SMW

I've been in contact with Bilstein's Western Sales Manager and he provided the following update on the Bilstein backlog:

The correct information regarding the front Camaro shock is that our German supplier for the crossbar on the front lower mount went out of business. We had to source another supplier for the part and it has taken an incredible amount of time to validate the new supplier, make prototype parts, test the parts and approve the new part. This process is almost complete. We expect that we will be able to start delivering shocks again in August.

Regarding the re-valve controversy between the old part numbers B46-1913 and B46-1914 and the replacements BE5-2406 M1 and BE5-2407 M1, I asked him if they planned to revisit the valve/dampening change due to the somewhat negative feedback in the F-Body community. This was his response:

Bilstein ride engineers did compare B46-1913/1914 to BE5-2406/2407. We
also went a bit further getting feedback from numerous, very discriminating F- car owners. Our collaborative findings, and reasons we switched to the replacements are: Part numbers BE5-2406/2407 were judged to improve low speed control and have less high shaft speed harshness, thus much more conducive to a daily driven vehicle. These were also tested on the convertible, a vehicle with only 20 the torsional rigidity of the coupe with resultant reduction in cowl shake.

I don't expect any changes to this application.

Something to consider for the sophisticated driver, Bilstein offers special revalving services. One can send Bilstein shocks to our HQ facility here in Poway, California and for $65.00 each we can revalve shocks to fit the specific need of the driver. Basically dial the shocks in closer to a specific request of the driver, not the general market.

sbca96

Interesting. Whats funny is, someone could have simply pressed the old
cross shaft from their old strut, and put it into the new Bilstein bushing.

Tom

Sam Strano

That's a good one about the valving. The reason I stopped using them (before the "shortage") was that I had 3 folks in a row complain they saw little change from their stock DeCarbon's. And in fact Bilstein made the rear shocks more like DeCarbons with more compression and less rebound.

That's a smoke show as far as I'm concerned, and those same reasons are when GM valved the shocks the way they did... and I ask those that have gotten to drive different shocks, do you find the "GM" way of valving to me the most harsh? I do.

bluz28

So Sam, Any projected date when you'll be selling revalved Bilsteins again?

Sam Strano

Nope.... Not sure I will be given the way costs have changed. And until I know there are Bilstein's around and stock is good I'm not even going to try.

We'll see how it goes, but after about 1.5 years of I'm a big annoyed. And with response like what happens if it happens again and someone needs a replacement. I find it odd that it took that long to find a company to make a piece of steel that's super simple. It's not like any machine shop couldn't have cut the T-bar, it's not complicated. I find the reasoning suspect, but I guess it could be true.