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View Full Version : Bilstein Adjustable Height Shocks...how much do they adjust?

Ma70.Ent
05-05-2008, 09:59 PM
Quick question. Is factory height the top or middle perch, and how much would the height adjustment be?
Wiisass
05-07-2008, 12:40 AM
I will measure tomorrow and let you know. I have a pair of Bilsteins sitting up here with me and then a pair of stock dampers in the shop.
Poodles
05-07-2008, 01:28 AM
IIRC the top perch is the stock height (clip comes installed on it out of the box)

Unsure on how much drop though.
Ma70.Ent
05-09-2008, 03:34 PM
I will measure tomorrow and let you know. I have a pair of Bilsteins sitting up here with me and then a pair of stock dampers in the shop.

Thanks!

IIRC the top perch is the stock height (clip comes installed on it out of the box)

Unsure on how much drop though.

Weird, so top is the stock height...I guess the lowest one must lower it a decent bit. Well, we have to wait for Wiisass for that.
Wiisass
05-09-2008, 03:45 PM
Sorry, I measured the other night and then totally forgot to post.

The top perch is stock height in the rear and a little bit lower in the front, maybe 1/8" lower in the front.

So the perches will adjust the height of the car a decent bit. The front much more than the rear. If you drop the perch in the front 1" the car will lower a lot more in the front than if you were to lower the perch in the rear 1". It would be nice if that took that into consideration and set the perches based on the geometry. But they didn't, so if you're messing with it, you might have to play around a little to get it to look right. For example, the lowest perch in the rear might work best with the middle perch in the front. Depends on weight distribution and spring rate and all of that as always.

Tim
Ma70.Ent
05-09-2008, 09:20 PM
So the estimated height difference between the top and bottom perch is around 1 inch?

I also heard that the height adjustability isn't as big due to stuff that had to do with sprung and unsprung weight. I don't really know if that was exactly it, but basically if you change the perch and the distance between top and bottom perches is 1 inch, will the car lower 1 inch or will it do more or less?
Wiisass
05-09-2008, 10:37 PM
I think it's about 1" on the shock. But 1" on the shock does not equal lowering the car 1".

I don't know the best way to explain this. The shock moves less than the wheel. So if you lower the spring perch 1", the wheel will move up relative to the body more than 1". If you want to move the wheel up 1" relative to the body, you do not need to lower the perch 1".

Make sense?
Ma70.Ent
05-10-2008, 09:47 AM
So you're basically saying the spring perch's adjustability really doesn't adjust ride height that much?
Wiisass
05-11-2008, 07:10 PM
No. Read what I wrote again.
IJ.
05-11-2008, 07:14 PM
"leverage" ;)
Poodles
05-11-2008, 10:01 PM
hence the built in progressive spring use in the suspension...
Wiisass
05-11-2008, 11:03 PM
hence the built in progressive spring use in the suspension...

Kind of but not really.

What I am describing is just based on geometry and the definition of an installation ratio. The slightly progressive effect is due to the linearity of the installation ratio. What I mean is that the linearity of the installation ratio doesn't have any real bearing on what I'm saying.

And I'll have to remeasure, but I don't want this progressive suspension thing to get too far or get misrepresented. It really depends on the starting angle of the arm and how much travel you are seeing. And it's not a very large effect either way.
zigspeed10
05-12-2008, 08:36 PM
Just posted this the other day for someone. Here is my car with Bilstein's set to the middle spring perch front and rear. Car is on 18 inch wheels. Hope this helps.
tlo86
05-18-2008, 12:22 PM
with my eibachs i set the rear to the lowest setting and the front to the highest setting (iirc) i'll doublecheck its been a couple of years since i put them on heh
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/tlo86temp/P1010052.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/tlo86temp/P1010053.jpg
this is before i started the engine and when i just put the car on the ground
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/tlo86temp/P1010026.jpg
after

all pics of when i had my 7m in the car not the 2jz
Koenigturbo
05-22-2008, 09:51 PM
So, is there an adjustabe ride height struts?? apparently so,I Talked to bilstein,also I Bilstein dealer and they are not even aware of it. what the part number? So, are these struts and not adjustable springs?
Wiisass
05-23-2008, 02:38 AM
Wat?

They aren't struts, they're shocks. They are height adjustable by adjusting the c-clip position on the damper body. They are not threaded. You can add threaded sleeves to make them more adjustable, but you have to run a 2.5" ID coil spring.

I forget what the part numbers are off the top of my head, but they're the only OE fitment dampers that Bilstein makes for the supra.

Again, they're shock. They are not struts.
Koenigturbo
05-23-2008, 11:10 AM
Wat?

They aren't struts, they're shocks. They are height adjustable by adjusting the c-clip position on the damper body. They are not threaded. You can add threaded sleeves to make them more adjustable, but you have to run a 2.5" ID coil spring.

I forget what the part numbers are off the top of my head, but they're the only OE fitment dampers that Bilstein makes for the supra.

Again, they're shock. They are not struts.

"Oh" sorry the thread title says "struts" sorry my mistake....thanks!!!
Hey Wiisass,

I learned something, the c clips come with the shocks,which i didn't know before. I thought you guys were talking about two totally different shocks (two different models) that you can get from Blisteins. I thought you control the ride height with springs and not shocks.
IwantMKIII
05-28-2008, 10:45 PM
im kind of confused, TLO86, does your car have lowering springs on it as well? or are they bilsteins with stock springs???

If its stock springs, what would happen if you put stiffer, lowering springs on them?
suprarx7nut
05-30-2008, 01:19 AM
im kind of confused, TLO86, does your car have lowering springs on it as well? or are they bilsteins with stock springs???

If its stock springs, what would happen if you put stiffer, lowering springs on them?

I think he has Eibachs in those pics. And I also think the stock springs actually have a pretty high spring rate for the linear springs available.
IwantMKIII
05-30-2008, 01:33 AM
I think he has Eibachs in those pics. And I also think the stock springs actually have a pretty high spring rate for the linear springs available.


OOO i missed that, i assumed they were billsteins from the thread title.

If anyone has a picture a car with stock springs and billsteins shocks, please post up some pics :) I'm really interested in how much they can drop the car.
Krister
09-26-2008, 08:33 AM
Are the Bilsteins from a JZA70 Twin Turbo-R also height adjustable or are you talking about aftermarket Bilsteins?
Ma70.Ent
09-26-2008, 10:07 AM
IIRC the JZA70 Bilsteins are not height-adjustable, while the aftermarket ones are.
mk3concepts
09-27-2008, 04:13 AM
awww suck i have the ones from the TTR supra
frontierguy25
10-05-2008, 10:03 PM
After Deliberating for a long while on a set up I am going to get these shocks for now and use them with the stock springs. I like to drag race and want to fit a bigger tire and only want to drop a little bit in the front and a little in the back. Later on I would like to send them to Wii and have him revalve them. I'll be getting these this month and can post some pics. I just have to find a good place to buy them from.