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KYB vs Bilstein

18K views 37 replies 17 participants last post by  Facusan  
#1 ·
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.....:)
 
#3 ·
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)

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

Good luck!

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#4 ·
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
 
#7 · (Edited)
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..:D
 
#12 ·
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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#14 ·
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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#15 · (Edited)
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:
 
#16 · (Edited)
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.
 
#19 ·
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.
 
#25 ·
Yep; I did the same thing: replaced all shocks with Bilstein's / OEM shocks. They are great! I'm waiting for them to "break in", but so far I have absolutely no complaints.

I also had the adjustable rear camber arms put in by the dealership and they tweaked everything to have ALL of the rear tires on the road.

As the mechanic said, "Your car should ride better than new, now."

Drive laughing! :LOL:

Tedders
 
#28 ·
I'm at the dealer today for a fuel pressure thingy-ma-bob failure and costco-polestar deal.

Inspection reveals I went 140k on original shocks. Had the car since July 2015, serviced and repaired regularly, and it never came up. Maybe OEM is bomb proof 😁😁😁

Anyway, says.blisten is lifetime warranty. How long do they last?
 
#30 ·
I'm at the dealer today for a fuel pressure thingy-ma-bob failure and costco-polestar deal.

Inspection reveals I went 140k on original shocks. Had the car since July 2015, serviced and repaired regularly, and it never came up. Maybe OEM is bomb proof 😁😁😁

Anyway, says.blisten is lifetime warranty. How long do they last?
Wow I was not aware of the Upgrade sale, just called my Dealer who took over from another dealer and the service guy was clueless, I emailed him the info. What did it cost with the $300 discount?
 
#37 ·
Yes, confirm the length is the same.

Different P/N to charge more is possible, Because the C70 was sold as a more luxurious car than any other P1. Also, I think probably those shocks may have a different behavior than regular P1 shocks (probably because of the extra weight it carries)


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