B12 Kit Installed - Short Review
 

A while back I got a set of B12's (Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs) for my 2007 530D.

I had already installed an Eibach sway bar set.

Last week I installed them over a couple of nights. I followed RIZBEL's DIY for the fronts and Pelican Parts for the rear - thank you to both.

https://5series.net/forums/diy-do-yo...install-85378/

BMW 5-Series 530i E60 (2003-2010) - Replacing the Rear Shocks - Pelican Parts Technical Article

Only things I would mention are

1. I made a brass wedge (1mm taper over 50mm length) to open up the front strut carrier instead of using a chisel etc - strut came right out with no issues.
2. I just put a t-shirt over the top of the struts to stop dings and scratches
3. Used an ebay strut compressor held in the vise - very good investment.
4. Dropped a rear tower nut inside the body work - took an hour to recover it. On the other side I shoved a sponge in the gap to stop this happening again.

I was amazed at how sloppy the OEM front struts were after 60000KM. Almost no bump but a bit more rebound. The rears were in better shape but the bump stops looked like rats were eating them.


Caveat - I am no track star and have no experience with coil-overs etc etc.

On the road the car puts a bit more noise into the cabin on the bumps but nothing too bad. The handling really is really amazing now. Completely stuck to the road on many corners where it used to lift pretty badly. Body roll very minimal. Steering much more responsive.

Car is a bit lower (didn't measure the before + after) but that is not why I did this.

If you have a tight budget but want better handling then these are worth a look - especially if your OEM's are at the end of their useful life.

Cheers