Shocks: looking for Blistein quality at KYB price.

[junkyardhero]

RRR your point is well taken, for street action standard HD shocks are going to be more than sufficient with factory or stock-ish bars.

however, after .920 those type of shocks are no longer able to properly dampen the higher spring rate of the larger performance bars. this results in not only a shitty ride but in some circumstances that inability to control the spring can be down right dangerous.

that's not hyperbole, or me talkin' out my *** or some arbitrary number i pulled out of thin air, either. i've built these cars with these combinations going on damn near 25 years, and that's straight fact. run big bars, need good shocks to control them.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Yeah, but how many people TRULY NEED a .920 of larger bar?

And I want to clarify and say this. I don't discount anyone's advice here. Lord knows there are people here who have way more knowledge than I do on the subject. I appreciate ALL advice. However, one size don't fit all and not everybody needs 600 buck and up shocks, especially for a street cruiser. What did Chrysler use in the 61 NASCAR race where the Valiants kicked so much butt? did they even HAVE 1" torsion bars in 1961? I'd love to know the details.

 

[junkyardhero]

Bingo and bango Rob, bunch of Sunday drivers with suspension they will never use(me included).

*everybody with 450hp small block "street and maybe occasional strip" builds have entered the chat*

 

[Mattax]

Yeah, but how many people TRULY NEED a .920 of larger bar?

And I want to clarify and say this. I don't discount anyone's advice here. Lord knows there are people here who have way more knowledge than I do on the subject. I appreciate ALL advice. However, one size don't fit all and not everybody needs 600 buck and up shocks, especially for a street cruiser. What did Chrysler use in the 61 NASCAR race where the Valiants kicked so much butt? did they even HAVE 1" torsion bars in 1961? I'd love to know the details.

I agree but there is sortof a jump from the large factory bars to the aftermarket bars (for Abody) around .990

I can vouch for the KYBs being worse for the street even though they may have been a better match for the 1.03 bars - and I was autocrossing 6-12 events each year. My friend gave up on them for his SAAB as well.
What everybody needs if they are seriously driving these cars and want decent road handling is a front sway bar. That's really the one item I push (pun unintended).

I can't speak to the RCD Bilsteins out of personal experience because I went with SPAX, which were only $100 a corner and that was considered a bargin for performance shocks. Back when Koni reds were the only other somewhat available choice.

Another source for the RCD.

'62-'76 A-Body Rear Bilstein Shocks

A high-performance handling package is not complete without an excellent set of shock absorbers. The compression and rebound characteristics of your suspension are key elements to a fine handling car. Firm Feel is proud to offer the RCD Classics line of Bilstein Shock Absorbers to complement...

firmfeel.com

Add up the fronts and rears and about the same price as other retailers.

 

[junkyardhero]

Yeah, but how many people TRULY NEED a .920 of larger bar?

And I want to clarify and say this. I don't discount anyone's advice here. Lord knows there are people here who have way more knowledge than I do on the subject. I appreciate ALL advice. However, one size don't fit all and not everybody needs 600 buck and up shocks, especially for a street cruiser. What did Chrysler use in the 61 NASCAR race where the Valiants kicked so much butt? did they even HAVE 1" torsion bars in 1961? I'd love to know the details.

to which i'll ask how many truly need more than 400hp?

it's about want. it's about a desired outcome. it's also a function of: i need to upgrade this, what are you running? oh, that sounds trick and i can just order it off the web!

but i 1000% agree, it is most definitely not one size fits all and the vast majority of people don't need big *** bars, it's just what everybody else is running (or what's available at a reasonable price). and you don't need $600 shocks for stock bars, but they certainly ride wonderfully.

i don't know what ma mopar was using back in 61, but i'd bet dollars to donuts they were some kind of uprated bar. i'd love to know the set up on those cars.

 

[junkyardhero]

I agree but there is sortof a jump from the large factory bars to the aftermarket bars (for Abody) around .990

I can vouch for the KYBs being worse for the street even though they may have been a better match for the 1.03 bars - and I was autocrossing 6-12 events each year. My friend gave up on them for his SAAB as well.
What everybody needs if they are seriously driving these cars and a decent road handling is a front sway bar. That's really the one item I push (pun unintended).

I can't speak to the RCD Bilsteins out of personal experience because I went with SPAX, which were only $100 a corner and that was considered a bargin for performance shocks. Back when Koni reds were the only other somewhat available choice.

the spax were a smoking deal back in the day-- and that was also real money then! ;)

but yeah, the middleages of either coughing up for koni's or modifying QA1's from the roundy-round catalog... so glad that's behind us.

one of my set ups was gabriel's from a bronco 2 out back with koni reds up front so i only had to spend one paycheck instead of two.

 

[Kern Dog]

Well, here's my 2 cents on shocks. And I don't give a crap what anybody thinks of it, either. I ain't spendin 600 bucks on any kinda shock for what I'm doing. Never have and never will.

I've seen pictures of your cars. You aren't aiming toward cornering and handling like some others are. Monroes may be fine for you and that is fine.
The same applies to guys that are heavily into drag strip performance. I don't see the value in a $5000 set of heavily ported heads because I'm not into that. I don't care to squeeze another tenth in my ETs. I want better cornering and handling. There are curvy roads where I live and I enjoy driving them.
We all know what the speed limits are but many of us exceed them either in a straight line or in the curves.

 

[MDchanic]

Alright, considering all of the advice on this thread, and the things I'm looking for in this car, and my own circumstances, I have ordered the Bilsteins and initiated the return of the KYBs.

As stated, I'm not looking to make this into a high performance car, just trying to get a nice ride and a feeling that it's going to stay on the road when operated like a car, rather than a Tilt-A-Whirl. I may improve other parts of the suspension as time goes by (at my age, either I've got plenty of time to do it, or I'll be gone next Tuesday), but for now, she'll be essentially stock.

When I have these installed, and the jury is in regarding how it feels, I'll post back on here with my opinion of whether or not I wasted a few hundred extra dollars.

While I hate wasting money, let it be said that the price difference between the Bilsteins and the KYBs is less than the cost of a one-week course of one of the medicines the vet sold us for my wife's horse last month, and didn't even bother to tell us the price of until we got the bill, and I don't even like the horse.

– Eric

 

[michiganpat]

if you don't have a front sway bar, I highly, highly highly recommend adding one.

 

[junkyardhero]

if you don't have a front sway bar, I highly, highly highly recommend adding one.

+2 more highly highly-ies

 

[Mattax]

Yup. And if that means plain 'ol "Heavy duty" oil filled shocks because the money and work on the front sway bar, so be it. Even an OEM front anti-sway bar will be worth it if there is none now.

 

[Mattax]

that's not hyperbole, or me talkin' out my *** or some arbitrary number i pulled out of thin air, either. i've built these cars with these combinations going on damn near 25 years, and that's straight fact. run big bars, need good shocks to control them.

yes you have.
and some very basic that surprised a lot of people
lets see what I can pull outof the archives.

 

[junkyardhero]

yes you have.
and some very basic that surprised a lot of people
lets see what I can pull outof the archives.
View attachment 1716261300

please limit the embarrassing photos to like, three.

pre, race trim there (still all blue and has the bumper!) but so fast my duct tape numbers came off!

 

[72Duster440]

I was running Bilstiens on my Duster, and over time they seem to have gotten stiffer, like so harsh it wasn't enjoyable to drive. Even pressing down on the bumper with all of my weight, I could barely get the front end to move. I ended up removing them and replaced them with a set of QA1 adjustables, it was a night and day difference, so much better. The Bilstiens I took off didn't feel quite right, they feel like something is wrong with one of them, I can barely move the piston in or out of it. I'm assuming something failed inside, which was not expected for the price and to have them last only 3k miles. I'm hoping the QA1s last as long as a shock is supposed to.

 

[66fs]

Well, here's my 2 cents on shocks. And I don't give a crap what anybody thinks of it, either. I ain't spendin 600 bucks on any kinda shock for what I'm doing. Never have and never will. It's my opinion that most guys who do have cars that they will never, ever use to their potential 100% with street driving. Road racing or some kinda autocross, then yeah, get the best you can buy, but for the street? I find some of yall down right hard headed when it comes to recommendations for shocks. It's like no matter "what" the person's doing, the lowest "budget" shock some of yall recommend is Bilstein. Yeah, ok. It's almost repugnant what some of yall recommend for shocks to people who will spend 100% of their time on the street. A good, quality heavy duty hydraulic shock, with sway bars front and rear and even stock size sway bars (God forbid I said THAT) with fresh torsion bars and springs of your choice will handle far better than most people can ever imagine on the street. Think about it. WHERE IN THE WORLD are you going to be able to LEGALLY drive on the STREET to take advantage of all those canyon carver goodies? That is, without seein red and blue lights? Besides, maybe 90% or more of a car's handling prowess is the connection between the seat and the steering wheel.

Where did you get your Monroes? I'm pulling the KYB's off the 73 Dart and want something decent without spending the coin as I do on the Barracudas.

 

[72bluNblu]

Yeah, but how many people TRULY NEED a .920 of larger bar?

And I want to clarify and say this. I don't discount anyone's advice here. Lord knows there are people here who have way more knowledge than I do on the subject. I appreciate ALL advice. However, one size don't fit all and not everybody needs 600 buck and up shocks, especially for a street cruiser. What did Chrysler use in the 61 NASCAR race where the Valiants kicked so much butt? did they even HAVE 1" torsion bars in 1961? I'd love to know the details.

Everyone. Seriously, find a car that weighs 3,000+ lbs that runs a 100 lb/in wheel rate. Nothing does and nothing has in at least 30+ years. Most modern cars in similar weight categories are much closer to 200 lb/in.

The moment you put radial tires on the car, the factory bars should go in the trash. Even for cruisers. The only exception being dedicated drag cars.

*everybody with 450hp small block "street and maybe occasional strip" builds have entered the chat*

Yep, doesn't even need to be that. Radial tires should be the determining factor.

I was running Bilstiens on my Duster, and over time they seem to have gotten stiffer, like so harsh it wasn't enjoyable to drive. Even pressing down on the bumper with all of my weight, I could barely get the front end to move. I ended up removing them and replaced them with a set of QA1 adjustables, it was a night and day difference, so much better. The Bilstiens I took off didn't feel quite right, they feel like something is wrong with one of them, I can barely move the piston in or out of it. I'm assuming something failed inside, which was not expected for the price and to have them last only 3k miles. I'm hoping the QA1s last as long as a shock is supposed to.

If they're RCD Bilsteins I believe they are rebuildable. You might try contacting RCD and see what they say about it.

 

[abodyjoe]

Yeah, but how many people TRULY NEED a .920 of larger bar

.920 bars are great. they were the first "larger" torsion bar i ever used many years ago. I'd argue even the simplest slant six cruiser car should atleast have a .920 bar in it. i prefer 1" and larger but damn the .920 bars should be in everything but a drag car. so much nicer to drive with them.

 

[RustyRatRod]

.920 bars are great. they were the first "larger" torsion bar i ever used many years ago. I'd argue even the simplest slant six cruiser car should atleast have a .920 bar in it. i prefer 1" and larger but damn the .920 bars should be in everything but a drag car. so much nicer to drive with them.

I do plan a torsion bar upgrade, but dammit man. Things are so expensive now. I gotta go like a half step at a time.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Everyone. Seriously, find a car that weighs 3,000+ lbs that runs a 100 lb/in wheel rate. Nothing does and nothing has in at least 30+ years. Most modern cars in similar weight categories are much closer to 200 lb/in.

The moment you put radial tires on the car, the factory bars should go in the trash. Even for cruisers. The only exception being dedicated drag cars.



Yep, doesn't even need to be that. Radial tires should be the determining factor.



If they're RCD Bilsteins I believe they are rebuildable. You might try contacting RCD and see what they say about it.

That's good, cause mine doesn't have factory bars.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Where did you get your Monroes? I'm pulling the KYB's off the 73 Dart and want something decent without spending the coin as I do on the Barracudas.

I found them on ebay. NOS hydraulic. There's a seller on there now with some NOS Gabriels.

 

[michiganpat]

.920 bars are great. they were the first "larger" torsion bar i ever used many years ago. I'd argue even the simplest slant six cruiser car should atleast have a .920 bar in it. i prefer 1" and larger but damn the .920 bars should be in everything but a drag car. so much nicer to drive with them.

what I put in my slant 6 duster over the winter, they're about perfect....

FWIW the HD/taxi bars for 1976 according to my FSM were .940....never seen them though

 

[RustyRatRod]

what I put in my slant 6 duster over the winter, they're about perfect....

FWIW the HD/taxi bars for 1976 according to my FSM were .940....never seen them though

That's .920 with heavy paint. LOL

 

[junkyardhero]

what I put in my slant 6 duster over the winter, they're about perfect....

FWIW the HD/taxi bars for 1976 according to my FSM were .940....never seen them though

really?

do you have a link or a pic of some kind of literature, because that's the first i've ever heard of that. i've parted a grip of 73~76 cars and never seen anything bigger than the standard V8 bars.

 

[RustyRatRod]

The .920 bars are nowhere to be found. I'm sure the 1.03 bars will be fine. I'll get those.......eventually. LOL

 

[junkyardhero]

The .920 bars are nowhere to be found. I'm sure the 1.03 bars will be fine. I'll get those.......eventually. LOL

.920's are NLA so the only hope for those is some dusty dead stock on somebody's shelf, used or hitting up firm feel and having a custom set made.