Rear shocks Bilstein vs LandRover

[Blade74]

Just wondering what people's opinions of the Bilstein rear shocks are compared to oem?
I'm assuming Bilstein are probably more a higher pressure gas shock as opposed to a more oil filled shock.
Or are they the same thing?

[Jesters Td5]

Personally prefer the dual bore EFS set up but let's not get off topic 😜

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[Blade74]

My car is a MY10 L322. Tell me more about the EFS shock please!
I'm open to other suggestions.

[rar110]

I spoke to Bilstein Australia about 3 mths ago about front shocks. They said they stopped selling front shocks for the L322 and sport/discovery as they weren't suitable for Australian conditions. Too many failures. The front shock is entirely different. However I would talk to the Australian distributor before buying their rears for the L322.

[CSBrisie]

This is the response from Duckworth Land Rover UK who have sent me the rears:

Hi Chris
Bilsteins are the same as Genuine, in fact Genuine I believe are Bilsteins reboxed into LR packaging.
Regards
***

Cheers

Chris M

[Graeme]

in fact Genuine I believeA fact or belief thereof? They may indeed be made by Bilstein but could have different valving and/or oil to avoid a possible contractual need to not supply identical copies elsewhere. Bilstein might also be producing a shock for different usage which is normally the case but perhaps not or not significantly for L322s because L322s don't appear overly popular for usage in tough conditions. However at least some UK L322 owners prefer the LR version to Bilstein a/m for their reportedly more supple ride.

[Jesters Td5]

My car is a MY10 L322. Tell me more about the EFS shock please!
I'm open to other suggestions.

Sending you a PM mate

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[Jesters Td5]

My car is a MY10 L322. Tell me more about the EFS shock please!
I'm open to other suggestions.

I run the XTR

www.efs4wd.com.au/steering-dampers-2

However the previous Elites served me well.

I have them on both the Jeep and 110 Defender

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[rar110]

I understand shocks for EAS is valved differently to shocks for coil/leaf suspension.

[Jesters Td5]

I understand shocks for EAS is valved differently to shocks for coil/leaf suspension.

It is, however I have been led to believe that EFS has a suitable set up. It was something I asked before getting the partners car (she ended up with a jeep and not a disco mores the pity)

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[Graeme]

No shocks for L322 in the EFS catalogue.

[Blade74]

Thanks for the recommendation but as Graeme said no known shocks on EFS website for l322. Thanks for the pm too. :-) If I was going to try and adapt something it would be a Koni heavy track or raid. But it looks like the shock top mount isn't standard. The bottom is. Not sure if the top plate can be taken off and put on the top of another shock.

[Jesters Td5]

Thanks for the recommendation but as Graeme said no known shocks on EFS website for l322.
Thanks for the pm too. :-)
If I was going to try and adapt something it would be a Koni heavy track or raid.
But it looks like the shock top mount isn't standard.
The bottom is.
Not sure of the top plate can be taken of and put on the top of another shock.

Damn, sorry mate I was told different 6months ago when I was exploring new car options. Sorry for the bum steer

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[Blade74]

No worries at all. It's good to have different recommendations and discussions. I wonder if the top plate of the shock comes of and can be put into a normal shock?
If so we could find out what he compressed and extended lengths are and try a different brand shock.

[Graeme]

The top plate has its own part# (costs around $100 each!) so definitely can be removed but might have to invest $ in getting a shock valved decently for the L322.

[Blade74]

Yeah that might be tough. Without being custom. I'm not sure how well a shock for a defender or land cruiser etc would be if it had the right lengths.
Koni Raids would be awesome.

[BigJon]

I have some Bilstein ones to go in mine. Once I have fitted them I will report back.

[Blade74]

Thanks Big Jon,
I reckon with Koni Raids there wouldn't be too many rear shock issues when people do lots of miles on corrugated roads. If we could work out a model to suit. Even models with CVD could swap them out if they wanted to do a big inland trip towing and carrying a lot.
Plus of they're like the heavy track they do have a bit of adjustment in them so could play with them a bit to see how they go without actually revalving them.

[Graeme]

Even models with CVD could swap them out if they wanted to do a big inland trip towing and carrying a lot.I expect that at least dummy circuits but possibly dummy loads would need to be installed for the removed shocks to convince the CVD ecu to keep operating the front CVDs rather than shut-up shop and leave the fronts 100% firm. I intend determining what it takes to fool the ecu as well as what it takes to make the CVDs 100% soft.

[Grentarc]

The only issue is that air springs have very little resistance when extending, unlike coil and leaf springs. Shock absorbers for air springs have to have a higher resistance when extending compared to their coil counterparts

[Blade74]

Don't coil springs also have no resistance until they reach they're natural length and then have resistance beyond that?

[Blade74]

110836

If possible this would be the location for max and minimum measurements.

[Grentarc]

Don't coil springs also have no resistance until they reach they're natural length and then have resistance beyond that?

Yes, this is true. What is the natural length of say defender spring vs the full shock extension vs air spring max length?

[Blade74]

I'm not sure mate. I'm assuming a spring will reach natural length about 1/3 of the way of the extension stroke. Just a guess. So yes I do understand what you mean. I guess as long as the shock has resistance on compression and extension then it should be ok. Which is probably what most shocks have???
Just an uneducated guess.

[Grentarc]

I have no idea as to what might work, but it is something to think about and you may find something that fits and is suitably valved.

[Blade74]

I hope so. I think if you had Raids as rear shocks they'd probably never fail. Even heavy tracks would do ok. Maybe a revalve every 10
Years or so.
I've also just asked on Fullfatrr also.

[Blade74]

Hello BigJon
Did you end up getting new shocks?

[BigJon]

Fitted them today!

I think they are a bit firmer / harsher than the old ones. But I have only drive 15 or so km with them.

I am not sure if they are a bit harsher because they are new, or because of valving differences.

I also have replaced the hub upper and lower rose joints, which it definitley needed.

[Blade74]

Nice!
Did you happen to measure the lengths fully compressed and fully extended?

[BigJon]

Nope.

[Blade74]

Damn hahaha

[MAF Diver]

I spoke to Bilstein Australia about 3 mths ago about front shocks. They said they stopped selling front shocks for the L322 and sport/discovery as they weren't suitable for Australian conditions. Too many failures. The front shock is entirely different. However I would talk to the Australian distributor before buying their rears for the L322.

Think this is still true in 2024?

I'm considering the standard height Bilstein 24-060462 for my D2a V8 2003

[TonyC]

Think this is still true in 2024?

I'm considering the standard height Bilstein 24-060462 for my D2a V8 2003

Are you aware this thread is about L322 Range Rover shocks, nothing to do with Disco 2s.

Tony

[MAF Diver]

Are you aware this thread is about L322 Range Rover shocks, nothing to do with Disco 2s.

Tony

Rar said in this thread:

"They said they stopped selling front shocks for the L322 and sport/discovery as they weren't suitable for Australian conditions. "

[Graeme]

Discovery 3 & 4.
AFAIK it was only these and the L320 RRS, not the L322. The D3/4 and L320 have very short shock travel because the shocks are mounted around the middle of the lower wishbone whereas the L322's shocks bottom mount is close to the wheel which requires the shock to have longer travel.
BTW I have Bilstein CVDs front and rear on my MY12 L322.

[paulm]

Discovery 3 & 4.
AFAIK it was only these and the L320 RRS, not the L322. The D3/4 and L320 have very short shock travel because the shocks are mounted around the middle of the lower wishbone whereas the L322's shocks bottom mount is close to the wheel which requires the shock to have longer travel.
BTW I have Bilstein CVDs front and rear on my MY12 L322.

I put a pair of Bilsteins on the back about 9 months ago. Still got the old ones. Anyone know of anybody who can reco them? Seems a waste just to throw them out.

[Graeme]

The shocks are welded, not designed to be disassembled to be overhaulted.

I had to revisit one of my old, not yet discarded front struts a few days ago to recover a BWI air-spring that I had fitted prior to replacing the struts with Bilstein shocks fitted with Dunlop air-springs just over 3 years ago. One of the Dunlop springs had been leaking for a while from either under the bottom clamp or from the fold just above the clamp, with no sign of there having been dirt that gets behind the main fold which I frequently pressure-clean away at full height. Apart from the spring only lasting 3 years, I have the annoying BWI top bearing rattle back again, but as LR springs are very expensive for just the spring, I'm not about to replace the BWI spring.

The Dunlop springs have a smaller diameter lower housing for the strut seals which won't hold any air if fitted to a LR or BWI spring. The Dunlop shaft seals need to be coaxed down from the top into their recess after the spring has been fitted whereas the LR/BWI springs require the seals to be fitted to the shaft before the spring is fitted.