Need Smooth Ride -- Bought Bilstein shocks have ? about part #/application

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 2, 2014

My car currently has Sportlines and Bilsteins. The ride isn't that good on the street and on the highway the car seems to have a very light bounce to it all around. My buddy was driving behind me and noticed it as well. The front left strut is completely covered in grime and I do believe I am safe to assume that it's blown. I'm really not that big into handling. I prefer to cruise around and rip on the straights. I've done a lot of researching and searching but still confused with what I want to swap my suspension with.

On my LX I had a Pro Kit with new GR2s it was a little rougher than I though it would be. I was thinking about getting B springs for my SN95 but can't decide to what struts and shocks to get. Would GR2s do the trick with the B's or would it be rough? Again, I don't care about having crazy handling, just a small drop and decent ride. From what I've seen online B's with the isos removed give a nice drop.

Would a fresh set of Bilsteins give me the ride I need or will the Sportlines always make it rough and bouncy?

mcglsr2 · Dec 2, 2014

I'm not sure about the shocks/struts & springs you are using; I had Tokico HP's and H&R Race Springs and overall felt like the ride was not bad at all. You can go for the tad-softer H&R Super Sports. Easy enough ride, but still stiff enough for a little fun.

ttocs · Dec 2, 2014

I don't know many people with a lowered car that rides as smooth as mine, but then I also don't know that man people willing to pay for bags. I am afraid its going to be like power windows for me and I will never be able to be happy in a car with a static suspension....

the5.ohh · Dec 2, 2014

I have GR2s with B springs. Smooth ride, somewhat stiff. But if you have shitty tires, your ride will be shit no matter what suspension you're running.

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 2, 2014

mcglsr2 said:
I'm not sure about the shocks/struts & springs you are using; I had Tokico HP's and H&R Race Springs and overall felt like the ride was not bad at all. You can go for the tad-softer H&R Super Sports. Easy enough ride, but still stiff enough for a little fun.

The car has Eibach Sportlines and Bilsteins currently

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 2, 2014

the5.ohh said:
I have GR2s with B springs. Smooth ride, somewhat stiff. But if you have shitty tires, your ride will be shit no matter what suspension you're running.

Right now the car has BF Goodrich g force t/a kdw or something like that. On my E class and my previous LX I ran Nexen N3000s good bang for the buck tire.

slow90coupe · Dec 2, 2014

Honestly the cheap Monroe stock replacements ride just as good as anything. Be sure to order them for a foxbody to get more shock travel.

the5.ohh · Dec 2, 2014

GEORGEKLASS said:
Right now the car has BF Goodrich g force t/a kdw or something like that. On my E class and my previous LX I ran Nexen N3000s good bang for the buck tire.

BFG's are pretty good. Honestly though, these cars will never be smooth like newer ones. Ever ride in a newer coyote? I drove my buddies 14' trackpack 5.0, and I was like no way I'm in a mustang, was that smooth lol. Mine rides pretty well for a mustang, I can't
complain at all

1997GT4.6 · Dec 3, 2014

Unless you go back to stock height, good luck. Well, B springs are pretty soft with the right shocks. I'd get Koni STrt or whatever they're called. H&R SS are stiff so I don't recommend those.

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 3, 2014

1997GT4.6 said:
Unless you go back to stock height, good luck. Well, B springs are pretty soft with the right shocks. I'd get Koni STrt or whatever they're called. H&R SS are stiff so I don't recommend those.

I wouldn't hit the SS but maybe the regular sports. The rates seem ok. I just can't decide if I drop the $$$ and go with fresh Bilsteins or hit GR2s.

1997GT4.6 · Dec 3, 2014

GEORGEKLASS said:
I wouldn't hit the SS but maybe the regular sports. The rates seem ok. I just can't decide if I drop the $$$ and go with fresh Bilsteins or hit GR2s.

The regular sports give a nice drop, not low enough for me, but the ride quality is fantastic. A guy I used to know has a mystic with the sports and stock 86k mile shocks/struts and that car rides fantastic and handles great. Mine is on the SS springs, no isos, steeda x2 with no spacer, and adjustable lcas maxed out so going from that to the regular sport springs was night and day. I'd definitely go with those if I didn't care about ride height.
I've been in that situation, and I chose the cheap route and it ended up costing me more because I had to replace the cheap tokicos twice. I don't regret it because it was a lesson learned; I only buy quality products now. If you don't want to pay for Bilsteins, I would go Koni Strt the orange ones. Quality product for a great price. Hope this helps!

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 3, 2014

1997GT4.6 said:
The regular sports give a nice drop, not low enough for me, but the ride quality is fantastic. A guy I used to know has a mystic with the sports and stock 86k mile shocks/struts and that car rides fantastic and handles great. Mine is on the SS springs, no isos, steeda x2 with no spacer, and adjustable lcas maxed out so going from that to the regular sport springs was night and day. I'd definitely go with those if I didn't care about ride height.
I've been in that situation, and I chose the cheap route and it ended up costing me more because I had to replace the cheap tokicos twice. I don't regret it because it was a lesson learned; I only buy quality products now. If you don't want to pay for Bilsteins, I would go Koni Strt the orange ones. Quality product for a great price. Hope this helps!

Pricing out B springs vs H&R Sport it's a $50-$60 difference so I'm leaning towards those. If I can find a good deal on the Koni STRs I'll hit those if not fresh Bilsteins. Thanks for the advice!

B.mad · Dec 4, 2014

GEORGEKLASS said:
Pricing out B springs vs H&R Sport it's a $50-$60 difference so I'm leaning towards those. If I can find a good deal on the Koni STRs I'll hit those if not fresh Bilsteins. Thanks for the advice!

you just gotta pay attention to the sites. I got my str.t's on sale from LMR for 299. i had to wait a couple of months to get them, but they got here. Good shocks. Ride is eh, but it is a stiffer spring so i dont mind it, handles awesome! but i have stock springs so i cant say how they act with aftermarket springs. Im saving up for coilovers, so when i get some bilsteins or MM1 shocks im gonna sell my str.t's

ttocs · Dec 4, 2014

wow reading all that makes my head spin. just tells me I made the right choice as I would hate to learn all this stuff to get a ride I hated.

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 4, 2014

B.mad said:
you just gotta pay attention to the sites. I got my str.t's on sale from LMR for 299. i had to wait a couple of months to get them, but they got here. Good shocks. Ride is eh, but it is a stiffer spring so i dont mind it, handles awesome! but i have stock springs so i cant say how they act with aftermarket springs. Im saving up for coilovers, so when i get some bilsteins or MM1 shocks im gonna sell my str.t's

Im always on all the sites looking for deals but shipping to Canada can get ridiculous at times. Every once in a while CJ does free shipping to Canada so that helps.

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 4, 2014

ttocs said:
wow reading all that makes my head spin. just tells me I made the right choice as I would hate to learn all this stuff to get a ride I hated.

Bags would be nice but out of my budget.

B.mad · Dec 4, 2014

GEORGEKLASS said:
Im always on all the sites looking for deals but shipping to Canada can get ridiculous at times. Every once in a while CJ does free shipping to Canada so that helps.

ohhh i didnt notice you had montreal....oooops.

g36 monkey · Dec 7, 2014

Whatever you do, you need to match the rates of the springs to the shocks and struts. If you don't the ride quality and handling will suffer because the two will be fighting each other

GEORGEKLASS · Dec 8, 2014

I bought 2 new rear Bilstein shocks part # F4-BE5-2449-M0. A seller on eBay seems to have quite a few sets of these always listed. The price was too good to pass up. It states that they are for Saleens. Is this the same shock as the N2?

B.mad · Dec 8, 2014

GEORGEKLASS said:
I bought 2 new rear Bilstein shocks part # F4-BE5-2449-M0. A seller on eBay seems to have quite a few sets of these always listed. The price was too good to pass up. It states that they are for Saleens. Is this the same shock as the N2?

if you have bilstein struts, you can get away with running with 650-750 front spring rates and i think its 250 in the rears. which is h&r ss spring territory.