NEW Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Dampers w/Mountune Sport Springs

[Khill007]

Had a little chance to really test them out today. It's drives like a completely different car. On rails is an understatement. It is solid and planted, you point the wheels and it goes exactly where you want it. Corners very flat, without any unsteadiness. Bumps in the roads are absorbed way better than the stock combo.

Will need to fiddle around with a few things once I get a warm day again. On the passenger side I noticed I had to draw the stabilizer link onto the strut with the bolt. The shaft kinda angled up and didn't go in with just a push like the driver side. The passenger side also sits just ever so slightly higher. Which I noticed as I was torquing everything down that the bottom spring end kinda over shot the rubber isolator. The rain started to some down so I left it for another day.

Glad you like them. Sounds like my review with the fronts. Can't wait to install rears.

Yes, my stabilizer bar did the same thing. I just jacked the hub up so that it was even again.

: )

 

[ThaiFiesta]

FYI - just noticed that the UK based M-Sport handling pack for the M-Sport Edition STs is Eibach Pro springs and Bilstein inverted mono tube struts.

 

[sonicmn]

I have the B14 PSS ones and they are awesome, great on the track and smoother than stock on the street.

What is the height adjust-ability like? I would like to be able to keep a close to stock ride height if possible, What is the minimum drop that is possible with the B14 PSS setup?

 

[sonicmn]

I was seriously considering these / the B6s about a month ago but when I called, the Bilstein rep confirmed this was in fact a twin-tube design, so unless they had a major redesign change recently, please be aware these are not like the B14s, which are a true monotube design. To this day I am shocked that Bilstein would let a technicality like this slip through the cracks considering they are the authority over their website and have the supporting tech info to make this distinctly clear for the consumer. A marketing gimmick or a clerical error? I am not sure... but just want to make sure there is no confusion for those of whom the twin-tube design is a deal breaker on an otherwise promising non-ride height adjustable shock from a reputable company (like it was for me at the time).

Also to note: the FL, FR, and Rear shock part numbers are also cross listed with the S, SE, and Titanium trim Fiestas. On the phone I found out this was because the dampers are not specifically valved to the stock ST spring rate, but rather are set to an intermediate setting/profile that allows them to be used in conjunction with an entire host of fiesta spring rates and lengths. As far as I understand the B6s are popular in the rally fiesta world (because of their aggressive damping profile and their ability to eat bumps/potholes for breakfast ) and are designed to be used with the stock springs, which as is well known, will maintain the stock ride height. In the case of the B8s, the same damper cartridge is reused, but this time, paired up with a shorter shaft which, when used with a lowering spring, will allow the ride height to drop without infringing on the life of the damper.

Don't mean to rehash things experienced members will find trivial, but in case you are a newb like me I hope this information helps to shed light on the bilstein B6/B8 dampers.

For these reasons and others, I am sub'd for a review of the shocks once installed!

Hey its interesting that the over the phone info contradicts what the website says, (http://cart.bilsteinus.com/product/22-245199/417098/FWD)

Are you sure that the info was for the B6/B8?

 

[Jesse]

What is the height adjust-ability like? I would like to be able to keep a close to stock ride height if possible, What is the minimum drop that is possible with the B14 PSS setup?

You can leave it pretty high up if you want. I have mine set pretty low

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[neeqness]

Not to side track too much. Since the B6 and B8 part numbers are the same for the base Feista as they are for the Fiesta ST, would we not consider the ST lowered on OE springs and thus gravitate to the B8? I am no suspension expert just want knowledge and data.

I think the part numbers come from Bilstein and even if it didn't it's not that unlikely to share or interchange part numbers among all Fiestas so this is not all that surprising to me.

However, I was also just thinking along these lines recently when I was considering that the ST is actually lowered slightly more than other Fiesta models. So perhaps it's not so bad after all to use the B8 with oem springs.

The B8s, being shorter than stock, may lower the car a slight bit more. Of course not as much as the lowering springs but still a plus for me. I think I will get the B8s anyway and some of you may have convinced me to use them with oem springs instead...or to at least try it first.

 

[Khill007]

Had a little chance to really test them out today. It's drives like a completely different car. On rails is an understatement. It is solid and planted, you point the wheels and it goes exactly where you want it. Corners very flat, without any unsteadiness. Bumps in the roads are absorbed way better than the stock combo.

Will need to fiddle around with a few things once I get a warm day again. On the passenger side I noticed I had to draw the stabilizer link onto the strut with the bolt. The shaft kinda angled up and didn't go in with just a push like the driver side. The passenger side also sits just ever so slightly higher. Which I noticed as I was torquing everything down that the bottom spring end kinda over shot the rubber isolator. The rain started to some down so I left it for another day.

Man, I just installed the rears and guess what...I'm getting the F'N rattle on the right side caused by the Bilstein nut being larger than stock!? I peeked back there and sure enough....the nut is rubbing on the stock sized hole in rear fender well. The car freaking handles AMAZING!!!!!!! Just driving me nuts with the rattle. Looks like the Dremel is coming out in the morning! I've read where others have had this same issue with coil-overs. FFFFFFFFF!!!!!

 

[caliboy15]

Man, I just installed the rears and guess what...I'm getting the F'N rattle on the right side caused by the Bilstein nut being larger than stock!? I peeked back there and sure enough....the nut is rubbing on the stock sized hole in rear fender well. The car freaking handles AMAZING!!!!!!! Just driving me nuts with the rattle. Looks like the Dremel is coming out in the morning! I've read where others have had this same issue with coil-overs. FFFFFFFFF!!!!!

do you have stock springs?

 

[speraw09]

Man, I just installed the rears and guess what...I'm getting the F'N rattle on the right side caused by the Bilstein nut being larger than stock!? I peeked back there and sure enough....the nut is rubbing on the stock sized hole in rear fender well. The car freaking handles AMAZING!!!!!!! Just driving me nuts with the rattle. Looks like the Dremel is coming out in the morning! I've read where others have had this same issue with coil-overs. FFFFFFFFF!!!!!

I don't believe I have heard of or have that situation in mine. The rear is nice and silent. The front on the other hand definitely needs to be retorqued.

 

[Khill007]

I don't believe I have heard of or have that situation in mine. The rear is nice and silent. The front on the other hand definitely needs to be retorqued.

Did you reuse all stock hardware and use the Bilstein bolt?

 

[Khill007]

do you have stock springs?

No, Mountune.

 

[speraw09]

Did you reuse all stock hardware and use the Bilstein bolt?

I used what Bilstein have me with the shocks and all stock other than that.

 

[Khill007]

I used what Bilstein have me with the shocks and all stock other than that.

I don't know what I did?!? Maybe I didn't tighten the nut up top enough to pull it down below the hole?!?

 

[speraw09]

I don't know what I did?!? Maybe I didn't tighten the nut up top enough to pull it down below the hole?!?

When I was tightening the nuts down I stopped a few times to check because it seemed like the threads were never-ending.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Man, I just installed the rears and guess what...I'm getting the F'N rattle on the right side caused by the Bilstein nut being larger than stock!? I peeked back there and sure enough....the nut is rubbing on the stock sized hole in rear fender well. The car freaking handles AMAZING!!!!!!! Just driving me nuts with the rattle. Looks like the Dremel is coming out in the morning! I've read where others have had this same issue with coil-overs. FFFFFFFFF!!!!!

Picture of the affected area?

 

[Khill007]

When I was tightening the nuts down I stopped a few times to check because it seemed like the threads were never-ending.

After looking at several pictures via Google search I think the problem is that I didn't tighten the nut up top enough. It seemed like there was too much shaft coming up so I stopped but after scanning Google it looks like there is supposed to be quite a bit. I'll try tightening it down a bit more. I don't have a torque wrench handy so I'm having to wing it.

 

[Khill007]

Man, I just installed the rears and guess what...I'm getting the F'N rattle on the right side caused by the Bilstein nut being larger than stock!? I peeked back there and sure enough....the nut is rubbing on the stock sized hole in rear fender well. The car freaking handles AMAZING!!!!!!! Just driving me nuts with the rattle. Looks like the Dremel is coming out in the morning! I've read where others have had this same issue with coil-overs. FFFFFFFFF!!!!!

SOLVED:

Put the stock nut on the top of the Bilstein and poof...all rattles are gone.

 

[Jesse]

Yeah I had that stupid annoying rattle for a while, I Realized if you tighten the nut so the flat edges of the nut are parallel with the body the squeak finally went away... I hadn't heard of that damn rattle when I First bought mine took a while to figure out where the heck it was coming from LOL

 

[Khill007]

Yeah I had that stupid annoying rattle for a while, I Realized if you tighten the nut so the flat edges of the nut are parallel with the body the squeak finally went away... I hadn't heard of that damn rattle when I First bought mine took a while to figure out where the heck it was coming from LOL

Yeah, I remembered reading about it in a forum months ago so I looked back there and sure nuf. I also failed to mention that I didn't push the rubber bump stop all the way up into the adapter and got some god awful noise. That thing needs to be pushed "all the way" into the shock mount bracket.

These forums ALWAYS save my ass!!!!!

: )

 

[Khill007]

So, I wanted to provide a more detailed review once I got these installed and noise free?!? All I can say is WOW! The car has been transformed. Again, I do not track the car so you suspension gurus will need to come to your own conclusions. The car is more stable, has lost the choppiness completely, handles "ANY" imperfections, pot holes, etc. with ease, and handles like is is on rails. It seems to have way more traction diving into corners. This is by far the best luck I've had with suspension upgrades on "any" car I've owned. Not sure why but the OEM suspension was one of the harshest I've ever encountered. Seems like Ford could have done a better job here?!? Oh well, I'm very, very happy with the results. There was a thread called "Taming The Suspension on the ST" somewhere?!? Well, this has done it for me!