polar964

I'm in the process of replacing the shocks and springs on my '93 C2 with Bilstein's. I took delivery of them yesterday.
On inspection the coating of the front and left shocks are different. The left front shock VE3-5277HO has a zinc colour coating while the right VE3-5278HO is silver. (it's not a shade difference, it's a totally different coating). While i don't doubt that mechanically they are sound, i wounder whether is a better explanation for the difference in colour and possible coating! I have contacted the supplier, who is unable to give a reason. I have tried to contact Bilstein direct but their website just directs you to a retailer. Have any of you folks bought Bilstein's recently for your 964's and or can you shed some light on the coating difference, or should there even be a difference. Cheers.
By the way, the rears have a zinc colour coating also.

RSGulp

My brother Steve lives and works in Dortmund in Germany. His direct neighbour Frank works at the ThyssenKrupp Bilstein factory also in Dortmund and builds Bilstein shock absorbers for a living. I'll ask Steve over the weekend to see if he'll nip across and ask Frank if he knows why the finishes are different and if there's any difference in spec. Straight from the horses mouth as they say...

elbeee964

ummm... uhhh... Paul -- I don't think you're gonna get much better advice than that... [shaking head in wonderment]

911skb

Perfect example of how amazing the Internet truly can be.

polar964

Thanks for that rich964rs. It is much appreciated.
Yes, some folks and forums are just a fountain of knowledge! like here!!!
I hope there's a simple explanation and it's not because of a defective coating which has just happened to slip through Bilsteins QA department.
Looking forward to reading what the explanation is. Cheers

hawk911

maybe you got one last year and one this year model?

polar964

May be hawk911 ! will not be impressed with the supplier if that is the case. Anyway will wait and see what rich964rs reports back with.

Cupcar

Just a guess, but a lot of coatings are changing due to environmental concerns and you may have received stock from two different production schedules that reflected this.

Try to get a good old cadmium plated bolt anymore...

Colin 90 C2

here is a number for Bilstein in Atlanta (I think).
800-537-1085

I once spoke to a technical guy named Shane about shocks for my truck. Fair warning... they were not the most helpful.

Texas993

Whatever you figure out...

I just picked up my car from the shop where I had new Bilstein HD and Eibach springs installed. It is an amazing transformation! It drives like brand new!

warmfuzzies

So thyssenKrupp are Bilstein?? or am I missing something, As ThyssenKrupp are makes of lifts Airbridges etc......I think I might be interested if they are.....

Kevin

MisterRisky

ThyssenKrupp is a HUGE parent company. They own Bilstein, which they refer to in their press releases as ThyssenKrupp Bilstein:

http://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/press...eid=tk_pnid912

Every time you ride in an Otis or Schindler elevator you are riding on ThyssenKrump:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThyssenKrupp

warmfuzzies

Thanks,

Yes good, but IIRC many of their products are built?? or working from the Spanish, not Germans, at leastwise the Airbridges, and maintenance arms are, production was moved two years ago to Austurias????[sic]

I was looking for an angle of getting parts cheaper than I presently can, and as I have Thyssens working for me at the moment, I thought I might like to realise an opportunity when one presents itself to me.

kevin.

RSGulp

Paul,

Okay, Steve has spoken to Frank. I've given him the model numbers for the left and right fronts but Frank has asked if you can supply 'serial numbers' for both units (are there any additional numbers on the shocks?) and he can check the computer system on Monday to find out when they were made and perhaps why they have a different coating. He also asked whether they are adjustable?

Apparently the shock casings are made at a number of sources and Frank says the left and rights may have just come from a different supplier. Also Bilstein is constantly changing the way the shocks are made to comply with ever stringent Euro-environmental law and your shocks may have just been made either side of a change in the way they were coated (i.e. solvent-based vs water-based paint).

If you can supply serial numbers I'll pass them on to see if we can shed any further light on this. You can PM me if you prefer.

Rich

polar964

Hi Rich,
It's very good of you to make these enquires for me. Pass on my thanks also to your brother and Frank. I think keeping the discussion on the thread is possibly interesting for others if that's ok with you.

The only other numbers apart from those previous (which were Bilsteins labels attached to the shock bodies) are these which were literally stamped at the end of the damper under the blue plastic shield.

right shock 1307 VE3 5278H1
left shock 4805 VE3 5277H0

Hope this helps.
I'll take a photo of the shocks and then you can see the colour difference also.

Cheers