Bilstein manufacturing change

[jiho2]

This pair of fronts arrived today from tirerack. Notice the part numbers, bar codes, etc, are all identical.

The black one is stamped 010443 0949 H0.
The other one is stamped 021243 0949 H0.

This was a bit unnerving. I mean, what does it mean? lol

 

[DavzGN]

Probably some sort of manufacture date code.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[novaderrik]

it means they were made on a different day.. or maybe at a different factory.. or maybe from a different batch of steel...

 

[jiho2]

Actually by "what does it mean" I mean the manufacturing change, not the stamped code. Why the change, was it to improve or to cheapen? It's a rhetorical question, really just tossing out my reaction to it, but if anyone happens to know so much the better.

I couldn't find a Bilstein e-mail, so I e-mailed TireRack yesterday, and they e-mailed back today saying they're inquiring with Bilstein about it.

(I'm assuming the stamps mean the black one is earlier.)

 

[jiho2]

This just in from tirerack:

“This is nothing to be concerned with. The only difference is the color of the threads. They recently changed suppliers for their piston rods. Bilstein turns them in house from blanks, which why there is a color difference. This will not affect fitment.”

That's a material difference in the piston rods, not just a color difference in the threads. What is the material difference? It isn't fitment I'm concerned about, they obviously fit the same.