Speed Secrets: More Spring or More Shock?

BMW 328i  2000 Bilstein B12 (Sportline) 46-180117

Note: This is a post I wrote for Ross Bentley’s Speed Secrets newsletter earlier this year, and reproduced and hosted on Winding Road’s website. I had an inquiry regarding suspension tuning strategy: whether to change spring rates or alter shock settings in order to better balance the car… Link to Winding Road: Speed Secrets: More Spring or More [...]

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When is a Strut Not a Strut?

When is a Strut Not a Strut? Thumbnail

A: When it’s a shock, even though it has a spring installed over it (aka “coil-over”) If you’re unsure, a strut is used as a suspension locating device in place of the upper control arm; it is load bearing for lateral forces just like a control arm. A strut weighs more than double what a shock [...]

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7 Steps To Finding Your Perfect Shock Setting

Moton bump adjuster

Racers: Did you install new adjustable shocks and now your lap times are slower? Do a “shock scan”! Note current adjustment settings Set bump and rebound full soft Do an out and in lap Add bump in two click increments until “feel” improves Now add rebound in two sweep (or click) increments until car “feel” [...]

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Bilstein Adjustable Shock Rods for Motorsport

New Bilstein adjustable shock rod

Can we convert your Bilstein shocks to high quality, repeatable and easy to adjust shock rods? Call us or use our contact page form… here to help!

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Ferrari 456 Load Leveling Shocks (How/ What/ Why)

Ferrari 456 Load Leveling Shocks (How/ What/ Why) Thumbnail

We rebuild the rear load-leveling shocks found on Ferrari 456‘s; the system co-developed by Ferrari and Bilstein. It’s a unique application in that one unit performs both the load level function, also dampens motion like a conventional shock absorber and has the Ferrari-Bilstein active damping system found on other Ferrari (and Corvette) applications from the [...]

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Adjust Your Damping via iPhone or Android Smartphone – Bilstein iRC video

Adjust Your Damping via iPhone or Android Smartphone – Bilstein iRC video Thumbnail

The BILSTEIN B16 ridecontrol® system now has an exciting new feature: the BILSTEIN iRC – a smart phone adjustable suspension system. The BILSTEIN iRC system allows your suspension to adapt to any type of driving situation automatically. When set to Auto Mode, the three-axis acceleration sensor reads vehicle speed and adjusts suspension damping in real [...]

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I need help with my suspension baseline—Tuning Shocks at the Track

Moton bump adjuster

Lance writes: Need help with an SCCA EP 240Z with custom Moton 2 way remote shocks on all four corners. McPherson front so motion ratio = 1? 350# front springs 225# rear. Would like the car to turn in better and it is loose on exit. First year with car could not get the shocks [...]

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Wheel Rate, Motion Ratio and Frequency

Wheel Rate, Motion Ratio and Frequency Thumbnail

“Why are Ferrari’s so “soft”?” is a question I get all the time, given my experience with the beautiful red cars… This term is relative, IMO. Ferrari’s are no softer than most other road going cars, even other sporting automobiles. Suspension design is all about compromise with a road car. The environments change, the market [...]

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How Big is the Range of Adjustment on Bilstein Shocks?

Force vs velocity plot of Ferrari F355 shock

How large of a range of adjustment is available from a Bilstein? A question I get all the time; here’s a quick shot of force vs. velocity data from an original equipment Ferrari F355 shock: This data shows four shocks set full stiff and one then re-tested set to full soft, which opens the adjuster [...]

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Manually Adjusting Ferrari/ Bilstein Active Damping System

Ferrari Bilstein shock adjuster motor

Manually adjusting shocks: Ferrari F355, 550, 456, Mondial T This likely applies mostly to the F355 crowd (due to popularity) but technically also applies to the 550, 456 and Mondial T as the shocks have the same active damping system…. I have a number of customers that have disabled the OE Ferrari/ Bilstein active damping [...]

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