Bilstein Shock Absorbers: Best £400 I Spent on Jenny

The moment everything changed—my anti-roll bar, completely snapped.

The Bang That Changed Everything

About two weeks after getting the engine back in and running beautifully, I took Jenny to get some petrol. Half a mile up the road: BANG.

Massive noise. Then continuous knocking. Every pothole made it worse. I knew immediately something serious had broken.

Turned out the anti-roll bar → had completely snapped. More money. Sad times.

Chassis view of where the anti-roll bar sits—and where mine had just failed spectacularly.

The Conversation I'd Been Ignoring

My mechanic friend Rich had been saying for months: "You should update those shock absorbers." I'd largely ignored him on that point.

Why? Because I had nothing to compare them to. I just assumed that driving a VW camper should feel like you're driving on jelly. That's just how old vans drive, right?

Turns out... I was wrong.

But now, with the anti-roll bar needing replacement anyway, it felt like a good time to revisit the subject of shock absorbers. If I'm going under there to fix the roll bar, might as well do the shocks too.

Research Overload

There are so many shock absorber options out there. Budget ones, mid-range ones, adjustable ones, gas ones, oil ones—the choices are overwhelming.

I spent weeks reading forums, watching YouTube reviews, asking in Facebook groups. Everyone had strong opinions. Nobody agreed on anything.

Finally, I decided: if I'm doing this, I'm doing it properly. Treat Jenny to the best. Get Bilstein shocks →.

The £400 Question

Bilstein shocks are not cheap. £400 for a set of four. That's serious money, especially after already spending on the engine rebuild.

I questioned whether it was worth it. Could I get away with cheaper ones? Would I really notice the difference?

Spoiler: Yes. You absolutely notice the difference. More on that shortly.

New Bilstein shock absorbers have just arrived—£400 worth of yellow German engineering.

Removing the Old Ones: A Battle

Changing the anti-roll bar and shock absorbers isn't difficult as such. The process is straightforward. But it took a fair bit longer than I'd planned for.

Why? Because the old ones were so rusted on that it took forever to get some of the old bolts undone.

Snapped anti-roll bar and fitting kit off—finally! This took way longer than expected.

The Stubborn Shock Absorber

One shock absorber in particular really didn't want to be removed. The bolt was seized solid. Decades of rust had basically welded it in place.

Very stubborn shock absorber that really didn't want to be removed.

Victory! Very stubborn shock absorber bolt now removed after much persuasion.

The Old Shocks: A Reality Check

Once I finally got them all off, I could see just how useless the old shocks were. Completely worn out. No damping left whatsoever.

Very old, very useless shock absorbers. No wonder Jenny drove like a bouncy castle.

Looking at them side by side with the new Bilsteins, the difference was obvious. The old ones were leaking, corroded, and doing essentially nothing. I'd been driving around with basically no suspension damping for who knows how long.

I should have replaced these long ago. But I had no comparison and just assumed that's how VW campers drive. Bouncy, wallowy, vague steering—all "normal."

Fitting the Bilsteins

With the old shocks finally removed (after much swearing and blow torch action), fitting the new Bilsteins was refreshingly straightforward.

New Bilstein shock absorbers now fitted. That yellow paint means quality.

The Nut Problem

One small hiccup: the nuts that came with the Bilsteins were too short for my setup. Not a major issue—super easy to get hold of the correct longer nuts from any decent fastener supplier.

The nuts that came with them were too short—but super easy to get hold of longer ones.

The First Drive: Unbelievable

I'd been conservative in my expectations. Better handling, sure. A bit more control, maybe. Slightly less bouncy, hopefully.

The reality? The drive after fitting is unrecognisable to how it was before.

Jenny doesn't bounce anymore. The steering actually feels connected to the road. Going over bumps doesn't launch everything around inside. Corners feel safe instead of terrifying. The whole van feels planted and stable.

It drives like a completely different vehicle. Like new. And critically: it feels so much safer.

The Honest Verdict

I'd be very confident in saying this: pound for pound, the Bilstein shocks are probably the best money I've spent on the van.

Yes, £400 is a lot of money. But the transformation in how Jenny drives, handles, and feels on the road is dramatic. These are unbelievably good products.

What Changed:

Should You Upgrade?

If you're driving around on old shock absorbers (and most Bay Windows are), you probably don't realize how bad they are because you've got nothing to compare them to. Just like me.

You think "this is just how old vans drive." But it isn't. Old vans with working suspension actually drive really nicely.

How to Tell If Your Shocks Are Gone:

• Van bounces excessively after hitting bumps
• Nose dives heavily under braking
• Body rolls dramatically in corners
• Steering feels vague and disconnected
• Visible oil leaks on the shock body
• The van generally feels wallowy and imprecise

If you recognize any of these (I had all of them), your shocks are probably done. And upgrading to Bilsteins will transform your van.

Parts You'll Need

Installation Tips

Final Thoughts

I wish I'd listened to Rich sooner. I drove around for years thinking the bouncy, wallowy handling was just "how Bay Windows drive." It isn't. They drive beautifully when the suspension actually works.

The Bilstein shocks aren't cheap, but they're worth every penny. The transformation in how Jenny drives is dramatic. She feels safer, more stable, more enjoyable to drive, and honestly—more like a vehicle built this century.

If you're still driving on old, worn-out shocks (and most of us are), do yourself a favour: upgrade to Bilsteins. You won't regret it. In fact, you'll wonder why you waited so long—just like me.

Questions about suspension upgrades? Message me on Instagram @jennythebus!