Bilstein Touring strut spring seat too high?

Post by **v-45magna** » 31 Jul 2016, 21:31

I put rear springs on my 99 S70 earlier this year to cure the rear sag problem. It brought it up slightly but is still low. Since I put on new struts and shocks in 2009, it definitely has not had 'the rake' that these cars are supposed to have. It was about dead level, and rode considerably stiffer than the Sachs as well.

I recently became aware that prior to a few years ago (maybe 2012?), Bilstein Touring struts for P80 cars had the lower spring deck mounted a bit higher than stock. If these seats are higher, the spring pre load that would impart would explain a rougher ride as well as higher ride height in the front. I believe that condition, along with Dynamat installed in the rear deck, trunk and deck lid loaded the rear a bit more and made for a more pronounced rear sag.

I measured mine from the bottom edge of the strut to the spring deck between the points pictured below. That distance on mine is 10 1/4" or 26 cm. I just used an 18" metal ruler and eyeballed it. Is there anyone out there with Bilstein Touring Struts purchased recently enough that they were probably produced after 2012 that could take a measurement we can compare to?

Where I measured on the spring deck: there is a sort of a lip that is higher and a section that is lower where the tail end of the spring has a groove. It is measured at the 'front' (forward) facing side of the strut from the spring deck to the bottom edge of the assembly, where it is very flat and consistent. This is much clearer when you look at the pic. If your measurements are different than these, It'd definitely help to know what yours measures and about when you bought them.

RigsPGT · Post by **RigsPGT** » 31 Jul 2016, 23:01

I can't say much on the fronts as I haven't bought them yet but your post made me curious to find out the date on them. I dug my new rear shocks and the date ( i think) is imprinted in the body itself. Both said 2013BNE29450 right under the label.
Can you find the part number on the fronts (not in the label though)?

RigsPGT · Post by **RigsPGT** » 01 Aug 2016, 08:57

I sent an email to the place I bought the rears for a date confirmation on the fronts and this is the number they got from the them 021522230959B0
Don't know if the first 4 digits represent the date, if so we would be looking at an upgraded strut.
Need to dig deeper or somehow contact Bilstein for more.

Post by **v-45magna** » 01 Aug 2016, 20:58

Thanks for that! My original thought was to take a measurement on a strut of fairly current manufacture. A stock Sachs strut measure would be good to have as well.

Post by **chrafael** » 02 Aug 2016, 08:18

Original strut measured 9 3/4 inches, Bilstein HD 9 3/4 inches. You sure you got the right part? Purchased about a year ago.

Post by **v-45magna** » 02 Aug 2016, 08:41

Thank you chrafael! I would need to double check the numbers but I believe them to be the correct parts (bought from FCP). You measured between the points in the picture, right? I've been trying to locate the reference out there but supposedly Bilstein corrected this around 2012. I put mine on in '09 I think. Have a had the ride height difference since then. I could tell they were riding high, but at the time, I thought struts and shocks could make the ride height lower if they were worn out. I just thought the Sachs were worn out and that was the difference.

The ones like I got are either mis-built or were built to incorrect specs.

Post by **oragex** » 02 Aug 2016, 08:44

Not the same car, but I replaced the original struts on my 2003 S60 with Boge struts. The front end is now jacked (handling got unbalanced), haven't thought to measure the distance in your pics, but I suppose it has similar issue. Sometimes engineers make mistakes.

Post by **chrafael** » 02 Aug 2016, 14:49

Couldn't hold the tape measure steady while I took the picture, but here it is. Also, this is a 98 v70. Ride height with stock tires and 15 inch wheels is 25 3/4" measured from the concrete to the top of the fender well through the spindle axis front and rear.

Post by **v-45magna** » 06 Aug 2016, 14:39

So the original is 9.75" for that same measurement and the more recent B4 struts are the same and my B4's are 10.25". So the spring seat is 1/2" higher than stock. No wonder my ride height is jacked and it rides like a buckboard.

Has anyone here contacted Bilstein directly before?

Post by **v-45magna** » 14 Sep 2016, 10:42

Anyone? Bueller?

By the way, thanks chrafael, for posting that info. This pretty much confirms my suspicions.