Euro ///M Springs- what shocks to pair with them?

[harrypalmer]

Anyway, just a heads up to harrypalmer and Freude am Fahren on those possible alternative rear Billy Sports mentioned by Freude am Fahren (since the 33522225666 seem to be NLA)... B46-0727 (F4-B46-0727-H2) crosses to new number 24-007276, but I'm sure you know that. Bavauto has them on sale now, $129.55 per. 10% off. Hey, every 10% helps.

Coincidentally, the front M Tech Shocks Bilstein finally arrived yesterday inside a BMW box! With a new or extended serial number, beyond the two sixes: 31.32.2225663.2 which somehow makes me feel at ease waiting for the rears to be manufactured some day soon perhaps. Regardless, thank you Danc for the heads up!

[mottati]

my front springs and shocks (same pn posted above) also just arrived last week. My parts guy said he was told by germany that the rear 666 part was NLA and he should cancel the order.

[harrypalmer]

I understand, but as Freude am Fahrem was saying earlier in this thread -"The rear and front shocks went NLA together around the same time yet the fronts were resupplied but the rears were not, prompting me to think that they will make more of them if and when they feel the demand necessitates the action. Have you ordered the rears from BMW and are waitlisted or have you merely checked their supplies and decided not to place an order since the availability shows zero? If enough of us place an order for the rear I feel BMW will restock them the same way they restocked the front shocks".

I am of the same thinking above, of keeping the order alive and NOT cancelling, so maybe eventually the NLA rear will get resupplied. Maybe you should too. Best luck to you!

[wkohler]

It's too bad the people who actually have these cars can't get these parts anymore.

[harrypalmer]

It's too bad the people who actually have these cars can't get these parts anymore.

Just like you Chris, these days I am of the same sentiment for BMWA. Personally I find it unnerving this is happening with the HALT on Euro parts to all of us here in the US. Plus the ongoing scavenging of "NLA" new/used parts all over the world. If I knew before hand, most likely would never purchased my car. It's so frustrating.

[Jelmer538i]

I just ordered some US parts without any problems overhere in EU!

[mottati]

having gone thru this with NLA EDC shocks/struts on my e34's, i have my doubts that bmw will bring back NLA shocks for the e28.

[Azure]

I understand, but as Freude am Fahrem was saying earlier in this thread -"The rear and front shocks went NLA together around the same time yet the fronts were resupplied but the rears were not, prompting me to think that they will make more of them if and when they feel the demand necessitates the action. Have you ordered the rears from BMW and are waitlisted or have you merely checked their supplies and decided not to place an order since the availability shows zero? If enough of us place an order for the rear I feel BMW will restock them the same way they restocked the front shocks".

I am of the same thinking above, of keeping the order alive and NOT cancelling, so maybe eventually the NLA rear will get resupplied. Maybe you should too. Best luck to you!

It's too bad the people who actually have these cars can't get these parts anymore.

Just like you Chris, these days I am of the same sentiment for BMWA. Personally I find it unnerving this is happening with the HALT on Euro parts to all of us here in the US. Plus the ongoing scavenging of "NLA" new/used parts all over the world. If I knew before hand, most likely would never purchased my car. It's so frustrating.

Now, I don't know if they do this any more, BUT, back in 2006 I sent a pair of rear Bilstein Sports to Bilstein in CA to get them refurbed & revalved, specifically to match my ST springs. At the time, the cost of custom valving them was about the same as buying a new pair - the upside being you could send in your old worn shocks.

They said they already had plenty of data on ST springs & therefore could valve the shocks appropriately - I wouldn't be surprised if they have the same data for the BMW springs, not to mention the OE Bilstein shocks (and could possibly revalve a pair to factory spec for that specific application).

The entire transaction went beautifully, right up until UPS lost the shocks on the way back. Bilstein were nice enough to refund the charge, however.

Granted this is 9 year old information, but it might be worth a followup for someone desperately waiting for rear shocks.

[wkohler]

I was on the phone with them for over an hour and gave them all of the info from my shocks and they said they have no way to get a drawing for them so they won't rebuild them.

[Azure]

I was on the phone with them for over an hour and gave them all of the info from my shocks and they said they have no way to get a drawing for them so they won't rebuild them.

How do you mean get a drawing from them? Either way that's bloody disappointing. They used to be quite helpful. :\

As a side note, I was looking at shocks/springs for the M535i, and there doesn't seem to be any kind of "M Tech" part number associated with the car at all, and all the listed part numbers cross reference as (what appear to be) standard springs/shocks. Wth?

[wkohler]

M-tech suspension was optional on M535s. The cars all came with standard springs and Bilsteins, like the 535is here.

Bilstein in Poway, CA said they cannot get a technical drawing describing the specs and different parts in the assembly so they said they won't rebuild them since they don't know what they look like inside. I explained that at least in the case of my front struts, they are constructed just like the Sports or HDs but there are different factors inside as to whether or not the shock itself (which you don't see) is crimped together or screwed together, etc. Consequently, they also don't know if the parts needed are in stock or if they would have to make them, where the customer would be responsible for all machining costs and labor time on top of the rebuild cost.

[Freude am Fahren]

I was on the phone with them for over an hour and gave them all of the info from my shocks and they said they have no way to get a drawing for them so they won't rebuild them.

That's essentially what they told me when I rang them and gave them the numbers off your shock and asked for a drawing and they said no can do. They in fact went even further and said that they won't rebuild BMW sold shocks even if they are bilstein built. They will only rebuild Bilstein shocks bought directly through bilstein.

[Jelmer538i]

I've talked to Bilstein UK and Bilstein Germany and they could revalve my B6's (HD in US) to "M-tech" specs. (the US M-tech suspension with the short reds)

They also told me that the B8 (sport in US) have the same setting as M535i settings.
And they can revalve some shocks to Hartge settings for Ivo. They have the specs for that too.

But with custom valving, they told me that they need to know what i do with the car (street, race, rally) and they didn't guarantee me that I would like the setting! So revalving billys to aftermarket springs is better in the US and revalving to BMW/Hartge specs is better in DE or UK!

[Azure]

M-tech suspension was optional on M535s. The cars all came with standard springs and Bilsteins, like the 535is here.

Bilstein in Poway, CA said they cannot get a technical drawing describing the specs and different parts in the assembly so they said they won't rebuild them since they don't know what they look like inside. I explained that at least in the case of my front struts, they are constructed just like the Sports or HDs but there are different factors inside as to whether or not the shock itself (which you don't see) is crimped together or screwed together, etc. Consequently, they also don't know if the parts needed are in stock or if they would have to make them, where the customer would be responsible for all machining costs and labor time on top of the rebuild cost.

I get that the M-tech suspension was optional on the M535, my point was, if I run my old 535is VIN, under the strut diagram there is clearly marked "front strut, only applies to M Technic". There is no such M Technic part number on the strut diagram for the M535i - at least not if I run a "generic" M535i build, and not if I run my M535i VIN. There are 3 strut part numbers, none of them are designated M-technic, and none of them are (they're all standard). I guess my point was I found it strange that the M-tech shock is on the diagram for a 535is, but not for an M535i.

If they don't have data on the M-tech shock, do they have at least data on the M-tech spring, and would they be willing to revalve a standard Bilstein shock to "match" the M-tech spring? Maybe that'd be at least close?

[Jelmer538i]

I think you guys mix everything up.

M535i's have different Bilsteins than the US 535i and iS. The "M-technic" suspension was only an option for the US 528e and 535i.

[Azure]

I think you guys mix everything up.

M535i's have different Bilsteins than the US 535i and iS. The "M-technic" suspension was only an option for the US 528e and 535i.

The part number listed for a front shock on my M535i is 31321129243. A parts cross reference shows this as the PN for pretty much every other e28:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxre ... series=E28

[Jelmer538i]

Yes, that is correct but these are different than the US M-technic Billys. Your number is for a Euro M-tech suspension and stock US suspension.

[wkohler]

Right. All I'm saying is that the M-tech springs were optional. The cars got Bilsteins.

Here in the U.S., you really aren't using a 535is VIN, rather a 535i VIN. I don't doubt the part numbers are different either.

[Azure]

Right. All I'm saying is that the M-tech springs were optional. The cars got Bilsteins.

Here in the U.S., you really aren't using a 535is VIN, rather a 535i VIN. I don't doubt the part numbers are different either.

You're right, the M-tech suspension was an option on the M535i, my point being, if I wanted to order the correct M-tech springs/shocks for the M535i, there is no PN listed for them on any of the suspension/strut diagrams. So what do you do, order the M-tech PNs listed for the US 535i/s and assume it's the same? How can you be sure?

You're correct re: the "535is" VIN, since the "is" was essentially add on equipment, but you get my drift.

[Freude am Fahren]

Right. All I'm saying is that the M-tech springs were optional. The cars got Bilsteins.

Here in the U.S., you really aren't using a 535is VIN, rather a 535i VIN. I don't doubt the part numbers are different either.

You're right, the M-tech suspension was an option on the M535i, my point being, if I wanted to order the correct M-tech springs/shocks for the M535i, there is no PN listed for them on any of the suspension/strut diagrams. So what do you do, order the M-tech PNs listed for the US 535i/s and assume it's the same? How can you be sure?

You're correct re: the "535is" VIN, since the "is" was essentially add on equipment, but you get my drift.

I'm confused. The correct PNs for M tech shocks and springs are known and have been discussed extensively throughout this thread. Furthermore, Bilstein website has noted specific M tech application on their suspension diagrams so what exactly do you mean?

[Azure]

I'm confused. The correct PNs for M tech shocks and springs are known and have been discussed extensively throughout this thread. Furthermore, Bilstein website has noted specific M tech application on their suspension diagrams so what exactly do you mean?

I suppose I'm asking if anyone knows why there doesn't show an M-tech suspension option/PNs on the diagrams for the M535i when clearly it was an option for that vehicle.

[Jelmer538i]

What do you mean with suspension? Shocks, springs or both?

The M535i always has Bilstein shocks but the lowered springs were an option.

[Chimi-Changa]

Soooo good question Azure- The Mtech suspension offered as an option on the USA iS's is the same as the Mtech option on the M535's? or different?

[Jelmer538i]

Talked to Bilstein DE again and they said that they don't carry any BMW setting information. They also can't work with BMW part numbers.

[harrypalmer]

I was on the phone with them for over an hour and gave them all of the info from my shocks and they said they have no way to get a drawing for them so they won't rebuild them.

May I ask which of your cars were you thinking of installing the rear shocks and what will you do now that they are officially unobtanium?