Sports are usually way stiffer than HDs. READ the BILSTEIN web. Feedback I heard is the Koni is way too stiff for street. It depends. Do you like your tires to remain in contact with the road when you hit a bump? I find it is advantageous.
My HD's were identical form-fit with the OEM Delphi crap. If the TSW spring is shorter, it is the spring that makes the difference.

As you are local to me, if you want to meet and chat, you are most welcome. ( Bowie).

 

So...what combo do you have?

I always thought ride height was completely dependent upon spring height...but I've read a LOT of posts on here about people buying the HD's, and having the car actually go UP in the front...possibly due to the shock resting on the internal bump stop. If that's the case, I certainly don't want them...otherwise, yes, the HD's seemed to me to be the way to go, though I've almost always used KONI in the past.

As I said, I already have TSW springs. not much drop, about three quarters of an inch, I'd guess. Just picked up tires today, and the shocks/sway combo is next...but I want to keep the TSW springs...

Free tonight for a beer and a chat?

 

VicJ,

Check with BavAuto, but I believe that the only difference between the Bilstein HDs and Sports (other than the price) for the Mini, in particular, is less extended and compressed length than with the Sports. In seriously lowered situations, this prevents internal bottoming which normally destroys them. (The exception is the Bilstein for only the front of the Mini which includes an INTRNAL bumpstop.) My understanding is that if you are using springs that only drop the ride height 3/4", the much less expensive HDs will be fine.

I strongly suggest you include Ireland fixed camber plates in the mods you are making. Between the IEs and HDs, you may pick up up total of up to 3/8" of ride height with HDs.


DOC

 

For the amount of lower I'm doing, there's no sense in buying front Camber plates. I am able to keep the front within spec. Unles, you're suggesting getting camber plates JUST to offset the amount of ride height the HD's ADD to the equation??

I won't get Bilstein sports, if I go with sports...I'd get Koni. I find the Bilstein sports to be too firm for street.

I still can't believe the Bilstein HD's actually increase ride height. I had never heard of that before, until reading the posts on this site about it.

 

Camber plates will make a dramatic change in handling. That's why I like to recommend them.

Bilstein monotubes have a good amount of gas pressure, which is why they raise the car. It happens on every car, some more than others. Gas pressure is a good thing. Low ride heights are bad. It's a win-win IF you can deal with the ride height. I think the Bilsteins with NM springs should work out well.

I've always heard conflicting things about the valving of HDs vs. Sports...some say the valving is the same and the lengths are different, others say the valving is actually different. I tend to think the latter is true.

I have Koni Yellows on my 1st gen. They are pretty good. I would have gone with Bilsteins but they are expensive for the 1st gen.

- Andrew

 

Well thanks...though I'm not looking for dramatic handling improvements. I lowered it SLIGHTLY because the stock ride height is very 4x4-ish. I also have TSW springs, not NM. I'm just looking for a shock that can adequately damp the TSW springs, while maintaining as much comfort as possible. No track, no autocross.
So, the HD's would actually be cheaper for me to get, but if they raise the ride height 3/8's, then they've offset much of the lowering provided by the TSW spring. Not much of a win-win for me.

 

BavAuto or Bilstein NA can confirm the valving of Sports vs. HDs. For your level of lowering, the HDs will be fine. No need to spend the extra $$ for Sports. There used to be a HUGE price differential between HDs and Sports at BavAuto. I got a full set of HDs for roughly half the price of what HDs now go for. Now, HDs are only slightly less than Sports.

I suggest the IE Fixed camber plates because even with the pins knocked out, you can't get enough negative camber to keep the front tires from being chewed up on the outside and to keep the car from plowing.

Check my sig for good specs. I rotate the tires every 3000 miles and get perfectly even wear with aggressive street driving. (16" Yoko ENVigors, 34 psi front, 31 psi rear )

DOC

 

i have the same problem as vicj, i want new shocks but don't want the car to go higher, which make the tsw springs seem pointless.

 

i got my B12 pro kit last week. it really changes my MCS cornering. the conformability not too bumpy as well

 

Interesting, I wasn't aware of that kit and it says it uses the Eibach pro-kit springs ...

I'm half way there then. I wonder if they're using the standard sport shocks ?

 

yes, i believe this is a standard blistein sport shock. i think it is same as the HD set other people referring in previous posts.

 

So you like the ride ? no more crashing over potholes ?

 

yes, I feel good about it.
your are right, i don't worry about potholes now. the place i live have bad road condition. i always needed to be alert the potholes when i was driving. now i have a ease of mind for that but i still need to be caution to driving thru it (not too fast).

 

Someone here might have the knowledge I require. I wish to replace the OEM shocks on my 2011 R56 and I can handle lowering 12-20mm but don't want to go lower and certainly don't wish to increase my ride height. Hence almost all coil overs drop the height too much. So are the Bilstein HD with a slight lowering spring ok. The Turner Motor Sport website shows the HDs to be used with OEM springs.

I am stuck in Australia and reading hundreds of forums has not allowed me to make a reasonable choice on a replacement suspension setup.

 

Yes, Bilstein HD are fine with a mild lowering spring such as H&R

 

I have the Bilstein HD's and TSW springs on my 2010 MCS. The front does ride higher than the rear. I had my Mini dealer do the installation, so I have no idea if they kept the bumpstops on the front or not. I was thinking the stock bumpstops don't even fit because the bilsteins have a larger diameter piston. Someday I will try and take a look. If I were starting over, I would skip the springs and just get the shocks. Unless my dealer just plain screwed up the installation, there is no point in getting any type of lowering spring with the HD's because of the above scenario. If I do get around to checking, and the bumpstops are removed on the front, i will probably go ahead and put the stock springs back on the rear to raise it up to match the front.

The above setup did cure the teeth rattling crashing that large bumps used to cause. It is world's better on that score and overall it is better than it was when it was all stock.

 

Trex, front bumpstops should have been removed, Bilstien HD front dampers have internal bumpstops.

 

If you're going to run lower springs, get the sports, they're engineered to work with the lower springs. The regular HD's are going to either bottom out or be hitting the bumpstops earlier reducing your travel and defeating the point of installing nice shocks. The valving is the same for the Sports and HDs.

 

You probably can't fit the OEM front bumpstops on the Bilsteins.

 

You & I might recognize that they don't fit, but never under-estimate stupid In my years as a tech I've seen some amazing botch jobs.

 

touche

 

I'm getting informed advice to overcome my innate stupidity.And I'm much closer to a suspension decision

 

I recall Way Motor Sports has a shorter bump stop to replace the factory one if you do not want to cut it when installing lowering springs. Also, has anyone tried the KYB struts for the MINI? They appear to be a couple hundred bucks cheaper than Bilstein.

 

Bilsteins have internal bumpstops....as in don't touch them.

Avoid KYB's. They aren't very good, certainly not on Koni or Bilstein levels.

 

My buddy (who is a mechanic) told me "KYB" = Keep Your Bilsteins.

I am considering going with NM springs and Bilsteins on my '10 MCS. The price difference is currently about $140 between the HDs vs Sports. Several people have said HDs are ok with NMs, but some have stated the additional travel in the Sports is preferred.

Ride height should be the same between the two (about 1" drop total)? Can anyone attest to whether the Sports will give a noticeably stiffer ride than HDs?