREX

 

The front Bilstein HD's have internal bumpstops so you don't need the stock ones. The rears DO require the stock bumpstops though.

 

To me, the ride after the Bilsteins were installed look perfect. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

For the install, did you have to drill anything out in the rear like people with the Koni's do?

I think I read below that someone said you don't need the front bumpstops, but you still need the rear. Was this the case for you?

And finally, where did you order the Bilstein sports? Did you get them from Bavauto?

 

A friend of mine said that there's a new bilstein b12 eibach combo available in the market. Has anyone heard or tried this? Is the b12 different vs hd or sport struts?

 

I just installed a set of Bilstein HD on my 07 Cooper S. But now every little bump on the road produces a rattle noise: like "clonk", coming from the right rear corner What the heck did I do wrong?

 

Don't sweat it, it may just be the nut atop the strut. Something just needs to be tightened up.

 

Be very careful when cutting bumpstops! The Mini is a bumstop active car...the bumpstops are in contact with the top of damper by design. The bumstops have a rising rate spring rate and as such impart a progressive nature to the over-all spring rate, despite having linear springs.

the point here is if you cut the narrow end of the bumpstop, the rate of the bumpstop will rise very quickly in bump. Perhaps this isn't a big deal on ordinary public roads but this is a big deal on track, especially under threshold braking. I would be more inclined to cut from the top of the bumpstop rather than from the bottom. This will keep the sharp change in rate to a minimum - if you have to cut them.

The bumpstops are as important to ride and hanlding as shocks and springs! They are actualled called multicellular jounce dampeners, not bumpstops since they do not work like an old fashioned bumpstop.

 

Ok...
Read through this ENTIRE thread, and am more confused than ever. I have a Justa, that has had TSW springs since day 2 of ownership, on stock shocks. I like the subtle drop of the TSW, but the stock shocks cannot damp them properly. I was going to buy Bilstein HD's, but reading about the ride height actually being raised in front by the strut (which I've NEVER heard of before), has me re-thinking that.
So...can anyone CONFIRM that the Bilstein Sport is valved the same as the HD? I read that a couple times in this thread, but have a hard time believing it. Otherwise, I'll just pay more and get the Koni sports.