club.liberty.asn.au

Hey all,

What do you guys reckon is a good price for replacement Bilsteins?
I was just quoted $450 each plus fitting for Genuine Subaru Bilstein rear Shock Absorbers, by a reputable Subaru mechanic.

It seems high to me but I could be wrong.
They also said Bilsteins are the best shocks available. Is this true? If not, what is better?

Itll be a statutory warranty replacement so unfortunately I wont be able to go for coilovers, despite the obvious want too.

Regads

specwarop wrote:Hey all,

What do you guys reckon is a good price for replacement Bilsteins?
I was just quoted $450 each plus fitting for Genuine Subaru Bilstein rear Shock Absorbers, by a reputable Subaru mechanic.

It seems high to me but I could be wrong.
They also said Bilsteins are the best shocks available. Is this true? If not, what is better?

Itll be a statutory warranty replacement so unfortunately I wont be able to go for coilovers, despite the obvious want too.

Regads

1. Tyre power in NSW was selling full sets of Sedan and Wagon Bilsteins brand new (with delivery km to drive the cars off the boat when the Spec.B's were converted to Tuned by STI and so they took out the suspension) for $500. They may have a few sets left but I think they ran out of wagon last I heard. Do a search on this forum in the group buy section for Bilsteins or something, you should come across it eventually it was like a 20 page thread.

2.The Bilsteins that come on the Subaru are not the best shocks available, it's a mass produced piece of crap basically when compared to high end Bilstein products. You can get them revalved and get custom made springs to make them good, but it's expensive. I believe Coyote on these forums did that.

Well if its cheaper to go other brands, what is considered to be better?

I have a set at home as I took them of and put racing coil over suspension on.. I had a Mate interested but if he doesn't want them I'll let u know

Brand new sets available.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SUBARU-LIBER ... 006wt_1344

For a piece of crap I am pretty happy with mine. 100,000ks on them and still feel very tight and handle well..

Statutory warranty replacement doesn't cost you anything, why you concerned about the overcharge by Subaru?

Its actually a Subaru specialist mechanic, not Subaru themselves.

But after the douche dealer mechanic did a shit job fixing it last time, I will be claiming to get it done elsewhere.
The cheaper that is the better because I dont want to have to go to the dealer whatsoever.
I will just email them the Pedders report. I am told this will suffice.
The dealer is a good 1hr 15min drive from my house.

There is nothing "cheap" (as in nasty) about the Bilsteins on these cars, and all the reputable after market shock mfg listings I can find say specifically *not Spec B* presumably because their shocks are not valved to suit. I can also report that if you end up with a set of Pedders shocks on the front (back might be less noticeable) as a "get me home after blowing a shock 1000kms from home" solution you will notice (assuming you drive like a lunatic on mid corner corrugations like I do) that:

1) The damping is "off" as evidenced by poor grip on those corrugations
2) The damping gets more off the longer you do this for (it recovers, I think its simply that they foam under that sort of duress)

I'm not saying the Pedders shocks are "bad" - if you drive like a sane person on decent roads problem 2 won't happen, and some people aren't as fussy about getting the damping right (so far as that goes, its no more off than many cars stock suspension anyway) but I wouldn't fit them or Monroe or KYB or whatever "generic" replacements and in any case you could argue that fitting them was not a like-for-like or correct replacement part.

In your situation, I'd get the Bilsteins rebuilt (which should carry a warranty) - it won't cost a fortune and should be "good as new". Not sure who does Bilstein rebuilds in WA? I don't know what kms your car has done but to my mind shocks are a service item and anything you get out of a warranty on a used (I assume?) car is a bonus - just as likely to have failed 1km after the warranty ran out....

Anyone who wants a set of perfectly good Pedders front struts with 1000 highway km (and a couple of test runs over my favorite corrugated bits of road) to suit a non Spec-B Liberty make me an offer btw... I took the Bilsteins home with me and had them rebuilt and fitted - much better.... Note that this gave me the chance to compare new/not half or 100% shagged shocks (fitting *any* new shocks seems better when the old ones were worn enough).

PPS If you are relying on Pedders as a "suspension specialist" I hope that your branch is 1000% better than the utter clowns running the Mackay branch.... Try to find a real suspension shop if you can...

+1 for Claremont tyres or pedders. Check ebay mate, you can DIY for next to nothing then get a good alignment. Easy as to install.. & save cash.

Cant find any Bilstein rebuild kits on ebay

Hey mate, it would prob be a worth replacing them with factory removed ones for around $500. At least you get price of mind knowing they have travelled next to nothing & are practically brand new OEM.

i was quoted $750 a corner for new bilsteins at subaru, i laughed at the guy and said i could get cheaper coilovers. that were fully adjustable he said that would be a better way to go haha

Here's the facts from Heasemans Steering (Bilstein agents)

Cost of a re build and re valve for the fronts is $660 a pair.
And for the rear it is $440,
but some of the rears in that model differ from others, and only some can be re-built.
If they are the non rebuildable ones, then cost of a new pair of re buildable ones is $550 for a pair and then $220 for the re rate.

Hey guys, just wondering if this fit my car.
2007 Spec b 3.0r wagon

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-BILSTEI ... b#shpCntId

I have been doing quite a bit of research, but can't find a definitive answer.

I think it should.
I've recently just bought a 06 Liberty 3.0r Spec b and have a different front left shocker than the rest of the 3 corners Bilstein OEM due to a rwc requirement by the mechanic. (not my decision)
i find that the Bilstein are really firm for my liking. I got quoted from Subaru Melbourne $505 each which sounded like a rip.
i have the original front left Bilstein shock which was noisy and replaced by Ultima shock, slightly more comfortable but im still deciding on which way to go.... original Bilstein or fit a brand new pair of Ultima which i can get for $210 a pair!
https://www.autopartsdirect2u.com.au/de ... &year=2006

i will try a get a part number off my old shock and see if it corresponds to the eBay US link.