Bilstein Coilovers - Rebuild/revalve

[_Ryan_]

G'day,

As SAU has always had a reasonable Bilstein user population, figured it's worth asking here-

Who has had their PSS/PSS10/PSS9 etc. tweaked in Australia?

Local options for Victorians are:

- Gary Baker of Baker Bros Engineering (well known in rally)

- Brett O'Brien of Shockworks (formerly Delphi etc.)

- Quadrant (pass, crap attitudes)

- Others?

Reason for rebuild/revalve:

- Spring rates have changed

- Over 70k km have passed

Feedback is appreciated.

Ryan

[GTSBoy]

Another option would be another Gary. Cook. Also known as SydneyKid on these forums.

[_Ryan_]

Another option would be another Gary. Cook. Also known as SydneyKid on these forums.

Only challenge there is that Gary Cook is based in NSW and I'm down to one car, attempting to minimise down time by using a local engineer.

[Duncan]

I'm also in NSW, I had the ones on my Stagea rebuilt after about 100,000klm of use. I had the springs changed at the same time so I can't say what made the change, but it rides more smoothly now despite the high spring rates.

I think because shocks wear so slowly its hard to tell when they are getting tired.

I used Heasmans in Sydney. Very expensive but top quality work and attention to detail.

[GTSBoy]

FWIW, I replaced the Bilsteins in the front of my R32 last year (I think, or maybe a little before). Got SydneyKid's custom revalved ones, but they were otherwise the same as the dampers that came out, which were >10 years, something like 150000km old. The dampers that came out were in perfect condition and from a hand benchtest type of inspection they seemed to work just as well as the brand new ones did. On that basis I would say that it is highly unlikely that even higher spec Billies like yours would have worn significantly in the time and miles they've been used.

Having said that, the different valving in my new ones was even better than the stock ones. More supple ride control and very satisfactory bump control, especially in bends. So I'm not going to dissuade anyone from simply rebuilding or even revalving if they want to. Just pointing out that it may not be needed.

[_Ryan_]

FWIW, I replaced the Bilsteins in the front of my R32 last year (I think, or maybe a little before). Got SydneyKid's custom revalved ones, but they were otherwise the same as the dampers that came out, which were >10 years, something like 150000km old. The dampers that came out were in perfect condition and from a hand benchtest type of inspection they seemed to work just as well as the brand new ones did. On that basis I would say that it is highly unlikely that even higher spec Billies like yours would have worn significantly in the time and miles they've been used.

Having said that, the different valving in my new ones was even better than the stock ones. More supple ride control and very satisfactory bump control, especially in bends. So I'm not going to dissuade anyone from simply rebuilding or even revalving if they want to. Just pointing out that it may not be needed.

Compression stroke is a little f**ked in my fronts. Have you put yours on a shock dyno?

[_Ryan_]

I'm also in NSW, I had the ones on my Stagea rebuilt after about 100,000klm of use. I had the springs changed at the same time so I can't say what made the change, but it rides more smoothly now despite the high spring rates.

I think because shocks wear so slowly its hard to tell when they are getting tired.

I used Heasmans in Sydney. Very expensive but top quality work and attention to detail.

If I were in NSW, I'd use them.

[GTSBoy]

Fair enough. And no. No shock dyno for either my old ones or the new ones. Dum dyno is happy. It's only a streeter.

[Dan_J]

shockworks wont touch other brands, have been in contact