Bilstein Question

[benmarks]

I tried searching but couldn't find a good answer. I installed Bilstein Sports on my car. Since then, it looks like Bilstein their changed product lines, because there's no more "HD" or "Sport" as far as I can tell. I apparently need to swap my rear Sports during my 4Motion project, but I am not sure what the equivalent is from the current product line: B6, B8, etc. (if they're even comparable.)

Is there a current Bilstein product that would be a like for like replacement (or close to it) for the Sports?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Touring Class (TC) are now B4
HDs are now B6
Sports are now B8.

 

[benmarks]

Touring Class (TC) are now B4
HDs are now B6
Sports are now B8.

Great, thanks.

 

[benmarks]

Followup question... if I need to determine if the 4Motion MK4 parts are different from FWD (which I am assuming they are,) and I need to order them, how might I determine this info? I tried the UK Bilstein site, but nowhere do they list part numbers. The US site doesn't let you search for 4Motion anyway.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Have you converted both front and rear suspension? If you have, I'd just look up dampers for a 2004 R32. Rears are different, as are fronts. In the R32 (or TT) the sway bar attaches to the damper instead of the control arm, and the correct struts for a TDi don't have the attachment points.

 

[benmarks]

Do I need to change anything on the front, though? I wasn't under the impression I needed to change anything from a suspension standpoint on the front of my car during this project. The only front components that came with the 4Motion donor car backend were the two front axles. I was hoping to maintain the Bilstein Sports I already have on the front, and find the 4Motion-specific Bilstein B8's for the rear. I understand what you're describing in the front because I was recently looking at exploded view images when we put TT knuckles and cast steel control arms on the front. However, one of the reasons we used those control arms is because they had the nub (untapped originally, but still there) for the existing sway bar that I Have (upgraded to the GLI version.)

For the rear, are you saying I can just look up R32 B8's and they'd basically be the same thing as if I looked for Jetta 4Motion B8's?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

For the rear, are you saying I can just look up R32 B8's and they'd basically be the same thing as if I looked for Jetta 4Motion B8's?

Correct. I doubt Bilstein makes a different damper for the 4Motion Jetta, although the OE PN may be different. Aftermarket makes consolidate multiple PNs into one part all the time.

In the front, the only difference I know of between the struts for the 4Motion and FWD cars is the sway bar attachment. That's why I asked. If you still have stock control arms, or if you drill and tap the TT arms, you should be able to use your exisiting B8s.