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will my ride get any smoother? bilstein owners help please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter juiced_94gt
  • Start date Start date Jul 16, 2005

juiced_94gt

Active Member
Mar 30, 2005
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36
Southern California
Jul 16, 2005
#1
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #1
i ordered my bilsteins last week and got them today, well the front struts were good i installed them today, but chicane sent me irs rear shocks by mistake well i installed the fronts and expected a butter smooth ride, well it rides just as bumpy as with the stockers, do the rear shocks make that much of a difference? or is my car just always going to be bumpy? i have eibach pro-kit springs so it isnt slammed. thanks. hope i didnt dump 500.00 down the drain.
 

bjl95mustang

Founding Member
Jan 18, 2000
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36
Austin,TX
Jul 16, 2005
#2
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #2
When you install stiffer struts you feel more of the road. My car has bilstein struts and shock and the pro-kit. Yah it's more bumpy but it handls so much better.
 

juiced_94gt

Active Member
Mar 30, 2005
1,143
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36
Southern California
Jul 16, 2005
#3
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #3
oh, i was under the impression that bilsteins would smooth out the ride, should i have gotten tokico illuminas? what other choices do i have for comfort?
 

5.0_GT_kid

20+ Year Stangneter
Apr 18, 2004
1,155
1
39
Largo, Florida
Jul 16, 2005
#4
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #4
bjl95mustang said:
When you install stiffer struts you feel more of the road. My car has bilstein struts and shock and the pro-kit. Yah it's more bumpy but it handls so much better.
Click to expand...

What he said
 

pleasehelp

New Member
Mar 11, 2003
686
0
0
Poplar Grove, Il
Jul 18, 2005
#5
  • Jul 18, 2005
  • #5
Are they still bumpy??
 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member
Nov 14, 2003
816
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0
HUNTINGTON BEACH
Jul 18, 2005
#6
  • Jul 18, 2005
  • #6
I dont see in your sig that you have subframe connectors?? That will smooth out the ride considerably, I have bilsteins all the way around, (race valved at that) and my ride is so much better than stock; a ton tighter. My ride quality got even tighter and more comfortable with the frames.
 

juiced_94gt

Active Member
Mar 30, 2005
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36
Southern California
Jul 18, 2005
#7
  • Jul 18, 2005
  • #7
yes i do have subframes, they are full lenght mm's...hey cobra what kind of springs are you running? and by tighter does that mean its not bouncy over bumps?
 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member
Nov 14, 2003
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HUNTINGTON BEACH
Jul 18, 2005
#8
  • Jul 18, 2005
  • #8
I have bbk springs all around, and by tight I mean precise, a little bouncy, but a much better feel or response. My old shocks and struts were blown so bad when they were compressed they stayed that way. The bilsteins were a bit more harsh road feel wise, but when you hit that pot hole you always used to hit and you dont feel it half as bad your gonna love it! Then get it out on some curves and you'll know why you bought them. Also when I first put them on they were so much stiffer than they are now; give them some time to work in to your car, and driving style. They do get a little less harsh.
 

juiced_94gt

Active Member
Mar 30, 2005
1,143
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Southern California
Jul 20, 2005
#9
  • Jul 20, 2005
  • #9
WHITE94COBRA said:
I have bbk springs all around, and by tight I mean precise, a little bouncy, but a much better feel or response. My old shocks and struts were blown so bad when they were compressed they stayed that way. The bilsteins were a bit more harsh road feel wise, but when you hit that pot hole you always used to hit and you dont feel it half as bad your gonna love it! Then get it out on some curves and you'll know why you bought them. Also when I first put them on they were so much stiffer than they are now; give them some time to work in to your car, and driving style. They do get a little less harsh.
Click to expand...
thank you very much, i think thats the answer i was looking for
 
S

steveso007

New Member
Apr 16, 2003
13
0
2
SAN FRANCISCO CA
Feb 9, 2006
#10
  • Feb 9, 2006
  • #10
I had my Bilsteins for 3.5 years and I am growing tired of the ride. Firm and jarring at times. I am switching to Koni reds but keeping my springs. I hope it makes the ride softer. I don't want to loose the look and stance of my ride with lowering springs.
 
A

Al J

Member
Sep 1, 2004
307
0
16
North Providence, RI
Feb 9, 2006
#11
  • Feb 9, 2006
  • #11
I can't understand why people shy away from Tokico Illuminas. They have 5 settings --enough to satisfy anyone.
I have a nice soft & smooth & still good handling ride w/the #2 setting, even w/my Eibachs.
And change is only seconds away.
 
M

mike96gtvert

New Member
Jan 20, 2003
37
0
0
El Monte
Feb 10, 2006
#12
  • Feb 10, 2006
  • #12
I have the same

eibach pro-kit
with bilsteins all the way around.

I had that same bouncy feel...it was driving me nuts.

but I installed hans sub frames, and it smoothed the
ride out enormously.

my questoin to someone who knows. Is I never installed
the "bump ster kit" will that also improve my ride quality?

:whoknows:
 

GRGT1994

New Member
Sep 22, 2004
1,034
0
0
Feb 10, 2006
#13
  • Feb 10, 2006
  • #13
I think a bumpsteer kit will have zero impact on ride quality, only handling over bumps.

I have Bilsteins all the way around, and I used to think I had an excellent ride - til I sold my Grand Prix DD. My new DD is night and day different from the Mustang. But then again, I don't drive the Mustang for a plush ride.

I still love the way the Bilsteins handle. They are just a little noisy over bumps (meaning I hear rattles now).
 

VibrantRedGT

"STANGNET'S PENGUIN SMACKER"
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
14,679
424
154
Boca Raton, Florida
Feb 10, 2006
#14
  • Feb 10, 2006
  • #14
Al J said:
I can't understand why people shy away from Tokico Illuminas. They have 5 settings --enough to satisfy anyone.
I have a nice soft & smooth & still good handling ride w/the #2 setting, even w/my Eibachs.
And change is only seconds away.
Click to expand...

I just swapped out my Strange adjustables for Tokico 5 way Illuminas. It really cleaned up the sloppy floating ride I had. I come to realize the Strange is made for drag only. Even on the hardest setting I couldn't get the sloppyness out. The Illuminas with setting 3 is a real smooth ride. I'm very impressed. Jason at Steeda hooked me up. I need to get the stock rear shocks out and replace them with the Illuminas.
 

nazstang

Member
Mar 26, 2004
204
0
16
Rhode Island
Feb 10, 2006
#15
  • Feb 10, 2006
  • #15
i've got bilsteins and bbk specific springs, and i don't think it's too bad. when you look at the HUGE gain in handling, the more "firm" ride is worth it. it's not rough, just more precise, so you feel the road more. I've got them in my e30 M3 and they even made a big diference in that car(which with stockers handles like a dream).
 
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