Best Strut and Shock replacments?

[samurai]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

the kyb shocks were good, its just the acdelcos were stiffer and harder to compress. and the kicker was that they has 65k miles on them. im talking abput hte back shocks though not the struts. the struts were blown

[SanduskyG6]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

I am 99.9% certain that I'll be ordering the Megan Coilovers, I've done extensive online research, which is typically the criteria for any sound internet buy...right? j/k The Eibach kit seems ok but amature even with KYB struts/shocks I don't think it'll give me the setup that I want. So Megan it is, it doesn't hurt that the only Ohio distribution center is 10 mins. from my place. So next few day I'll be negotiating price & maybe installation.

JJT*90 what do you mean by, "I'd seriously think about what you are getting"?!? I don't know a ton about suspension, would endlinks not work with the Megan Coilovers? Are you just referring to the caliber of suspension that I'm drooling over? The teal green ascents on the springs are rather ugly, any thoughts on painting those another color?

[JJT*90]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

I am 99.9% certain that I'll be ordering the Megan Coilovers, I've done extensive online research, which is typically the criteria for any sound internet buy...right? j/k The Eibach kit seems ok but amature even with KYB struts/shocks I don't think it'll give me the setup that I want. So Megan it is, it doesn't hurt that the only Ohio distribution center is 10 mins. from my place. So next few day I'll be negotiating price & maybe installation.

JJT*90 what do you mean by, "I'd seriously think about what you are getting"?!? I don't know a ton about suspension, would endlinks not work with the Megan Coilovers? Are you just referring to the caliber of suspension that I'm drooling over? The teal green ascents on the springs are rather ugly, any thoughts on painting those another color?

Check out that link I had, that was the lowest price a few of us could find. The endlinks will do their job just fine. They would be a good compliment to your coilovers. The coilovers could be painted, personally I would look at a powdercoat or something similar, strictly for durability. As for my opinions on the endlinks, it merely stems from the fact that I have seen endlinks made at home for less than $50.

[Deathmage]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

After going through SexyG6's thread for about an hour (wonderful 3.6 G6) - I'm thinking about getting Megan's Coliovers in a few months. With the price of Eibachs and then custom shocks like KYB's, it would be around 750 and the Coilovers are around 850, so for a 100 more I could get an adjustable suspension and that seem appealing.

So I'm tempted to either get a Magnaflow Exhaust put it to replace this fail-tastic stock or get a coilover system. Both I want, but not sure which to get 1st.

[ImperialBlue]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

I'm surprised you haven't gotten the Magnaflow yet. I'm in the 3.5 too and that was the first thing I did. I'm obsessed with it now, ha.

[Deathmage]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

I'm surprised you haven't gotten the Magnaflow yet. I'm in the 3.5 too and that was the first thing I did. I'm obsessed with it now, ha.

I'm one step closer to getting it... I'm already addicted to the CAI and the rocket launches at lights. People don't realize my car is so fast.

[Deathmage]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

Guys I'm just going to reuse this thread to ask my question.

I just hit 74k and now that the BMD front endlink is tightened the clanking noise is gone the body roll is less harsh. But over the past few months the car has been getting more "bounchy" and more rough. like I'll be going down the road and I'll feel every bump more so in the morning when the tire pressure is at 33 psi as the day goes on and the psi builds to 35/36 the bumpy feeling is still there just not as harsh. One weird instance is if I go around a turn briskly it feels like the ass of my car wants to fly in the wind if I hit a uneven part of the road like a manhole lip is a fine example. Too me this all feels like the suspension, being that I'm a tad aggressive in the turns and a sprinted driver at the lights I don't think the stealership advice of 100k miles applies to a driver like me. too me it's bothering me becasue the car feels like when it bounces when it hits a bump that it's like a free-floating bobber in the water, it just keep wabbling. Now I've had a mechanic at my job make me compress the front suspension while in park and had them look at it, they said if the struts were bad it would make a hissing noise when it was dissipating the movements, it's doesn't make the noise.

But I want to make sure it is indeed the suspension because if I find out after i replace the struts and shocks absorber's in the rear and the problem is still there I'd be upset, but even at 74k miles from what I've read on the forums isn't unheard of to replace our suspension. how long would it take for our stock coils to go bad? - I've heard they can go 100k - 200k miles....

I've always wanted to get Eibachs, but I'm mixed feedback from local mechanics that my ride will be harsh if not worst with new struts and lowering springs because the lower the car is the more compression is on the struts and the less they have to bounce the movements because the car is lower. I like the comfortable ride but wish I could get a better turn in and less lane shifting body roll at 70+ mph. The BMD Endlinks thank god has made it less harsh, but I'd like to get more but I don't want to drastically sacrifice comfort on the highway. The one thing I'd scared of is, lowering it so hard that if I drive over a uneven part of the highway the bottom will scrape and wouldn't I need to go like 3 mph at the speed bumps at the mall? or would the coils be more stiff that it wouldn't have as much downward flex in the spring like the stock ones do....... to me the Eibachs go down 1.5 and that's lower just not super low like to the floor, I just want to do it right and not cause problems down the road. I drive interstate to work, but I live in the country where there is ghetto paved roads where they spot fix pot holes and uneven roads and very fun and tight bends.

I wish I was more of a mechanic to understand the tolerances of car parts but I don't, I just like my car perform better, it's becoming a hobby of mine.

I'm sure my suspension is on it's last leg, but from what I've said here, what do you guys think I should look at as-well as the suspension?

[Deathmage]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

On the same topic, if I got Monroe's will they work with a Eibach pro kit?

[theshibbykumquat]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

If it feels like the rear end of your car wants to kick out when it hits bumps in a turn, then check out the outer bushing on the upper control arm in the rear. If that bushing is excessively worn it can cause that feeling of the wheels jumping out.

As for lowering on Monroes, I suppose it would work just as well as the stocks. But none of them are really meant to be lowered on, most brands out there are just stock replacements. If you wanna lower your car though and really wanna replace the shocks, then atleast go with some Koni yellows in the rear, as it will help to control some body roll and dial out some understeer.

[snowmanG6]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

I just ordered the the KYB struts (front), strut tops (front) and shocks (rear) for $360. should be here by next weekend. car is currently ridding like a 68 Cadi aka boat, hahaha

[CrypTech]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

Yeah, I've got some clunking going on in the front of my G6. Maybe sometime in the future, after getting some nice wheels to replace the stock ones, I will get a lowering kit. Right now, I've just ordered some sway bar links. Hopefully they alleviate the noise. If not, I will order one of those Monroe easy struts for the driver side front. Anyone have experience with them?

[Deathmage]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

Yeah, I've got some clunking going on in the front of my G6. Maybe sometime in the future, after getting some nice wheels to replace the stock ones, I will get a lowering kit. Right now, I've just ordered some sway bar links. Hopefully they alleviate the noise. If not, I will order one of those Monroe easy struts for the driver side front. Anyone have experience with them?

I'd replace both sides on the front instead of just one side, it's a better feel, IMO.

I'm having my Monroe front and rears installed next weekend along with the MMI's and Grounding kit that I posted in my progression page.

[Thirdgen89GTA]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

I spoke with a KYB Rep when they sponsored an event. The rep was actually very knowledgeable about cars which helped my trust in his words alot. It also helped that he didn't make any over-inflated claims. The KYB GR-2 / Excel G line of shocks and struts are designed to be about 15% stiffer than the Stock struts when they were new.

I have the GR-2s in my TransAm GTA and they are excellent for the money. I would recommend better brand like Bilstein or Koni, but they don't make them for our cars as direct fit. The SAAB is close, but is still not a direct fit. At least, there isn't a single successful thread on these forums or elsewhere detailing the installation of them.

So of your direct fit choices, go with the KYBs or AC Delcos. I don't know about the Gabriel replacements, but I assume they are no better than stock.

The Monroe Sensatracks area actually too soft on the whole, Monroe seems to be focusing on that old school 70s and 80s Cadillac floating boat ride. My friend had a set of Monroe's put on his GMC Jimmy and they were just as bad new as the old blown out stuff. We verified that they actually changed the struts instead of lying and the Monroes were installed. He took it back and complained, they swapped them out for AC Delco factory stuff and the ride improved greatly. Because of that one experience I'll never trust a car to Monroe.

[Altered6]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

My experience with Monroe's has left me with nothing positive to say about them. The KYB's on the other hand are a slight step up from OEM. They offer a crisper, more capable feel.

[Hidden310]

Re: Best Stut and Shock replacments?

Thank you guys I have been reading though this site for a while and I haven't said anything until now. I was very unsure about what kind of suspension I should go with and now I chose to go with the kyb's and eibach pro-kit front and rear. I was looking into coilovers and I wasnt too sure about putting a part is made for saab 9-3 and then to drill a hole for it to fit. Plus I am not planning on going to the track. where I live the roads are not the greatest. it seems these will give me great handling on the highway and also in towns or back roads.