[345 desoto]

I'm looking to replace my front struts and rear shocks (85,000 miles). Which is the better quality...KYB or Bilstein? And of the two, which model/part numbers? I'm looking for a smoother ride, not enhanced performance. Do the mounts for these wear out? I also realize that 17 inch wheels with "fork lift" tires do not contribute to a smooth ride.....

 

[RYJS60]

I would go with Bilstein or Boge's

 

[Facusan]

I have KYB all around and so far the car rides smoothly.

But I‘m using S40 struts and springs. These struts have a little bit taller shaft, and the springs are 0.3mm thicker compared to the original C70 parts. The rest is the same and everything fits with no problems.

Strut mounts and strut bearings may be still in good condition but you’ll only know for sure once you take apart the strut assembly.

In my case, one of my mounts had a stripped thread and the bolt was stuck there. However the mount rubber seemed to be fine. It had 99k on it.

If you plan to reuse the bearings, the only way to know of they’re still good is to take those apart to inspect the races for pitting. If they’re good, clean up all old grease and repack them. This is a MUST because dirt will get into them while you are taking apart the struts assemblies.
Oh. I forgot to say: Each bearing has 36 balls. Make sure don’t loose any while you remove the bearing from the mount. Pry the bearing out carefully with a flat head screw driver. It will explode open if you do it by hand!


The KYB parts numbers I used are:

Left Strut: KYB P/N: 334843

Right Strut: KYB P/N: 334842

These Struts do not come with the ring that holds the lower side of the bellows. You’ll have to reuse those from the original struts. Same thing goes for the Bilsteins (according to a FCP euro customer review)

Rear shocks: KYB P/N: 348082 (same for both sides)

Good luck!


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[coachrick]

None of this would have mattered yesterday to the driver who decided her Honda and our C70 could occupy a single space !!! In fairly heavy traffic on a tight, winding 35mph road, she pulled up beside me in the left lane and proceeded to merge into MY space! I really thought she was going to hit me and finish pushing me into the curb(fortunately, the curbs are radius'd and I didn't scrape the wheels as I moved as far as I could). The traffic behind would have been involved as well as folks in Austin aren't known for allowing much space when following ). Laying on the horn finally got her attention and she dropped in behind me and tailgated until she almost clipped me when switching to her right-turn lane to continue her journey). She had paper "new purchase" tags on what is likely not to be a "new" car for very long!!
I couldn't help but think of the $2000 i've put into "BlueBell" in the past few weeks(and the few hundred I'm planning to spend in the next couple!). Dang

 

[gotart]

You do know that "the road is paved with idiots!"

 

[coachrick]

You do know that "the road is paved with idiots!"

No doubt the Covid shut-down hasn't helped folks' driving one bit!

 

[345 desoto]

Bought both front struts, both strut mounts/bearings, both rear shocks....Bilstein B4's. UPDATE...Had everything installed, a broken engine mount replaced , an alignment, an oil/filter change with Synthetic oil. Dealer couldn't find any other issues. OMG!! I now have a "brand new" C70! NO noises, rides SMOOTH, drives straight, and corners like it's on rails...:thumbup:. I've lusted after a Face Lift C70 for years, and finally stole this one...with the exact exterior/interior colors I've always wanted, too....Celestial Blue/Calcite Cream. Woman I bought it from said it made "funny noises" and didn't ride too good. Besides, she didn't care for the "cracks" in the roof for the folding top, which she never used..

 

[Tedders]

Is it a hard, or almost too stiff a ride?

 

[345 desoto]

TEDDERS - It is a really nice OEM type ride...rides BEAUTIFULLY...not too stiff, not too soft...

 

[oilspot]

I put Koni self-adjusting shocks on our nearly stock C70 several years ago. The shocks have been amazing able to adapt to almost any road condition that we've encountered. Highly recommend them if they can still be found.

 

[RR04]

Self-adjusting? Never heard shocks that could adjust themself. What was the price for them?


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[jschinito]

probably referring to koni FSDs. had those as well for a few years. definitely an improvement in comfort over stock and slightly improvement in handling.
but for more consistent sporty suspension, the bilsteins have been better in my opinion

Self-adjusting? Never heard shocks that could adjust themself. What was the price for them?


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[Facusan]

Are those the “nivomat” shocks?


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[HunterBD]

Bilsteins. Lifetime warranty with any car owner. I had mine replaced under warranty 5 years later with just the SN#. This was on my 89 744Tii+ Why would you buy KYB beside price? There is no comparison.


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[345 desoto]

Just as an FYI update...I'm TOTALLY pleased with the Bilsteins. They APPEAR to have "broken in". The ride seems smoother, and the stability/cornering seems better, after a few miles on them. Amazing struts/shocks. I don't mind paying the price, if I get what I'm paying for. It appears that this time I got my money's worth....:thumbup:

 

[AutoGeek]

I had Koni yellow sport on my first V50 with the factory comfort springs. I didn't like it. They probably would be better for autocross but not street. Maybe better with stiffer springs. My present V50 has Bilstein HD on the same factory springs and I really like it. The ride is firm but very well controlled.

 

[GermanicR]

I run Bilstein B8 Shocks with Eibach sports springs, a C30 tower brace and an Elevate rear Swaybar. After about 10k you need to get all the screws tightened ensure it runs without any weird sounds but now it feels for the first time like a BMW 3/4 Series convertible in terms of how it sits on the road.

 

[deaconzach]

Anyone used FCS suspension parts?

Hey just bought a 2013 C70 and did the polestar upgrade, really liking it. Thinking about changing the rear shocks but budget conscious. Seeing FCS parts on RockAuto and CarID. Any thought? not necessarily looking for the best but rather "what works". Cheers

 

[deaconzach]

Went ahead and put in the FCS shocks

Hey just bought a 2013 C70 and did the polestar upgrade, really liking it. Thinking about changing the rear shocks but budget conscious. Seeing FCS parts on RockAuto and CarID. Any thought? not necessarily looking for the best but rather "what works". Cheers

Went ahead and put in the FCS shocks. Seems to ride as good or better than the OEM. We'll see if it lasts.

 

[wilsonstaff]

@deaconzach. Curious, have the same question. So how are the FCS going?