I can find several postings on the internet that only Eibach air struts for the X350 do support CATS.
But I have not been able to find any Eibach factory brochure or technical documentation that does say that the strut does alter between soft and hard damper setting according to CATS head units signal.

The Eibach is considerably more expansive than other available air strut brands. The high price is on many forums explained as being justified by the CATS support feature.

The X350 airstrut has the B4 gas (oil+ gas) normal damper that is not adjustable. B6 is a nonadjustable sport damper.

So can anyone find Eibach published information on this matter?

 

Where is it available and is it a direct factory replacement? My air suspension is still running but I would like know my options in the future

 

OEM is Bilstein

Last time I looked, Bilsteins were the only aftermarket CATS shocks available, and only in "comfort" (not "sport" for XJR). They were ~ $3,200 the set

Dealer shocks (Bilsteins) are stupid expensive (and I couldn't find "sport"). BTW, OEM "sport" shocks look the same, but have smaller (therefore, stiffer) airbag, and tuned dampers

Absolutely DO NOT buy "rebuilt" air shocks, or Chinese air shocks, or Chinese spring shocks, etc

For about $1,200, Arnott makes a good quality steel spring replacement set, which feel about right in an XJR (they're definitely stiffer than "comfort"). Includes CATS error defeat wiring, which will require removing the back seat to fiddle in. Ride height is about stock, with a v slight rake to front. Note that rear steel spring conversion is a compromise between ride height and rear load weight

Believe Arnott uses (German) Eibach steel springs in some of their products

Best suspension is all new OEM Bilstein, but I find Arnott to be completely acceptable. Issue is ride quality, not handling. Air will be subtly better, on any car designed for it...

 

I bought a set of Bilstein B4 air springs online recently and was surprised to see they were made by Thyssenkrupp. As in the elevator mfg? Were these made for the aftermarket , or were they the originals?

 

Tigre,
Believe Thyssenkrupp is Bilstein's parent company
Where in central CA are you? (I went to engr'g school in SLO; daughter in Cambria, brother Morro Bay area. I'll be visiting them in a couple of weeks...

 

May ask about pricing and where did you order them?

Also have you installed them yet; are they as good as OEM?

 

I work in the SF bay area during the week , but am from Modesto where you probably don't want to visit.
My wife and I met while she was attending Cal Poly. Love it there.

 

As already correctly assumed here, the Bilstein shock absorber division belongs to the ThyssenKrupp Group. And Eibach does not produce air suspensions, only coil spring suspensions.

Fritz

 

[QUOTE=hisport;2528697]OEM is Bilstein

Last time I looked, Bilsteins were the only aftermarket CATS shocks available, and only in "comfort" (not "sport" for XJR). They were ~ $3,200 the set


Please stick to the threads topic and answer the question. If there is a place to check that Eibach supports cats then show it or say where it can be found.

My own finding points in the direction that Eibach don’t support cats but everybody think they do. So let's try to find some evidence.

 

I installed them one year ago and they work perfectly. But I'm not sure if they respond to cats or not . My first car with air springs. They are a little floaty, but nice.
I purchased them online somewhere and can not recall the vendor without looking back in my purchase history. They were about $2500 for the front if I recall correctly . I installed a new OEM compressor at the same time and have not had a fault since . The packaging was all legit and they were perfect looking . But the "install by" date code sticker was expired and there seemed to be an older date sticker below that one. I think they sat on a shelf for years unfortunately. But I needed to proceed and I installed them.
My old front air springs were from an aftermarket co starting with an A. One of them was loose inside and clunking/knocking . Plus they had different dampening properties and the front was wobbling badly over heavy dips in the road.

 

I wish there were more options.
It appears the Bilstein have disappeared, at least in US. Only replacement shock with CATS is a rebuild. Not good.
The expiration date on the Bilstein was a huge concern. If the shelf live is a couple years what was the road life?
We may end up with coil overs.
Several other manufacturers of struts dance around CAT system. But none so far seem to actually have a working variable dampening system.
I was excited about the MaxSpeedingRods struts. Cheap and good reviews. But seems real feedback is not as glowing as website reviews. Hope this is wrong.

 

I replaced my air shocks with BC racing shocks with the Swift spring option. I like the way the XJR rides now but don't have a good comparison with OEM air shocks. Shortly after buying my 04 XJR I developed an air leak in one of the front shocks. I decided to switch over to springs before spending any money on the air system. The leaking shock was a rebuilt one and also a comfort shock for non-supercharged AJ's.

 

https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/17920_...BoCj7AQAvD_BwE


I haven't tried to see if they are in stock, but this place might have some .

 

[QUOTE=spalmgre;2528753] - EIBACH produces only coil spring suspension without CATS adaption and no air suspension. I don't know who all thinks Eibach supports CATS (with coil springs) and there will be no proof of that.

- BILSTEIN produces Air spring struts type B4, which according to the catalog is a replacement for both comfort and sport suspensions.

If replacement for the expensive Bilstein OEM is sought probably only one of the two Arnott variants makes sense.

Fritz

 

Thyssenkrupp also manufactures aircraft components for Airbus and Boeing. I believe they have their hand in many industries that require precision components.

 

............aircraft components for Airbus and Boeing .

Like flying on air baby!


Has anyone seem the rear B4 for sale anywhere?

 

Back to original thread. Does any aftermarket air springs use CATs?

 

It is reported the Misseler or whatever air struts have variable dampening. I read the company provided specs and it was not clear.
Several companies have kind of danced around this with vague statements. But none I know of have even the rudimentary system Jaguar had installed in the x350 series. But knowing a little more about it, this explains how flat my XJR corners. I can see the value since there are no anti roll bar upgrades.

 

I really like how supple the air suspension ride is. It makes 19" rims disappear. I don't want to "downgrade" for coil-overs unless there is no reasonable alternative.

 

I replaced all 4 corners of my '04 XJR with Arnott. It's been said something is different, but I haven't noticed anything different from the Original struts that were replaced. Except the Arnotts hold air...lol. I still here the air exchange upon braking and the car adjusts ride height from standing/parked to driving ride height.