Current FFR Bilstein Shock Issue!

[Ant]

I have Bilstein custom shocks on my cobra, this was a saga as originally I was supplied with the front set with 11mm shafts and a floppy dust seal as when they are fitted upside down the seal fell down.....! After finding someone at Bilstein who actually knew what they were about I showed them some photos of my car, and sent the shocks back to them, well the service couldnt have been better back they came with 14mm shafts, and great backup service with valving/spring rates etc.

I read where forum members say how Bilsteins dont have a very good ride etc and other shocks are better, surely the ride would depends on the valving, the main issue between Bilstein and Konis is that the Bilstein can achieve the same result, but on less expensive models they have to be dismantled to alter the valving, setup properly they can be as good as more expensive shocks.

I questioned why would you fit an 11mm shafted shock to a high performance sports or race car in the first place, and having issues with shocks at full extension at ride height is the fault of whoever spec'd the shocks!

I would have preferred Konis on my car due only to the fact of minor adjustability that is if the internal valving is basically in the middle, then you can make adjustments for different tracks etc with a turn of a knob!
The custom Bilsteins I have are probably considerably more expensive than the FF spec'd shocks, so reading between the lines what was supplied may have been an economy shock, but I wont go there to much as I dont know all the facts.

I am now working with one of the most successful single seat and saloon teams in this country, these people maintain/restore Formula Ford, Formula Toyota, F5000, F3000, Canam, LeMans cars, and mostly use Koni, but on some single seater driving school cars they use Bilstein and inform me the same result can be had if you spend the time sorting the valving etc, but when they are racing they prefer the koni.

So good luck if you have the same service I had from Bilstein, and uprate the shocks, and valve them properly for your application, and re-check the open and closed lengths, and there is no major misalignments issues, which the spherical bearings cant cope with.