Bilstein Shock Absorbers

Bilstein

Bilstein shock absorbers have a long and rich history in Australia.

For almost 40 years

they have been providing Australian road, offroad and motorsport customers with the best suspension options in the world. Bilstein Australia has worked hard on getting the best possible results, leading the way in supplying some of the best vehicles on our roads and race tracks.

With expert knowledge and the best in shock absorber technology and equipment, Bilstein have been providing its customers with award winning suspension solutions for many years. Bilstein is still "number one" for suspension for motorsport, custom applications, street performance, towing options, 4x4 and offroad applications!

Bilstein shock absorbers are an exhilarating experience and are built to last for the life of the vehicle. They offer unbelievable control and stability, precise handling and the ultimate in performance.

BILSTEIN B6 Offroad

For off-road, 4 Wheel Drive performance.
For off-road vehicles, we offer a version of the BILSTEIN B6 that is adapted to Australian 4 Wheel Drive requirements. The precise Bilstein damper settings reduce uncontrolled movements caused by the high 4 Wheel drive structure. They also improve the suspension load carrying capacity, as well as guaranteeing more vehicle control and therefore safer handling and better traction.

The product benefits at a glance:

Greater performance reserves and service life, even when towing or in off-road applications.
Optimum adhesion and enhanced lane change stability in both day-to-day and extreme situations.
Marked improvement in safety and performance without additional spring changes (standard springs can be used).
BILSTEIN gas pressure technology.
BILSTEIN mono-tube/Upside-Down technology, made in Germany.
Road and track tested by BILSTEIN for fine tuning.
46mm piston, a winning formula with over 50 years of development.

B6 Monotube Gas

The superior 46mm bore German engineered B6 monotube gas shock absorber has no limits.

Simply put, it will outperform and outlast anything. The fade free design ensures your ride will always remain responsive and safe no matter the conditions. The patented rising rate valve provides split second damper reaction for on-road and off-road conditions without sacrificing ride comfort.

The monotube design allows heat to dissipate quickly and efficiently. The large working piston keeps flow pressures low.

Bilsteins revolutionary gas pressure system uses a separate chamber of nitrogen gas to compress the hydraulic fluid preventing cavitation. "BILSTEIN MONOTUBE SHOCK ABSORBERS" built in Germany are an investment for the life of your vehicle.

Technical Specs

The Challenge - Twin-tube technology vs. Mono-tube technology
When kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy, temperatures of up to 150°C can be generated while driving. This thermal energy must be dissipated to prevent a loss of performance and possible failure.

Twin-tube technology
More than 90% of all series production vehicles are equipped with twin-tube shock absorbers. When using this double-walled shock absorption system, the thermal energy generated cannot be directly dissipated into the environment. The working piston located in the inner shock absorber tube can assume the diameter of the inner shock absorber tube as a maximum. The small working piston diameter and the resultant small effective surface lead to the generation of great pressures that in turn cause increased wear.

Two tubes - High thermal load

Small working piston - Greater wear

High thermal load - Loss of performance

Foaming - Loss of performance

Short service life

Installation position only up to max. 45°

Greater tolerances - Cost effective production

Low overall length at the same stroke in comparison with mono-tube

No difficulties connected with welding add-on components to the outer tube - Inner wall has no functional surface

Mono-Tube Technology
The original and best: The mono-tube gas pressure shock absorber bore the BILSTEIN name and are still responsible for producing the best there is. Efficient mono-tube technology by BILSTEIN is standard in motor sports as well as in luxury vehicles, fout by fours, off-road vehicles and sports cars. The perfect drive performance of these systems speaks for itself. Mono-tube shock absorbers are only available as gas pressure shock absorbers. With this single-walled shock absorption system, the thermal energy generated in the shock absorber is directly dissipated into the environment. Only low flow pressures are generated by the large working piston. At the same time, high suspension forces are available, ensuring constant, high shock absorption. The gas pressure prevents the oil from foaming. The suspension forces defined by BILSTEIN suspension engineers are always available and ensure perfect, dynamic drive performance.

Large effective surface on the working piston creates increased damping power and better handling
Improved dissipation of thermal energy outwards enables a consistently high level of absorber performance
Sturdy structure for added safety in Upside-Down Technology
One tube - Direct heat dissipation
No overheating - Required suspension power always available
Installation independent of position - Upside-down design possible with suspension struts
Large working piston - Large effective surface Better setting / adjustment
Greater production accuracy - Higher costs

The Bottom Line
Better handling, greater comfort, high safety reserves. BILSTEIN mono-tube shock absorbers can be perfectly tuned to every type of load. With BILSTEIN mono-tube technology, the larger effective surface decreases the pressure in the shock absorber by nearly half, considerably reducing wear and the risk of leaks and ensuring long-term reliability.

A BILSTEIN technology comparison table

Mono-tube	Twin-tube
System type
Mono-tube	Twin-tube
Pressurisation
Gas pressure	Gas pressure
Effective surface of the working piston, front axle
845,24 mm2	479,49 mm2
Effective surface of the working piston, rear axle
1504,79 mm2	597,2 mm2
The bottom line
The significantly larger effective surface is favourable for the setup and durability. The lower working pressures reduce wear and improve setting characteristics.
Chrome layer - piston rod hardness, front axle
61-63 HRC	45-47 HRC
Chrome layer - piston rod hardness, rear axle
61-62 HRC	44-45 HRC
Piston rod surface roughness, front axle
0,29 μm	0,32 μm
Piston rod surface roughness, rear axle
0,28 μm	0,32 μm
Piston rod chrome thickness, front axle
34,2-36,2 μm	27,1-32,5 μm
Piston rod chrome layer thickness, rear axle
33,4-35,8 μm	27,8-31,6 μm
The bottom line
The higher quality of the materials used and the outstanding workmanship ensure extreme reliability when using our products.
Material type
Precision steel tube	Normal stainless steel
The bottom line
The use of precision steel instead of normal stainless steel preserves the basic elasticity of the shock absorber tube, preventing the risk of oil loss and shock absorber failure.
Adjustment type
Simultaneous compression and rebound	Rebound separate from compression
Adjustment range
10 clicks for better / greater kingpin inclination	Up to 18 clicks (rebound) Up to 12 clicks (compression)
Adjustment handling
One rotation	Three rotations
Compression and rebound adjuster on each shock absorber	Rebound stage setting problematic because there is only one adjuster for all of the shock absorbers
Assessment
Adjustment range recorded	Fixed measurement recorded
The bottom line
In contrast to the competition, you always achieve the right adjustment when handling the BILSTEIN shock absorber. With three rotations, click division is not useful.
No other shock absorber solution implements customer specific requirements more easily and precisely.

Gas Pressure Technology

Over time, the mono-tube gas pressure technology developed by BILSTEIN has established itself as a standard in automotive construction. This technology involves keeping the oil in the absorber under pressure, which prevents it from foaming when temperatures and loads are increasing. As a result, full damping power is retained even when the system is placed under extreme stress, a feature that can be observed in the self-lowering piston.

Ensures a high level of traction and more precise handling

A must-have for powerful sport suspensions

Added safety in all dynamic driving situations

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Bilstein Shock absorbers and how do they work?
Bilstein shock absorbers reduce and slow down the vibrations from the springs, which is why technically they are correctly referred to as vibration dampers. Vibration dampers convert kinetic energy into thermal energy through fluid friction. This involves the flow of oil being slowed down by the valve passages inside the damper. The valve passages in the shock absorber are specifically designed to ensure that the vibrations transmitted by the spring are reduced right from the start. The shock absorbers can heat up to between 100°C and 120°C in the process.

What are the advantages of Bilstein's MonoTube design shocks?
Heat is one of the major detriments to the performance and longevity of any shock absorber. Conventional twin tube designed shocks trap the heat within the shock body and do not let it adequately dissipate, making them prone to heat build-up, fade and eventual failure. By contrast, BILSTEIN's technically superior, monotube high gas pressure charged design allows the excessive heat from the oil to transfer to the outer surface of the shock body and dissipate more efficiently. The dividing piston also permits the oil to expand as heat builds, preventing aeration (foaming) and viscosity loss. This allows the shock to maintain full damping characteristics as temperatures rise.

What are Pressure Differentials?
Shock oils contain roughly 10% gas molecules. The compression and rebound strokes of the shock piston in the oil column cause pressure differentials. When the piston rod is forced quickly into the shock tube, the pressure increases in front of the piston and decreases behind it. These pressure differentials release gas molecules from the oil column which forms small bubbles (foaming). The foaming can become so excessive that damping force is severely reduced. The shock becomes unresponsive with a corresponding loss of vehicle control. In a monotube gas pressure shock absorber, the nitrogen separated from the oil by a dividing piston keeps the oil column under pressure at all times to prevent the release of gas molecules. This enables the shock to deliver consistent performance under all driving conditions.