If memory serves, a number of years ago when you wanted to get Bilstein shocks or struts you could get either (a) Comfort or (b) Heavy Duty. Comfort was the rough equivalent of what came standard on the car.

But now the designation, at least with some suppliers, is (a) Heavy Duty and (b) Sport. As far as I can tell the new HD corresponds with the old Comfort and the new Sport corresponds with the old HD.

At list that's the way it is with some suppliers. But other suppliers use different designations.

Then I guess for some cars they make a Touring shock. Is that what used to be called Comfort?

Can anyone clear up my confusion?

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

The names still mean the same. They have been using codes for a while like B4=Comforts/Touring, B6=HD, B8=Sport

Here is their catalog offering.
http://www.bilsteinus.com/fileadmin/user_upload/user_upload_us/pdfs/BILSTEIN_Application_Guide_2014.pdf

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Thank you for this very helpful info. Besides Bilstien, any other makers worth considering?

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Treetops
06 E320 CDI 127K Miles
87 300TD 231K Miles

99 E300 269K Miles-Sold

That's interesting. So it looks like I CAN get at B4 for my 98.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Sach/Boges are sometimes factory installed and is one to consider. Usually offered in one flavor.

Koni are shocks I really like, particularly the FSD. But are expensive.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Indeed I have Sachs comforts on my W201 for my old bones!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

In the Bilstein catalog, there are actually three shocks designated B4 that fit my car. To add to the confusion, one of them is described as heavy duty.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

the heavy duty ones are best suited for loaded car applications. (meaning you and some passengers)

the regular ones are great themselves, but make sure the rear subframe mounts and the rear outer joint is in good shape, this really makes the car behave on roads as the wheels remain where they should be.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

I went through two sets of replacement Bilsteins on my 83 300SD. The original set that came on the car from new, then two more sets over 305K miles.

Both sets were from AutoZone, the 2nd set were free replacement for the worn and failed 1st set (one was leaking fluid) so the next set were free from A.Z.

The 2nd set - I specified HDs for the rear-end.

The price for the 1st set of Bilsteins was ever so right from A.Z., versus MB Dealer. This was over 20 years ago - so check with A.Z. to see if they still have this free full-replacement policy.

What your seeing in "Heavy Duty", is the type of suspension option from the Mercedes factory. Not related to the Bilstein shock line designation.



So Bilstein model 24-021548 is from their B4 touring line, but is specifically made for the factory Mercedes w210 Heavy Duty suspension.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

I have a set of front or rear Comforts that fit a 126 for cheap if anyone wants them. I'll have to look at PN to find what end they fit PO seems to fix 1/2 of a system - brake master while pads are on metal, shocks one end only while the other has no dampening. I bought a set of HD soon after I started driving the car and the 2 that came on the car are available.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

So if I DON'T see Heavy Duty as an option on the data card, then the one for me to get is 24-108256, correct?

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Yes, if you don't have ride height adjustment..

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System