Best shock for the money

[Eggy44]

Hey guys,

What is everyone using for a shock, and what you recommend for something that isn't terribly expensive? Looking at bilstiens for my G-body but just curious to see if there is something that is better in the same price range or something I can get locally that is similar

Thanks

[Henesian]

Depends what you want. Drag racing/road racing. I assume you want road racing, because you're on this forum. Bilsteins have super soft compression and stiff rebound, and people have even tracked the yellow/blue street stock shock with great success. Another choice is the Pro Shock Street Stock Shocks, a 3rd option are AFCO K-Series Street Stock 50/50s.

[Eggy44]

I'm mostly gonna be running on the street with the car but I just want to get rid of some of the "floaty-ness" when going down the road. Also i'm putting lowering springs in the back. I'm looking for something that isn't terribly stiff but when I get on it and push it, it will respond and hold up to what I want it to do.

Thanks for the reply, Now i'm even more confused haha :screwy:

[chicane67]

Bilstein.

Although, remember that they might be a little firm until they warm up... some people just don't get that part of the equation.

[MrQuick]

im still a huge fan of the adjustable koni classics on a street/mild track car.

[Henesian]

shocks come in different shock valving. You can get the AFCO K-series Street shocks(terrific shocks) in valvings that are 1-3 steps above stock in terms of stiffness. You don't have to get insane shocks that are made for 700 lb coil springs and AutoX'ing.

[chicane67]

Now Vin... you do know that the "adjustable" design of the KONI classic is a wear adjuster right ? Lol...


But what I want to know is, what exactly is an 'insane shock' that is set up for 700 lb springs and autocrossing ?

[MrQuick]

so that makes it custom right tommy? lol way better than the leak adjustment QA-1's. ohhh j/k...no not really.

maybe he meant XTREME shock?

[Tech@Scotts]

the new ridetech monotube shock is anouther killer option

[bret]

Here is some more info on our new monotube coilover...http://www.ridetech.com/info/coiltech/#cutaway

[Eggy44]

Thanks for the reply guys, I'll have to do some shopping around for prices!

[chicane67]

Shox.com

[wellis77]

Here's a great article from a recent HotRod on the RideTech shocks. Solidifies my decision about which I'm going with when building shockwaves. Good all around information though on the different ones they offer, performance comparisons, as well as a bit of insight as to the testing they do. I'm sold.

[wmhjr]

One thing to keep in mind is what you're putting the shock on. I'm a fan of Ridetech stuff myself, but you might want to look at the amount of effective travel you end up with. For guys running modified suspensions that have had the factory perches, etc cut off - anything is on the table. However, even if you're running tubular front UCAs and LCAs, if you are using the factory upper mount a coilover can severely reduce travel. That's why I ended up going to Varishocks (not the coilover) to complement my coil springs in the front. I was running Bilstein, BTW, and had no complaints. I just wanted more.

[Eggy44]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, I think I'm going to go with the bilsteins. the car is not going to be an autocross car but I want something that will ride good and react when I push the car and it will stand up and handle great. Any other suggestions?

[rustomatic]

Whatever you do, do not use the same valving front/rear. I like KYB gasadjusts in front, but they're crap in the back. All you need in the back, so long as you have a decent, and not too heavy spring, is a shock that will control the spring movement (soft as possible, in other words). The stiffer your rear, the fewer your fillings, and the slipperier the turns... In reality, the same logic will apply to track and street, depending on how much of a mess you make with horsepower.

[zuess4u]

huge point WMHJR

[pitts64]

I like my Bilstines but I had to press in bigger studs into the rears. The cheap, puny, studs that came with the shocks stripped..

[JRouche]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, I think I'm going to go with the bilsteins. the car is not going to be an autocross car but I want something that will ride good and react when I push the car and it will stand up and handle great. Any other suggestions?

For a decent shock for the money (crazy how much some shocks can cost) I like the track record of Bilstein. I think you will be happy. Im not sure if they make a double adjusting shock? If they do that would be the way to go. I was really surprised with how much better my shocks (not bilstein) reacted after some adjustments. And to be honest, it was kinda fun to map out all the adjustment and find one setting that seems to work for me. Happens to be a somewhat soft compression and a firm rebound. Made a massive diff throughout all the variables. Oh, and I have air springs so the progressive nature of them tends to work with a soft compression, stiff rebound shock setting on my car. Just enough compression to keep it off the stops during VERY hard road transitions (high speed over a rise going over railroad tracks with a fast drop on the other side of the tracks). And with all other street conditions the compression is still mild enough to allow the tires to stay planted with really no harshness AT ALL. I dialed the shocks in to keep that transition controlled seeing how its prolly the worst that I will see. And with a stiff rebound the front end stays on the ground and doesnt rise during freeway undulations or any other road conditions. I LOVE my shockwaves!!!! JR

[JRouche]

For a decent shock for the money (crazy how much some shocks can cost) I like the track record of Bilstein. I think you will be happy. Im not sure if they make a double adjusting shock? If they do that would be the way to go. I was really surprised with how much better my shocks (not bilstein) reacted after some adjustments. And to be honest, it was kinda fun to map out all the adjustment and find one setting that seems to work for me. Happens to be a somewhat soft compression and a firm rebound. Made a massive diff throughout all the variables. Oh, and I have air springs so the progressive nature of them tends to work with a soft compression, stiff rebound shock setting on my car. Just enough compression to keep it off the stops during VERY hard road transitions (high speed over a rise going over railroad tracks with a fast drop on the other side of the tracks). And with all other street conditions the compression is still mild enough to allow the tires to stay planted with really no harshness AT ALL. I dialed the shocks in to keep that transition controlled seeing how its prolly the worst that I will see. And with a stiff rebound the front end stays on the ground and doesnt rise during freeway undulations or any other road conditions. I LOVE my shockwaves!!!! JR

Ok, I have to add, not really what you are looking for, but I have to say... For a guy building a car up from nothing but the shell and changing alot its really hard to pick a correct spring for the car. Its almost hit and miss. I ended up buying three sets of coilovers before I got the car feeling decent. Not even great, just decent. Thats before I used the air springs. The air springs are kinda self tuning. You get some air springs that are close the the weight used for you car and its a done deal. If you have the travel figured out there is an air spring package that will work. With the coil overs its similar. Get the springs that are designed for the weight of the car and the needed travel and height needs. But to tune them you might still need to go through a few diff springs till you get it right for spring rate. I think some folks confuse the adjustability of coilovers. They are adjustable for ride height, but the spring rate change still needs to happen with a different coil. With air springs and rate there is NO figuring in the proper rate. Its self adjusting. The rate will change as the load increases or decreases. It will support the body no matter what. And IMO thats ALL the springs are supposed to do, support the car, not control the suspended wheels, thats the shocks and roll bars job. Unfortunately some folks buy springs that are too stiff because they are looking for more of a controlled suspension. But if they hav springs that will suspend the body through any of the road conditions that it will see then thats the spring to use. IMO the lighter spring rate the better, as long as it will keep the car off the stops without too much shock. A nice complient spring will allow the tire to follow the road and not "bounce up" with every lil bump in the road. But thats why proper shocks are VERY important. Not to mention a roll bar (or anti sway bar for some). I think too many folks put too much emphasis on single parts. Like do I need a stiffer shock? Stiffer springs? Larger roll bar? Its a system!!! And each part in the system has its intended purpose. Some folks like to over drive one component in the system. Mights be the shock, spring or bar. They tend to focus on one component for the "fix". Gotta look at each component for what it is supposed to do and incorporate it with the other components. So where is the starting point of the system? For me its the srpings, you have to support the car. Next is shocks for tuning then a sway bar.

CRAP!!!! Solly Jake, I didnt mean to go all into this on you shock post. JR

[Norm Peterson]

Hey guys,

What is everyone using for a shock, and what you recommend for something that isn't terribly expensive? Looking at bilstiens for my G-body but just curious to see if there is something that is better in the same price range or something I can get locally that is similar

Thanks
My '79 Malibu has the Bilsteins, with Moog 5660 and 5413 springs and the F41 sta-bars. I haven't been driving it lately, but it was legitimately daily-drivable most anywhere when I was. IIRC, I used the front shock Bilstein part number for the 2WD S10 to better match the stiffer springs there.

They worked well enough at autocross, too. The G-body limits there tend to be from other OE design choices.

47830


Norm