Shocks: looking for Blistein quality at KYB price.

MidnightSwinger said
I’ve run Bilstein, Tokico, Koni and Fox dampeners/shocks/struts in various vehicles. I know what quality is and what it does.

The KYB’s are inferior to the Bilsteins, period. The issue I have is, every time this discussion comes up the “KYB’s are trash” crowd like to claim that your basic **** box Monroe or Gabriel shocks are superior to the KYB’s.

I got my last set of KYB’s this year for $100 after a $50 rebate. When everything on the project cost $500+ you might have to make a compromise to get/stay on the road. I’d rather drive my junk with inferior shocks than let it rot in the garage until I can afford the best of everything.

The OP asked for Bilstein quality at KYB price, which we all know doesn’t exist. That’s not real life. Either run garbage or pony up. No half measures, no middle ground.

Like I said, I’ve run “basic **** box” Monroe’s and I’ve run KYB’s. I’d run Monroe’s every time given the choice between the two, based on their actual performance on the cars I’ve run them on. Money spent on KYB’s is wasted money.

MDchanic said
I like this discussion.

Thanks for that!

Ah. Fascinating. I had no idea such things existed.
Your description makes them sound better than they would were they "just" stock Bilsteins.

This is exactly the information I was looking for.
Thank you.

And... This could apply to me. Sort of.
Except that I've already run Bilsteins a number of very different vehicles, with excellent results every time.
(I've also run KYBs on several vehicles (going back 25 years ago and more), one of which was a GM A-body with large sway bars, that I drove cross-country, and while I didn't hate them, I wasn't impressed with them like I've been with the Bilsteins).

But, for this particular car, which is a 38,000 mile all-original survivor, I WILL be using undersprung factory torsion bars, and I WILL be keeping the suspension, and the entire car, as original as possible, with the exception of a dual master cylinder, radial tires and a set of shocks that will allow me to drive the car like a normal person, instead of the 100 year old lady who used to own it. (Okay, I'm kind of salivating over a Borgeson steering box, but I'm resisting...).

Thank you for all of this valuable information,

– Eric

If you’re going to run radial tires, running the original size torsion bars is a mistake. The traction you’ll get from even the typical all season white letter radials is substantially better than from the factory bias ply’s, and better traction means more force being transmitted into the suspension. Which takes more wheel rate to manage.

Radials also need different alignment specs, so don’t run the factory specs, use the SKOSH chart.