Bilstein B8 Sport Shocks
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 48
Likes: 15
I just got my B8's installed the weekend before last on my '98. Lowered all the way on stock bolts. Stock sways and springs. Then promptly had to do the water pump, 😆. 25 miles on country road to the drive in theater and back seemed around the sport setting stiffness of the F45 system, maybe a bit more. Not as harsh as the performance setting. I usually ran around in the tour setting. I found myself going a bit faster than normal. Might have been excited for the car show at the movies though. Or maybe just to drive it! Been a while! Railroad tracks were fine at 20 to 30 mph, fairly smooth set of angled tracks, not too bumpy. No major hits that made me grimace. Running on too old Michelin non-run flats, so they are softer than run flats, but harder than they were new. 17/18 wheels with Z06 widths. New tires and alignment are next up! Will be straight on alignment for road trips.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 17,769
Likes: 3,697
From: The Sunshine State
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
Finalist 2020 C7 of the Year -- Modified
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
2018 C5 of Year Finalist
I’m considering moving off my Koni FSD shocks into a set of Bilstein B8 sport shocks. I’ve been running the Konis for about 8 years and it seems I have too much vertical movement especially driving over dips in the road at + 30 MPH.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 378
From: Bellinum Wa
If wishes were fishes
Shocks specifically built for C5,6 are pretty basic without any adjustment in dampening levels. Add on top of that modified heights for lowered cars and the choices almost disapear. The Bilstein B8's work quite well for a lowered car. Mine is on aftermarket Fr & Rr bolts dropped to 26" front fender arch height.
Big C5 handling related problem is also age. Most of the factory soft bushings are now decaying and don't function well. Like the A arm bushings and transleaf bushings, sway bars, shock bushings even body mounts. So when you ask a shock to control a less than happy car the outcome won't be like a fresh (2-3 yr old ) car that really responds to an upgrade in suspension.
TBF; For what I wanted in responsiveness, the B8's work well. However, if money were no object and spare time free, replacing most of the OE bushings then adding Coilovers would definitely be better at control and tailoring the ride to individual tastes but for now, the car is much more fun to drive daily until I tear the suspension down and replace bushings. This is the conundrum of owning an older Corvette instead of just a polishing a new one
Big C5 handling related problem is also age. Most of the factory soft bushings are now decaying and don't function well. Like the A arm bushings and transleaf bushings, sway bars, shock bushings even body mounts. So when you ask a shock to control a less than happy car the outcome won't be like a fresh (2-3 yr old ) car that really responds to an upgrade in suspension.
TBF; For what I wanted in responsiveness, the B8's work well. However, if money were no object and spare time free, replacing most of the OE bushings then adding Coilovers would definitely be better at control and tailoring the ride to individual tastes but for now, the car is much more fun to drive daily until I tear the suspension down and replace bushings. This is the conundrum of owning an older Corvette instead of just a polishing a new one
Racer
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 485
Likes: 371
From: Basehor, KS
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I ran the B8s for about a year. Not a ton of miles but enough to come to a conclusion…..they don’t work well on a lowered coupe. Switched to Coilovers.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 378
From: Bellinum Wa
I Did Stay in a Holiday Inn Last Night
Lowered C5's are completely different in suspension responses to stock.
95% of the replacement shocks were not built to withstand higher loads at the end of the shortened height stroke length, ride poorly and fail early. Which is why I went with the B8's. I have had Koni's but now couldn't justify the cost over Coilover setups with rebound and compression adjustable & built in height settings while gaining a more overall compliant car by removing the factory leaf springs. But I also wasn't up to pay >3X as much money for Coilovers as I did for the B8's either and I know the Bilstein's are good quality and will still respond pretty much like new at least 3yrs (+5 if you have a garage queen) later.
Using a Bilstein B8 for my lowered Convertible works very well for me and I drive like I stole it quite a bit.
95% of the replacement shocks were not built to withstand higher loads at the end of the shortened height stroke length, ride poorly and fail early. Which is why I went with the B8's. I have had Koni's but now couldn't justify the cost over Coilover setups with rebound and compression adjustable & built in height settings while gaining a more overall compliant car by removing the factory leaf springs. But I also wasn't up to pay >3X as much money for Coilovers as I did for the B8's either and I know the Bilstein's are good quality and will still respond pretty much like new at least 3yrs (+5 if you have a garage queen) later.
Using a Bilstein B8 for my lowered Convertible works very well for me and I drive like I stole it quite a bit.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
Something that may effect a transleaf spring alot when lowered is upsetting the balance of the car. To check how your car is sitting it has to be corner balanced. The car is put on 4 separate scales and each corner is raised/lowered to set the amount of force each wheel has to work as it rides down the road
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 378
From: Bellinum Wa
Can you explain this in a little more detail? How much difference is it possible to achieve in the worst case scenario if one poorly lowers their car or has a failed component(s)? How much weight difference on each corner will be noticeable and under what conditions?
"If" the car was loaded heavily on one corner the chassis becomes unbalanced and will take most of the force from suspension travel thru that wheel. if you put stronger amounts of load on opposite corners ( Fr Left, Rr right ) the chassis takes diagonal force loads and makes you car handle terrible. If you lower the car and drop one wheel ( Or two diagonally ) beyond it being "square" from absorbing the energy from bumps and turns; it changes how the entire suspension reacts to Any forces. Bumps, turn in, cornering capabilities and braking big time. If you drive a solid car that's been adjusted it behaves more controlled. It will do more.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 378
From: Bellinum Wa
There is 300+ mi. on the car with new Bilstein's and I am satisfied with the ride. Suspension soaks up big bumps smoothly while noticeably firmer. Firmer in the sense that it doesn't bottom out but it handles larger dips and bumps aggressively without removing your fillings. It feels more solid while not being harsh or objectionable which is great especially since it's a lowered car.
The factory shocks would allow the car to wallow and left the car with a light chassis vibration that made the car "busy". All that is gone.
This whole car takes cornering inputs more smoothly and has a higher degree of chassis feedback. Just take into account this is an 02 Roadster with OE FE1 soft level setup
The factory shocks would allow the car to wallow and left the car with a light chassis vibration that made the car "busy". All that is gone.
This whole car takes cornering inputs more smoothly and has a higher degree of chassis feedback. Just take into account this is an 02 Roadster with OE FE1 soft level setup
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 39
There is 300+ mi. on the car with new Bilstein's and I am satisfied with the ride. Suspension soaks up big bumps smoothly while noticeably firmer. Firmer in the sense that it doesn't bottom out but it handles larger dips and bumps aggressively without removing your fillings. It feels more solid while not being harsh or objectionable which is great especially since it's a lowered car.
The factory shocks would allow the car to wallow and left the car with a light chassis vibration that made the car "busy". All that is gone.
This whole car takes cornering inputs more smoothly and has a higher degree of chassis feedback. Just take into account this is an 02 Roadster with OE FE1 soft level setup
The factory shocks would allow the car to wallow and left the car with a light chassis vibration that made the car "busy". All that is gone.
This whole car takes cornering inputs more smoothly and has a higher degree of chassis feedback. Just take into account this is an 02 Roadster with OE FE1 soft level setup
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 378
From: Bellinum Wa
I measured all four corners and they were identical.
As a side note; I followed torque specs which were fairly low. There was a light metal creak noise in drivers rear. After inspection turns out the Billy Boat PRT exhaust hangar caused the noise and after repositioning the muffler mount the noise was gone and everything is tight and quiet
As a side note; I followed torque specs which were fairly low. There was a light metal creak noise in drivers rear. After inspection turns out the Billy Boat PRT exhaust hangar caused the noise and after repositioning the muffler mount the noise was gone and everything is tight and quiet
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 43
Likes: 15
From: Redondo Beach, CA
Love the upgrade
I have a 2004 Z06 C5 and put these in, replacing 20 year old stock shocks at 64K miles. The stock shocks when removed still had a lot of pressure in them, but wow as this thread says, the upgrade is massive. I'm lowered on stock bolts and the shocks have plenty of stroke still. They absorb the bumps way better than before and hold firm in cornering. I had to compress all 4 with the zip ties to get it to fit, but install was relatively easy. Loving this car.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 378
From: Bellinum Wa
Bilstein has been a leader in the performance arena to those wanting better chassis response. The B8's add a higher level of suspension performance for true enthusiasts.
That said; To those who are highly committed without cost to the pinnacle of control coilovers are the absolute best.
That said; To those who are highly committed without cost to the pinnacle of control coilovers are the absolute best.