The great Bilstein serial number walz

[Paul Franssen]

I just sent a PM to Mikkel, we're having some correspondance on the merits of "sport" Bilstein shocks... In doing so, I thought I might post it, there's nothing of a "personal" nature being discussed!

I wish to install Bilstein "sport" shocks next month.

I've been going through MANY "Bilstein" threads on this website, as well as at least 2 French "Porsche-oriented" sites, and I'm much afraid the result can be VERY confusing.
Upon analysis, this must be due to:
(1) in the forums: the more participants, the more errors.
(2) in the catalogs: different countries involved...

I'm biased towards taking the "sport" versions rather than the "HD" (that is in the American terminology!), and my choise is dictated by a cross-comparison of http://katalog.bilstein.de/
catalog results with the catalogs I have of FVD, Cartechnic and some other ones...

I come up with
(front) P36 0015
(rear) B46 0975
which would then be (yellow)(strasse-sportlich) but NOT "racing"...

Would you believe the French on one forum give references for the following Bilstein classes:

normal (fwd) P36 0114 - (r) B46 0169 (160/127)

circuit (fwd) P36 0116 - (r) B46 0967 (160/160)

rally (fwd) P36 0015 (225/112) - (r) B46 0975 (300/150)

racing ("1000 lakes"?????)
(fwd) RE3 50973 and V36 0392 or -93 G or D (????) (270/100)
(r) B46 0973 (350/130)

(the "160/127") type figures seem to denote some compression/rebound parameters...

... very very strange, since I don't even find the above "french" classification on the German Bilstein website... And the American Bilstein site gives different reference numbers altogether...

And I haven't even started discussing the colors yet

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In short: what do you think are the proper refences (for me order them...) for yellow "sport" Bilsteins. Thanks for any courageous takers, I will excercise due diligence upon ordering my shocks!

Paul

Regarding colours I was told by the Bilstein importer that a "yellow" one can in fact sometimes be other colours due to various factors. It would still be the exact same part with the same part number. It had something to do with contract manufacturing at Bilstein with for example Mercedes wanting one colour, Porsche another etc. Sometimes short supply, lack of time or other things made them produce a number of shocks with "wrong" colours.... How nice of them

[Paul Franssen]

Thanks Mikkel, yes I know - well, I don't give a hoot about the color of my shocks... I'll be discussing it with the wrench before I order those shocks, just to be sure I get "sports" shocks but not of the Monte Carlo WRC variety...

BTW, somehow I KNEW this would not be a very popular thread

[Bill Verburg]

As Mikkel stated the colors can be variable on occasion.

I am not sure what year or model your car is but from my admittedly older Bilstein catalog
P36 0114 - (r) B46 0169 (160/127) is HD for '85-89 911 w/ Boge struts

For all 911 Bilstein struts 1973-1989 f / r
HD R36-5001 / B46-0169
Sport R36-5001 / B46-0975
Rallye VS-1453 / B46-0180
930 has the same but the front VS-1453 is called Rally and the front VS-1453 is called Race w/ the addition of AK15754 rears

[Larry Harris]

You talked to the French and you are confused?

Lar

[Jdub]

Bizarre. I am holding the box tag from what are supposed to be front Sports. Number is F4-P36-0113-H0.

John