Bilstein 44-104535 | Bilstein B4 OE Replacement (Air) Dampers

Bilstein-pioneers of monotube gas shocks

Bilstein is the original manufacturer of monotube gas shocks and has improved upon the original design over the years. There's no doubt that Bilstein is the best monotube gas shock manufacturer at present.

There was a need to prevent hydraulic oil or damping fluid from foaming in conventional shock absorbers. The solution came in the form of a pressurized gas charge, comprising of nitrogen gas, separated from damping oil by a floating piston. This forms the basis of a monotube gas shock.

How Monotube Gas Shocks work?

As opposed to conventional twin tube shock absorbers that contain an outer fluid reservoir, monotube gas shocks do not contain an outer fluid tube. Instead, entire fluid is contained in the piston chamber, separated from high-pressure nitrogen gas charge by a floating piston. When piston moves down under the push of damping fluid, the gas charge gets compressed, creating an air spring effect within the shock absorber. This results in damping fluid being under constant pressure as it circulates through the valves in piston, leading to reduced foaming.

Benefits of Monotube Gas Shocks over Conventional Shock Absorbers

Various benefits of Monotube gas shock absorbers apart from reduced foaming can be summed up as:

1. Improved heat dissipation: Owing to repeated piston action, a lot of heat is produced in the piston chamber. In conventional twin tube shocks, outer tube restricts the heat loss from inner tube. In monotube gas shocks, there's better dissipation of heat and therefore, it runs cooler. It prevents thinning of damping fluid under the effect of heat and thus gives a more consistent performance.
2. Lighter body: Monotube gas shock is lighter than the corresponding conventional twin tube shock.
3. Multiple Mounting Positions: As there's no need to rely on gravity to move damping fluid through valves and into outer fluid reservoir, monotube gas shocks can be mounted in any position, even sideways for better aerodynamics.
4. Large piston diameter: As the piston floats and separates two sections, it has to be larger in diameter than a conventional twin tube with same external diameter. This increases shock sensitivity and allows it to be fine-tuned through adjustable valving to control overall car performance.

Special features of Bilstein gas shocks:

Bilstein gets all the better with time and manufactures state of the art gas shocks. Each Bilstein monotube damper is made of a polished stainless steel body, available in two variants:

1. without outer reservoir having defective disc valving and;
2. with outer reservoir having non-adjustable valving.

Popular Bilstein products available with Parts Engine include:

1. Bilstein B6 4600 Series Shock Absorbers
2. Bilstein B8 5100 Series Shock Absorbers
3. Bilstein B8 5160 Series Shock Absorbers with Reservoir
4. Bilstein B8 5125 Series Shock Absorbers
5. Bilstein B8 5165 Series Shock Absorbers with Reservoir.

Get the best and the latest Bilstein products for lowest prices at Parts Engine, along with free shipping anywhere in Canada.