Bilstein Shocks for OEM Replacements
Bilstein Exceeds Original Equipment Standards
It's difficult to call any Bilstein shock a direct OEM replacement (Original Equipment Manufacturer - the parts that came on your vehicle from the factory) because Bilstein's quality and overall performance exceeds OEM standards. Many vehicles such as from Porsches, modern Toyota pickups, and most Mercedes-Benz vehicles come equipped with Bilsteins from the factory. Your 2001 Ford Mustang or 2014 Silverado will definitely see some ride quality and performance gains from a simple swap to even the most basic of Bilsteins. The recommended OEM replacements for most passenger cars and some smaller SUVs are going to fall into the B2 twin tube line, or B4 monotube line, while most trucks, SUVs, and some performance oriented cars that were not already equipped with Bilsteins from the factory will use the B6 or even the B8.
Bilstein B2 Twin Tube
The B2 twin tube line is designed to mimic OEM quality and performance on vehicles in which a gas charged monotube shock is not conducive to the way the vehicle is designed. Many older vehicles which never had a gas-charged shock from the factory, will often experience a harsher ride with gas charged shocks. To accommodate this, Bilstein produces an especially tuned twin tube for these applications with little to no gas charge to them.
Bilstein B4 OE Series
The B4 series is recommended on most modern passenger cars as an OEM replacement. A number of top manufacturers use Bilstein as the original equipment for their vehicles. Although designed to restore the factory ride and handling to your vehicle, in many cases B4 OEM replacements often provide a small improvement over the factory ride comfort and body control.
B6 Performance
The B6 line including B6 performance shocks and struts for passenger cars and 4600 shocks and struts for trucks and SUVs are going to be a stellar upgrade for your stock height vehicle. They offer a larger monotube type design as well as digressive valving that will do a fantastic job of managing body roll and unwanted body motions, while still retaining a compliant ride. The B6 is arguably firmer than factory, but many people find the overall ride actually improves. Essentially if you are looking for a boost in performance on your stock height vehicle while keeping a great ride, or potentially improving it, the B6 is the way to go.
