I bought a set of Bilstein's from a member here long ago... (I'm wiser now)...

The struts I got form him were dark blue... not the yellow I see on most pictures...

Does anyone else have Bilstein struts that are dark blue?

(been doing suspension work on a couple of cars lately & was wondering about this)....

Thanks,

Rafael

 

Mine are Yelow. Sorry...

 

As far as I know, all 3rd gen applications are yellow and have been since they started making them (my set is from 1990). Some of the coil overs are aluminum color, but that is not a fitment for our cars.

 

Maybe they are gray market, as in from abroad....

 

well, I think I will contact Bilstein...

 

Black bilsteins are b2 oil or b4 gas stock replacement, the yellows b6 are sports

 

Well, that's no good.... I can't even seem to find to buy Bilstein OE Stock Replacements...
Ok thanks!

Raf

 

Note Twin Turbo is in Europe. Bilstein seems to sell only the yellow shocks in North America.

 

If the yellow chips off, they are black under the yellow.

 

I know my aftermarket Bilstein's are yellow with blue dust covers. On the IROC's from what I remember are yellow rears with a black dust cover.

 

Ah, marketing.
I will be more specific in what I am trying to say. My guess is Bilstein places itself as a premium product here, and only sells performance oriented shocks on this side of the Atlantic. However, in Europe they are more like Monroe, and half a fuller range of product. That is both sport and OEM replacement. Probably some OEM, too.

 

So I have a classic model?
My rears are yellow.

 

If I order bilsteins here they come from the US most likely, same for the Konis. Most likely the blacks have been discontinued for the 3rd gens.

They are nothing like Monroe or Gabriel or any of that junk. They are the same build quality, the valving is just not as sporty as the yellow ones. If they ride and handle fine I would keep them.They would be someething like the koni reds vs the koni yellows. It is a good quality strut!

As for OEM, the rear shocks on IROCs, WS6 and what not on these cars were OEM Delco Bilsteins!! The yellow stock rear shocks. They are a nice shock also, a lot better than most of the aftermarkey junk iuncluding KYB crap and all. I have 1 car with all the stock shocks on it and 1 w/ koni reds in the front and the original bilsteins in the rear. Nothing wrong with those. I chose to keep them instead of getting something else because I didn't have a set of replacement rear shocks (only had 1 and half set of koni reds, the 4 reds are on another car and 1 set of bilsteins and 1 set of yellow konis)

 

Interesting that shocks bought in Europe would be made in US. I would have thought they would have more widespread manufacturing, like the tire business.
By OEM I was thinking they would be building for European car makers. I did not mean 3rd gen OEM.
My mention of Monroe was comparing market position, not quality.
Maybe the black ones were purchased by someone stationed in Europe. Could be how they got here.

 

Does anyone have good info on the diff between the black and yellows?

 

That would be good, to know for sure... if these are Bilstein OE replacments...

I've had 2 friends buy new Bilstein OE replacements (other cars ) and they were both unhappy with them... They said they rode just as bad or worse than the stock / worn out stuff...

Rafael

 

Bilstein called back, but left a message...
He said they only made dark blue for Rousch...
So I called back and left another message, black with blue logo, and that I was told by others that they are OE replacements, if there is any specific info on them... We'll see...

Rafael

 

No one here sells the black ones, only the yellow

 

The mystery deepens...
Bilstein said...

"I talked to one of our sales guys and he said it is a proprietary strut that we build for SLP, Hochkiss, or Race Car Dynamics"

Hmmm... I know SLP, Hochiss built stuff for our cars (not sure of RCD)... Why would they have a strut built for OE replacement and not make it an upgrade... Anyways, I asked Bilstein if he had any additional info (oe replacement, upgrade, sport)... I still need to take the tire off and see the part # on the actual strut and sent that to him...

Rafael

 

Is it a Firehawk strut? Call SLP.
Whatever, sounds like you have something better than stock replacement.
Good detective work.

 

i'm gonna wait til I get the part # off the Sturt.... Then I'll ask some more...

 

SLP
"Rafael,

We never had black bilstein struts they were always yellow and they only fit 1993 and up.

Regards,

joey



Joe DiMichele

Tech/Sales Rep."

 

All the 91-2 firehawks I have seen, use the factory Formula struts they come with.

 

I asked what the ones I have are compareable to...(oe, upgrade or HD).... he stated...

"This would be comparable to the HD.

Wes Welch
Technical Product Information Coordinator
ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America
14102 Stowe Drive
Poway, CA 92064"

I'm still going to get the part # and verify before I do a little dance

Rafael

 

Was working on car this week.... found the number on the strut.... emailed Wes @ Bilstein...
"We used to have another manufacturer make the housing for us and we would put our strut insert into the housing, so it is basically the same as an HD."



I played with the contrast and stuff to make numbers easier to read, but they are not black, they are a dark blue...

Rafael