Time for new rear air bag struts however, this is confusing??

[X5Ghost]

Going with Arnott however, I called BMW to get the OEM part number using the last 7 digits of the VIN and the number that matches on Arnott's website is for the "comfort" struts and not the "sports" struts. My 04 4.8is has sports suspension and I confirmed with the dealer yet the part numbers called by BMW matches what Arnotts lists as "comfort" air struts.
Confusing!

https://www.arnottindustries.com/par...21_pid137.html

Any thoughts?

[Tanny]

what is the last 7 digits of your vin?

[Ricky Bobby]

Well I'll be damned, I just checked RealOEM and you are right, 04 4.8is matches the comfort part number.


I was going to tell you to gets Sports bags regardless on the 4.8 but now i'm not sure.

[tmv]

Did you try to contact Arnott? Is it possible that they (Arnott) have it mixed up?

[Qsilver7]

My uneducated guess would be...since the 4.8is comes with the dual axle SLS system (option code S221A)...the comfort air shocks are used even though the sport pkg (S226A) is ordered. This would probably be for allowing the extended articulation of the dual axle SLS.

I didn't have time to check...but this may be the shocks that all e53s have that have option S221A & S226A. Anybody with these 2 options can probably verify this for us.

[Qsilver7]

Just checked & every e53 with option code S221A (dual axle SLS) has comfort shocks listed.

Sport shocks are only listed for sport pkg or sport pkg with 1 axle SLS. Anyone, feel free to double check this...I'm rushing through the part nbr index while trying to wolf down my McDouble & sweet tea (lunch)

[X5Ghost]

Originally Posted by tmv

Did you try to contact Arnott? Is it possible that they (Arnott) have it mixed up?

I did, and they are sure if there is some type of error, they would have discovered it and corrected it long time ago since they have been selling these for a long time. I spent 30 min with the technical manager and he advised me to stick with the part that matches the OEM number. I did.

Still not adding up but oh well ......

[X5Ghost]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Just checked & every e53 with option code S221A (dual axle SLS) has comfort shocks listed.

Sport shocks are only listed for sport pkg or sport pkg with 1 axle SLS. Anyone, feel free to double check this...I'm rushing through the part nbr index while trying to wolf down my McDouble & sweet tea (lunch)

Interesting

I ordered the comfort struts as they matched the OEM part number called per my VIN even though I have dual axle SLS sports suspension according to my dealer.

Thx QSilver and others for chiming in...
Hope this helps the next person.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by X5Ghost

Still not adding up but oh well ......

Again, it sounds correct to me due to the articulation that the 2-axle SLS requires. Because you can manually raise and lower the height of the vehicle..the shocks need to extend to the height of the normal (comfort shocks).

The sport ride height is programmed into the ZKE programming for the 4.8 (and any other e53 with the 2-axle system)...so that takes care of the default "sport pkg" ride height.

Again, this is my "uneducated" guess...but it's what I would presume how this would work.

Originally Posted by QSilver7

... This would probably be for allowing the extended articulation of the dual axle SLS.

The 2-axles SLS system (EHC II) can raise/lower the vehicle height as desired...thus the air shocks need to go as high as the normal "comfort" shocks. Where as the 1-axle SLS system (EHC I) only keeps the rear end level...it doesn't give the option of raising/lowering the rear end at will:

_

[Ricky Bobby]

This makes sense, the sport bags are for the predetermined height models or models that don't need the full travel up and down, i.e. my X and others like the iS models with EHCII.

Although I have options S221A and S226A on my car it would not be the same as being applicable to a 4.4 with Sports Package only (front springs and struts). That car would need the sport bags in the rear to compensate for the slightly shorter springs in the front that sport package models have.