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Anyone fitted Bilstein B16 Damptronic Coilovers?

Ianb

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Somerset
Car(s)
Edition 30 Golf GTI
Thinking of a refresh of my current set on my UK MK7 R.

I track the car once a year so it’s mainly a weekend road toy.

It’s currently APR Stage 2 running a Tarox 8 Pot BBK and it a DCC equipped car running VWR Springs, 034 rear ARB and a Superpro Caster/ Camber bush kit.

TBH it handles really well for a budget set up but wondered what this B16 Damptronic kit kit was like?

Good comfort or too stiff? I find Bilstein slightly less cushioned than KW on their passive kit.Many people seem to have ditched their DCC but I like it’s functionality now I’m getting older.

Anyone please chime in on these kits for advice or experience.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
I am not speaking from personal experience, but I’ve been on these forums with consistency since 2014 and every review I’ve ever heard of the B16 Damptronics is that Comfort mode feels Stiffer than Normal on stock DCC, and Normal is stiffer than Race on stock DCC. Extrapolate that race is truly unlivable off the track :)

In other words, I think you would be better off going with B6 Damptronics than B16’s
 

Ianb

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Somerset
Car(s)
Edition 30 Golf GTI
You’re right ...you get similar comments from the BMW forums regarding the F30 M3 EDC system being swapped out for the Damptronic B16 items.
Certainly KW’s are very cushioned even when you increase stiffness levels.
I’ve had two sets of KW Clubsports so even more hardcore than KWV3’s and they were super compliant and comfy when needed.
There isn’t great feedback on KW DDC kits here in the UK. Seems like a waste of money swapping out the VAG Monroe system tbh.

Not many if any Golf R’s or GTI’s fitted with B16 Damptronic trawling the internet.
 

greekspec2

Drag Racing Champion
Location
California
Car(s)
17 Golf R 17 BMW X1M
been there already save a bit more and get the clubsports which ride better than the damptronics and not crashy
 
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docwyte

Go Kart Champion
Location
Denver, co
No KW's ever for me again. Their warranty process is a joke! They won't sell you another shock/strut and then refund you when you send in your bad one, they make you send in your bad stuff to be rebuilt. So on your DD, it'll be up on stands for up to 6 weeks (that's how long mine took to get back) unless you buy another complete suspension set up.
 

Ianb

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Somerset
Car(s)
Edition 30 Golf GTI
You found the Damptronic kit crashy?
Is that compared to your Clubsports or stock set up?
Are the B16’s not a step up from the VAG Monroe set up?
My car has only covered 36000 so still quite fresh even whilst running the Racingline springs which are better than the stock hard springs. I know it’s a budget set up but the whole reason I was looking around was due a good deal on Black
Friday sales and I wondered whether the B16’s would be a good solution keeping the DCC functionality?
 

Ianb

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Somerset
Car(s)
Edition 30 Golf GTI
been there already save a bit more and get the clubsports which ride better than the damptronics and not crashy

Damptronic kit crash ??

Are the B16’ Damptronic kit not a
Comfy kit or an upgrade over the stock Monroe set up that VW fit on the R?
 

greekspec2

Drag Racing Champion
Location
California
Car(s)
17 Golf R 17 BMW X1M
You found the Damptronic kit crashy?
Is that compared to your Clubsports or stock set up?
Are the B16’s not a step up from the VAG Monroe set up?
My car has only covered 36000 so still quite fresh even whilst running the Racingline springs which are better than the stock hard springs. I know it’s a budget set up but the whole reason I was looking around was due a good deal on Black
Friday sales and I wondered whether the B16’s would be a good solution keeping the DCC functionality?


Damptonics are a step up from the factory DDC but if not installed correctly you won't fully benefit....
1. you have to perform a factory basic setting on the DDC system once installed only the VW dealership can perform this
2. bump stops must be correctly trimmed or you will be constantly loading them since there designed for a 363mm factory ride height....Damptronic shock bodies are not shorten and the same length as factory
 

THEREALVRT

Drag Racing Champion
Location
The great white north
Car(s)
Golf R
Damptonics are a step up from the factory DDC but if not installed correctly you won't fully benefit....
1. you have to perform a factory basic setting on the DDC system once installed only the VW dealership can perform this
2. bump stops must be correctly trimmed or you will be constantly loading them since there designed for a 363mm factory ride height....Damptronic shock bodies are not shorten and the same length as factory
care to elaborate on the procedure to do basic settings on dcc and what differences you saw before and after. im installing my dcc bilsteins over the xmas holidays
thanks
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
Damptronic kit crash ??

Are the B16’ Damptronic kit not a
Comfy kit or an upgrade over the stock Monroe set up that VW fit on the R?

The Bilstein DCC Coils (B16 Damptronics) is not a comfort oriented setup. It is all performance.

There are B4 Damptronics. Those would be an OEM+ upgrade, maintaining similar levels of comfort to the OE Monroe struts while improving performance + longevity.

B6’s are also softer than B16’s, but skew more aggressively than the B4's. They will also make your "Comfort" mode feel more like normal compared to stock, but most agree that's a minor tradeoff for the improvement in performance.

Based on the above:

B16 Coils = full race-car
B6 struts = street + track performance
B4 struts = street comfort + performance, perhaps even the most longevity
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
Damptonics are a step up from the factory DDC but if not installed correctly you won't fully benefit....
1. you have to perform a factory basic setting on the DDC system once installed only the VW dealership can perform this
2. bump stops must be correctly trimmed or you will be constantly loading them since there designed for a 363mm factory ride height....Damptronic shock bodies are not shorten and the same length as factory
I have a friend who’s running the b16s and he said he’s gets zero feeling of change when going through the cars modes, I’m wondering if the first part you mention is part of his issue.... do you know what they are resetting or calibrating?
 

greekspec2

Drag Racing Champion
Location
California
Car(s)
17 Golf R 17 BMW X1M
The Bilstein DCC Coils (B16 Damptronics) is not a comfort oriented setup. It is all performance.

There are B4 Damptronics. Those would be an OEM+ upgrade, maintaining similar levels of comfort to the OE Monroe struts while improving performance + longevity.

B6’s are also softer than B16’s, but skew more aggressively than the B4's. They will also make your "Comfort" mode feel more like normal compared to stock, but most agree that's a minor tradeoff for the improvement in performance.

Based on the above:

B16 Coils = full race-car
B6 struts = street + track performance
B4 struts = street comfort + performance, perhaps even the most longevity
B14 & B16 are all street coilovers and if your building a fast road or fast road/track car then Clubsports should only see your car.
 

greekspec2

Drag Racing Champion
Location
California
Car(s)
17 Golf R 17 BMW X1M
I have a friend who’s running the b16s and he said he’s gets zero feeling of change when going through the cars modes, I’m wondering if the first part you mention is part of his issue.... do you know what they are resetting or calibrating?

regardless of basic setting he should feel the difference unless he is spun down and sitting on bumpstops......the DCC basic setting is performed the same way we do at Audi on the 8V S3/RS3, your car has to be lifted on a rack and all shocks at zero full droop just like when your headlights relearn there basic setting
 

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
Should be able to do basic settings with VCDS, at least according to the folks on Ross-tech. @AWD4416 might be able to chime in as well.

B14 & B16 are all street coilovers and if your building a fast road or fast road/track car then Clubsports should only see your car.
Based on this statement, is it your opinion that the various Bilstein offerings that sit between B4s and Clubsports are not worth it? Would someone looking at B16 Damptronics would be better served to delete DCC and go with Clubsports instead?

Not really asking for myself since my focus is on comfort mixed with occasional canyon/mountain drives where a bit less body roll is welcomed, all at stock height. B4 Damptronics seem to fit my use case.
 

greekspec2

Drag Racing Champion
Location
California
Car(s)
17 Golf R 17 BMW X1M
Should be able to do basic settings with VCDS, at least according to the folks on Ross-tech. @AWD4416 might be able to chime in as well.


Based on this statement, is it your opinion that the various Bilstein offerings that sit between B4s and Clubsports are not worth it? Would someone looking at B16 Damptronics would be better served to delete DCC and go with Clubsports instead?

Not really asking for myself since my focus is on comfort mixed with occasional canyon/mountain drives where a bit less body roll is welcomed, all at stock height. B4 Damptronics seem to fit my use case.
honestly I would just delete the DCC and go for a set of ST XTA since they are rebound adjustable, have camber plates and linear springs

as for VCDS it doesn't work we discussed it on the German forums over the years
 
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