The competition of shocks has always been significant when you plan to change the shocks that your car came with. Being one of the top-notch brands, the fans of Bilstein and Fox shocks might confuse you.
Both of them are good in quality, almost close in terms of price and provide almost similar facilities. Then why do we need to know the Bilstein vs. Fox shocks differences?
Well, there are a lot more than this, trust us!
The Differences between Fox Shocks and Bilstein Shocks
As we have already mentioned, both the shocks have a different place for them in the hearts of their users. However, among the two, there is always a better one.
We have done complete research on these shocks. And finally, we have come up with a detailed review pointing out the differences and suggesting which one you should pick between Bilstein vs. Fox shocks!
The Terrain
The ride quality of Bilstein is renowned for a reason. Yes, it gives you too utmost comfort while riding. But the terrain is a factor in terms of picking up any shock from the marker. If you are on the max height settings, you might not enjoy the smooth rides on your Bilstein shocks.
In this case, keeping the height medium will be better for any user. If you think about the same situation on Fox shocks, their products are firm. Yes, they are firm even when they are in the max height settings. In the higher lifts, you can go for a very comfortable ride with your Fox shocks without any doubt.
So, it depends on what type of ride you are planning and which type of terrain are you going to face. While adjusting the height of the Bilstein shocks, you will see lifted vehicle support. But don’t be too happy. This might not work as great as you expect after you have crossed the 4” mark. But Fox, as usual, the king will afford you firm control. Along with this, you will get better damping even if you are on high lifted trucks.
In that case, you can try out Koni shocks if you want better ride quality. Take a look at Bilstein vs. Koni Shocks. If you check the fit, the fit of Fox is snuggle. This is genuinely an off-road monster! But on the other hand, on the streets, nothing can ride more perfectly than the Bilstein ones.
The Construction
The construction of Fox shocks and Bilstein shocks are different. You might think that all the shocks are designed with the same material, but in truth, they are not. When you are dealing with a Fox shock, these are mostly made of powder-coated aluminum.
On the other hand, most of the Bilstein products are made with steel with added zinc plating. If you compare the construction or the design, the powder-coated aluminum is better than the steel Monotube design that has zinc plating.
So, when it comes to construction, undoubtedly, Fox offers you more than Bilstein. However, Bilstein offers Zinc –plating and this is great too.This one will protect you from any sort of debris. Along with this, when you are dealing with rough terrain, the digressive valving will smoothen the terrain and make it an easier ride.
Heat Dissipation
Both of the shocks are great we have mentioned a lot of times. However, if you think about the heat dissipation quality of both of these products- Fox will amaze you. Yes, Fox shocks are great in terms of keeping cool.
They stay cool no matter how extreme the situation gets. This is another benefit of the construction of the shocks. On the other hand, compare to this brand, Bilstein lacks a bit. It cannot dissipate heat as faster and as much as Fox shocks can.
As a result, it affects the shock life. When the heat dissipation is lower, chances are, the shocks will provide you service for a long period. In the vice-versa situation, the shocks will die faster. Body cracking is a common issue when the heat is not properly dissipated.
Bilstein works great if you are working in regular terrain. However, if you go for extreme dirt rides, the shocks will go for digressive valving. In a conclusion, you will see excessive heat up for cycling the shocks too hard!
The Protection
We have already mentioned the protection Bilstein provides. As it is made of zinc coating, it keeps the shocks neat. However, if the comparison is with Fox, there can be a clear winner.
Fox- yes, we have chosen fox because the custom-set powder coating of this product will give you better protection. You will be safeguarded from debris and gravel! That’s all you want when you are on a dirt ride, right?
The Weight
As we have mentioned above, Fox comes with aluminum construction. As we all know, aluminum is lightweight. And when you compare it with steel, it is going to give you an extra-lightweight feeling for sure.
On the other hand, the Bilstein shocks are made of steel. As a result, compared to Fox, it’s heavyweight! When the shocks are heavyweight, there is a chance of dragging your suspension down. So with Fox, as it is lightweight, there will be no dragging of the suspension.
Installation and Price
Whenever it is about installation, we see Bilstein falls short. The installation is complicated with Bilstein. You have to try hard and get help if you require it. But with Fox, installing shocks only need a few steps.
As we can see, Fox offers a lot, but they ain’t doing it for free! Fox is higher in price than Bilstein. Bilstein itself is high-priced. However, Fox is more expensive. And if you want to go for a high-grade shock but don’t want to invest too much. Bilstein is an amazing option.
Also, learn
Fox 2.0 Performance Series vs Bilstein 5100 Shocks. Which is the better shock?
Wrap Up
Both of them are great in their territory. However, if you are worried about the quality, you should stick to Fox. Yes, we agree that Fox is expensive, but if you see it, you will understand that you don’t need to pay too much extra for these than Bilstein. If you can pay a little extra and get the better one- why shouldn’t you go for it?
