Bilstein Streetline Rear Shocks - Just Taken Mine Off..

[maturin23 10]

I know this has been said before (JackHerer!) - but until now I had no practical experience of how badly matched these shocks are to the car.

I always assumed that 90% of the stiffness with torsion-bar suspension was related to the bars themselves and the shocks wouldn't have a massive influence.

 

I've been driving around for the last couple of years with a 309 beam with the above rear shocks. Prior to that the beam was siezed, and I've only ever driven my 205 so I've only really got the Streetline rears as reference.

 

I decided to swap back the original items quite a while ago - standard Pug rear shocks - but only pulled my finger out and changed them yesterday.

 

I'm absolutely blown away with the difference with the original shocks fitted.

 

SO much better/stiffer than before, no bottoming out in dips in the road, no bouncing on the motorway, better stability under braking and WAY better with rapid changes of direction.

 

I'm not talking track driving or even balls-out cross-country driving - this is just during fairly brisk driving on semi-rural A and B roads.

 

How Bilstein can get away as selling these items as an upgrade is way beyond me - they are so much softer than standard they should come with a health warning - I would have been better fitting something off a 1.1.

[Jrod 7]

Get the sprintline ones.

[Dino 3]

Get the sprintline ones.

 

Even the Sprintlines arent upto the job.

 

I used Bilstein GrpN shocks on my Pug and they were sublime. My M3 is currently running Bilsteins of unknown spec and seems to cope very well with a ride/handling compromise which is just right.

[swordfish210 20]

i'v got koni yellows on the back of mine (on the softest setting) and they're incredibly stiff but they transformed the car, much better at high speed cornering and cornering with gradient changes, not a fan of speed bumps though but i really dont care about that

[Jrod 7]

Even the Sprintlines arent upto the job.

 

I used Bilstein GrpN shocks on my Pug and they were sublime. My M3 is currently running Bilsteins of unknown spec and seems to cope very well with a ride/handling compromise which is just right.

 

 

Thought most people said they were quite good.

 

Tarmac spec Bilsteins is what you really want tho!

[pete1986 2]

This forum seems to go through phases of loving and then hating the sprintline/steetline kit!

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

When I was talking to Bilstein earlier in the week and I told them about this, he was quite surprized as no-one has ever said anything to them before, I'll keep at this and see if anything comes of it for what it's worth.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

There's a massive thread on these shocks I started in about 2003.

They are s*it.

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

Yep, I fitted the kit but didn't like the look of the rear shocks as you could push them in easily with your hand

[maturin23 10]

 

Simon - must have missed that thread by a matter of months!

 

It's not just a question of whether they are better than standard - it's the plain and simple fact that they are significantly less stiff than the OEM items - my car it totally transformed with boggo used standard dampers. Even my wife noticed the improvement when she took the pug out this afternoon and she barely drives it.

 

Pete - if anyone at ANY time has said the Streetline (NOT Sprintline) rear shocks are remotely worth fitting then I would say their opinion is on the same level as that guy who swears that the handling of his Corsa is improved by lowering his rear seat back

 

Miles - I was actually thinking that I'm a little disappointed that the retailer I bought them off (no names, but one of the key 205 specialists) didn't think to suggest something (anything!) else when I was discussing the options, to the extent I won't be buying anything from them again. I'm sure you wouldn't let your 'sales' head get in the way of something like this.

 

On that note I CAN testify to that fact that an MI16 engine with Group N exhaust and the rear carpet and parcel shelf removed does improve the sound no end!

Edited June 3, 2007 by maturin23

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

I know most shops just sell whatever they can sell do a degree, I Know this doesn't go for everyone thou.

I only sell items that I would use or have used on a car and found them to be good, Suspension is a hard subject as everyone like's something different but there are limit's and this is one of them.

I remeber when I took Sime's car out and told him his rear Damper's where shot, And it came as a shock when he said they where almost new, Sime's post was a good one.

[maturin23 10]

There's a clear difference between buying from a high street (GSF-type) or no-name internet store at rock bottom prices, and going to an independent specialist (such as yourself and arguably the guys I bought mine from) and paying a little more on the goods for the advice and experience of the vendor.

 

I wouldn't expect you or similar companies to be the cheapest, but I'd expect some added value for the extra cost

[GLPoomobile 958]

Ian

 

 

I'd bet my right nad that I know who you bought them from (I won't say who), and to be frank, I don't think it is any great loss to yourself if you choose not to shop there again.

 

I have to say that I'm surprised that Dino has commented that even the Sprintline's are not up to the job (each to their own though). Haven't tried them myself but did a lot of forum searching when I wanted to get a new kit, and the overall opinion seemed to be that the Sprintline or the SBC Roadspeed kits are the best for fast road use.

 

My Mi has Koni yellows and they are very compliant. My initial impression though is that they seemed a bit 'floaty' compared to my old 1.6 with standard shocks and Eibach spings. Just doesn't quite seem as planted

 

We'll have to go for a blast when I bring the car back at the end of June and compare the two

[maturin23 10]

I think a side-by-side test would be a great idea.

 

I'm pathetically excited by how improved the whole driving experience is.

 

It was still great fun before the swap, but being one dip away from shredding my rear tyres in the arches or the back end taking off completely had a significant effect on my confidence in the thing!

[feb 47]

The SBC setup is using Bilstein shocks (not sure which model) and the handling/ride quality of the car is very good.

Dino was surprised in the south meeting with the ride quality.

Edited June 4, 2007 by feb

[Scottieb 0]

just brought a brand new streetline set.

[Alastairh 47]

Simes click

 

Dunno what you lot are talking about?

 

Chuck these shocks on, base model arb, p6000s/dark horse on the rear and Eagle F1s up front, and your in for some fun

[Anthony 1,000]

It's worth noting that there's actually two different Streetline rear shocks - one has a fairly thin body, whereas the other has a fairly fat body, and there's a definate difference in stiffness between them. I'd got a strange feeling that they're both the same part number as well...

 

Even the stiffer ones are somewhat on the soft side it must be said, but the other softer ones are frankly dangerous like others have said.

 

Given that genuine Peugeot rear shocks are only something like £35 each, that's the route that I'd go down if you want some rear dampers and can't afford/justify/want uprated items.

[jackherer 543]

I know this has been said before (JackHerer!)

 

As it happens I temporarily have streetlines on the rear of my pug, the bushes went in my standard shocks and I had some in the garage so on they went. Not only are they as bad as you describe, they also raised the ride height of my pug! I wasn't expecting that at all, I didn't even think it was possible.

[jackherer 543]

It's worth noting that there's actually two different Streetline rear shocks - one has a fairly thin body, whereas the other has a fairly fat body, and there's a definate difference in stiffness between them. I'd got a strange feeling that they're both the same part number as well...

 

BNE-1931 is the part number on the ones I've seen.

[maturin23 10]

I'll have a look this evening at the ones I took off.

 

Then I'll clean 'em up and eBay them along with my power-boost resistor and +40hp air filter.

[Scottieb 0]

So are the front shocks in the kit as bad?

[Super Josh 4]

BNE-1931 is the part number on the ones I've seen.

 

 

If you look on Motorsportworlds web site, they list that part number for the OE replacement Damper. And that is the same part supplied to me by Euro Car Parts as an OE replacement.

 

 

 

 

Josh

[Anthony 1,000]

So are the front shocks in the kit as bad?

Front Streetline shocks are fine and are decent replacements for the OE kit.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

The SBC setup is using Bilstein shocks (not sure which model) and the handling/ride quality of the car is very good.

Dino was surprised in the south meeting with the ride quality.

 

The SBC Bilsteins are revalved Sprintline ones to their own spec so they wouldn't be the same as off the shelf Sprintline dampers. NickR's had this setup and I though it did ride very well too.

 

 

As it happens I temporarily have streetlines on the rear of my pug, the bushes went in my standard shocks and I had some in the garage so on they went. Not only are they as bad as you describe, they also raised the ride height of my pug! I wasn't expecting that at all, I didn't even think it was possible.

 

Usually that only happens if they have a lot of "natural" rebound force (like Koni rears do)