H&Rs with B8s .,,,, Update!!!

[Karlo1988]

Well after having my h&r sport springs and bilsteins b8 with pads #4(front) and #3 (back) setup for almost 4 months now I'm gonna do a review and personal opinion on them. First week and up to the 3rd month everything was great the car rode pretty decent for having the car lowered, but to be honest with you the 4th month and present im actually hating the way my car feels. Here is why
1. You feel the bumps alot harder than you did the first couple of months
2. When you hit a pot hole I feel like the wheel is goona go thru the fucking floor
3. Overall just dont like it anymore
4. Ifeel like its too bumpy


my friend has a c280 with eibach sports and stock shocks ... yes stock people ..... and it rides better than my car and to be honest with you I ran my setup first without theshocks and I liked them so im either considering going back to stock shocks, give the yellow konis a try or get a heavy duty shock from bilstein?? Idk what do you guys suggest ??? Oh by the way I know you guys are gonna ask me this so im running 18" monos with continental tires back and all season pzero nero front. ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL HELP

[Vetruck]

Well after having my h&r sport springs and bilsteins b8 with pads #4(front) and #3 (back) setup for almost 4 months now I'm gonna do a review and personal opinion on them. First week and up to the 3rd month everything was great the car rode pretty decent for having the car lowered, but to be honest with you the 4th month and present im actually hating the way my car feels. Here is why
1. You feel the bumps alot harder than you did the first couple of months
2. When you hit a pot hole I feel like the wheel is goona go thru the fucking floor
3. Overall just dont like it anymore
4. Ifeel like its too bumpy


my friend has a c280 with eibach sports and stock shocks ... yes stock people ..... and it rides better than my car and to be honest with you I ran my setup first without theshocks and I liked them so im either considering going back to stock shocks, give the yellow konis a try or get a heavy duty shock from bilstein?? Idk what do you guys suggest ??? Oh by the way I know you guys are gonna ask me this so im running 18" monos with continental tires back and all season pzero nero front. ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL HELP

Have someone ride next to you and film the wheel motion of the front wheels. Need to see what the suspensiont ravel looks like over bumps down an average 40-60 mph road. Sounds to me like you are getting too much wheel travel and hitting off the bump stops.

For what it's worth, Koni monotubes are valved stiffer than Bilstein B8's. I run Koni Yellows on the 3rd stiffest setting of 4 (0 being softest- 3 being firmest of 0, 1, 2, & 3) I run both front and rear on #2 damper setting for Rebound. I also have stifier 6 cylinder H&R sport front springs on my lighter 4cyl car and I must say mine is very comfortable. If anything, it is still just a tad on the soft side for performance driving. I also have my car slammed, but do not touch the bumpstops at all since I trimmed them. I sit stagnant at 24 3/4" front fender lip height. Puzzles me when someone with Bilsteins implies that a car is on the rough side so I will assume youa re hitting the bumpstops- Like stated, a video would help diagnose the actual problem.

My car is a daily driver for the wifey- it is hammered pretty low but is extremely comfortable and smooth even on the roughest roads. I would rate the ride comfort quality of mine to be better than stock and I run 18's as well. The stock ride was making us sea sick- the stock suspension was so lofty you had to stay aware of the car and keep the body movement tamed at a leveled speed so as to be safe int he event of an emergency manuver. Youc an now drive it much faster and be lazy about it. It can hammer dips and bumps at speed no problem

You should also check your front balljoints- they are probably worn and clunking if you are getting a terrible noise or feel on hard bumps

[Karlo1988]

Thanks vetruck im going to try to film it some day this week and see what happens. Im gonna also check the ball joints even tho I was told that they were fine but fine is not really acceptable to me, it has to be perfect or else I wont stop bitching about the way my car rides and thzt I can solve this issue im having.

Vetruck = the suspension GURU

Thanks for your time and knowledge vetruck I appreciate it

[Vetruck]

I stand corrected. I pulled my front Koni's today (was going to adjust the rears too) to find out these koni's only have 3 settings and I was already maxed on #2. they do not have a #3 setting on the 40 series monotubes (only 0, 1, & 2).

I have owned many many sets of Koni montubes and they have always had the typical 4 position settings. when I got these I just confirmed them to 0 and then adjusted up from there. I never tried to max them just out of the box (teach an old dog new tricks senerio) and just put them on assuming the 4 position setting when they are 3 position.

Anyways, they have been on Max setting and they still ride confortable. My camaro I would ranp up the rebound settings to full and it would skip the wheels across the pavement because the tires would not return to the ground fast enough over road imperfections. These are valved more luxury- though I had some more anti bodyroll left in them.

[Karlo1988]

Thzts good to know maybe I should of got the konis instead.....:mad: where did you order your konis from?

[Vetruck]

I ordered them from Summit Racing several months ago when Koni was having the aprox half and year long sale.

I do not think the shocks are your problem. Bilstiens are vavled less stiff then Konis and should make the car ride a little bit more cadillac. You say you are more harsh so to speak from what I reference in your post. If the car is hitting every large bump hard and feels like its coming through the floorboard then you most likely are hitting the bump stops.

What to do? The factory bump stops are shaft style units and are inside the shock boots. Take them out and cut offthe bottom of them to the first groove (cut off aprox 1 1/2" from what I remember). The remaining bumpstop will be about 2/3rds the original length and reinstall it.

Why? the OEM bump stop is too long and with adequate wheel travel on a now lowered vehicle, you are bouncing off them and making for a blunt ride.

[Vetruck]

Pull the black dust cover boot off the top and remove the bump stop from the shaft- then cut off the section shown and replace everthing in factory order.

[Karlo1988]

Im gonna try that this weekend and see what happens ... And also maybe change the ball joints like you said ?

[arar_hany]

I'll end up buying the Konis for some reason

[Jay Gibbs]

my friend has a c280 with eibach sports and stock shocks ... yes stock people ..... and it rides better than my car and to be honest with you I ran my setup first without theshocks and I liked them so im either considering going back to stock shocks, give the yellow konis a try or get a heavy duty shock from bilstein?? Idk what do you guys suggest ??? Oh by the way I know you guys are gonna ask me this so im running 18" monos with continental tires back and all season pzero nero front. ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL HELP

What SIZE tires are you running on the 18's?...Any rubbing issues?

J.G.

[Karlo1988]

No rubbing at all but i have a set of pirellis 225/40/18 front and continental 245/35/18 in the back

[RemoLexi]

You probably have the rear shocks installed in the front. They are way too similar but the shorter ones go in the rear.

Verify part numbers.

[Jay Gibbs]

No rubbing at all but i have a set of pirellis 225/40/18 front and continental 245/35/18 in the back

I actually just finished a suspension upgrade in my '94 C280. Stock was just way too soft, so I went with the H&R springs (1.25" drop front and rear) with 3 bump spring pads rear, 2 bump front and Bilstein Sports. Also went with AMG 18" staggered Monoblocks with 215-40-18 front, 245-35-18's rear. Overall ride is much better than I had anticipated...firm and very controlled without being harsh. Just finished a straight through drive from Philadelphia to Memphis and found the ride to be very well balanced and comfortable after 18 hours of driving. The only tire rubbing I've noticed so far are the fronts turned 3/4 of the way to lock and in reverse...outside tread rubs slightly on the forward wheel well liner above where the brake vent ducts are. Roll control is still slightly soft and when I have the chance, I will be installing Eibach front and rear sway bars...(a few mm's thicker than the AMG C36 bars.) In short, for a car that isn't going to be autocrossed, it is very firm while still being comfortable enough for long drives without being pounded to death. I recommend it!

Also- went with the brand new Michelin Pilot Sport 3 All Seasons...EXCELLENT tire wet and dry, AND with a 500 tread wear rating and 50k mile warranty!!

J.G.

[Karlo1988]

Yea i know i been having same issues and no my shocks are not installed backwards bc thats what i did in the beginning thats why i know!!:) .... im not a big fan of my H&Rs and bilsteins. I feel like they are too rough and my springs have def settled down alot lower as the months went by