I am in the market to buy some new shocks and I hear people talking about "revalved Billsteins" all the time, why do they have to be revalved and what does it change on our cars? and also what setting do they have to be revalved to?


Thanks.

 

Hello,

What you revalve the shocks to depends on your spring rate and ride hight. If you increase your spring rate very much, you need to revalve the shocks to compensate, otherwise the springs will overpower the shocks giving you poor ride quality and significatly hurting potential performance. Likewise, if you significatly change ride hight you need a shorter shaft on the shock, otherwise, say you lowered your car 1.5", the shock will always be compressed 1.5" thereby increasing stress, decreasing range of motion, and decreasing the ability of your shock to compensate. Again, you loose ride quality, performance, and significantly reduce the shock life.

So, what you valve the shocks to, depends entirely on your springs. I am using GW Adj. Coil-overs on all 4, Ride Hight approx -1.33/-1.25. Front spring rate is 875 FT/LBS Liniar, so I matched that with Blistiens revalved at 4,000 N/M Rebound and 1,600 N/M Compression. The rear springs are 175-275 variable Rate. I kept the standard aftermarket Blistien Rates (I forgot what they are, but they have a higher N/M Rebound and Compression the the factory shocks and the "SLP Blistiens") On both the front and rear the Blistins have a 2" shorter shaft than factory, so when uncompressed I am riding in the top 1/4-1/2" of the shock, and I could adjust my care down to -2 on all 4 corners and still not bottom out. (I would bottom at about -2.5 under full compression)

Your best course of action would be to determine what springs you want (what rate and ride hight) Then contact Blistien (Or whomever you plan on havign revalve the shocks) to determine what rates to match to the shocks.

I hope that helps,
-Justin

 

Thnaks allot for the great and detailed info Justin, I plan on staying with the springs stock ride height so I would imagine that Billstein manufactured t he "off the shelf" versions with t hat ride height in mind?

I am gonna call them and see what they say, thanks!

 

Give Sam Strano a call at stranoparts.com; he recommended revalved Bilsteins for my setup.

 

thanks I will contact him, what is your setup?

 

Eibach Pro springs, revalved Bilsteins front, 3rd Gen Bilsteins rear, 35mm hollow front sway bar, 32mm 1LE rear bar.

 

94Zpower,

As far as ride hight is concerned, yes, the off the shelf Blistiens will be fine (No need to change the shaft lenth. What spring rate are you going to be running? If less than about 250-350 Ft/LB Var. or 325 lin. (rough figures) than I'd say you don't need to revalve them. (Note the SLP Blistins are made to work with 275 Ft/LBS springs IIRC)

Also, I second calling Sam Strano. He Is great with suspension combo's and can help you get them revalved if you decide to go that route.

Later,
-Justin

 

I appreciate the recommendation.

But SLP's springs are 300-450 front for Level 1's. The 275 number you quote as what the SLP springs are valved for are *less* than the stock spring rate. In other words, it's not correct.

 

Sam,

Thanks for the correction. -It's been over 5 years since I delt with it, so I guess my memory was a little rusty on the SLP rates.

-Justin

 

My "new to me" car has LG G2 super springs. The LG site recommended standard HDs. Yes or No (go with revalves)?

I've got BMR sway bars too.

 

Standard HD's are NOT valved or intended to be run with lowering springs. Do a search, there are plenty of places I've posted a link to Bilstein's catalog in which is says, in very plain english, that HD's are not suitable for lowered cars.

In addition, as the guy who basically started and is responsible for Revalves they are not something I prefer to do with those springs. Why? The G2 springs are hugely stiff in the rear, much too stiff IMHO. And only Koni's can truly handle those. When I do Revalves, I revalve the fronts only and use a different off the shelf Bilstein valved for the spring rate range that most (but not all) lowering springs reside in. In short, Revalves are done in front with an appropriate rear. If I were to Revalve the rears, the cost would be right up there with Koni's minus the adjustment. So I run Koni's.

Additionally, the combination of BMR bars (32/21) and the G2 springs (180-220 rear rates) is a very stiff one in the rear. Much too stiff. I run a 35mm front bar with similar front spring rates. In the back I run a rear bar about the same as you have, but with 150 linear rate rear springs.

 

Hadn't checked back on this topic in a while. Thanks for the reply, Sam. That gives me a better idea of where to go next when sorting the car out.

I had a hail storm speed up attention to some cosmetic issues that needed fixing anyway, otherwise suspension would have been first.

Yeah, I noticed that on the Bilstein site, hence the question regarding the LG recommendation.