suspension on a budget.

**AKA Speedy** · 11-04-2010, 06:20 PM

So I have speculated that my rear shocks/springs may be going south. Every time I hit an uneven patch of road, my T/A feels like I hit a ditch with the rear tires. The car only has about 72000 miles on it.

Anyway I'm looking at getting new shocks and springs and want to know what a solid alternative is out there to strano's and konis.

I"m looking to spend up to $700-800 altogether.

I'm crushed though because a stall converter WAS next on my list before I started paying attention to my ride quality on the road.

**AKA Speedy** · 11-05-2010, 08:50 AM

okay, so using the thread search I have decided Strano's are probably a go, but has anybody used any other shocks (other than Koni's) with his springs and got a good firm ride with dependability?

I'm looking at KYB AGX adjustables for around 400 for a set of 4.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 11-05-2010, 02:59 PM

Save some more money and buy the Koni's. Might as well burn your money instead of spending it on KYBs.

**AKA Speedy** · 11-05-2010, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Y2KPewterSS

Save some more money and buy the Koni's. Might as well burn your money instead of spending it on KYBs.

it just pains me to have to spend that much when the next closest set of shocks are half the price and with the money I would save I could put towards a converter, or the C6 Z06 rims/tires I want.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 11-05-2010, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by BrianH.WS6

it just pains me to have to spend that much when the next closest set of shocks are half the price and with the money I would save I could put towards a converter, or the C6 Z06 rims/tires I want.

If you never learn anything else from this forum, please learn this, never cheap out on shocks or take the cheaper route. Its worth it to hold out for the better quality more expensive shocks. Not all parts are like that, but shocks, yes. If you will be happy something low to mid level quality wise and don't mind bouncing around or having a crappy ride, go for the KYBs. I had them, got rid of the rears already, the fronts will be gone eventually too.

**AKA Speedy** · 11-05-2010, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Y2KPewterSS

If you never learn anything else from this forum, please learn this, never cheap out on shocks or take the cheaper route. Its worth it to hold out for the better quality more expensive shocks. Not all parts are like that, but shocks, yes. If you will be happy something low to mid level quality wise and don't mind bouncing around or having a crappy ride, go for the KYBs. I had them, got rid of the rears already, the fronts will be gone eventually too.

If I decide to buy the koni's, will they go on without lowering the car? by without lowering I mean is this a thing I can do in stages like buy the shocks, put them on, then buy the springs and put them on later?

The rears are the ones that definitely need replacing and I think I can get by with just shocks until I get more money in Feb.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 11-05-2010, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by BrianH.WS6

If I decide to buy the koni's, will they go on without lowering the car? by without lowering I mean is this a thing I can do in stages like buy the shocks, put them on, then buy the springs and put them on later?

The rears are the ones that definitely need replacing and I think I can get by with just shocks until I get more money in Feb.

Yes, you could do it in stages and put the Konis on without lowering as well.

**AKA Speedy** · 11-06-2010, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by Y2KPewterSS

Yes, you could do it in stages and put the Konis on without lowering as well.

then I think I'll buy the shocks now and put them on the car and wait till spring to get the springs on.

Thanks!

**AKA Speedy** · 11-06-2010, 07:53 AM

...and for the record Sam Strano needs to have a powder coat red option for his springs, so they'll match the rest of my umi suspension.

I have decided to buck up and buy the springs now too...

**9T8W66** · 11-07-2010, 05:07 AM

I was in the same boat as you 2 yrs ago. I knew I wanted the Koni's but was on the fence about springs. The deciding factor was the fronts needed to be pulled apart twice to add the springs at another time. So why do it twice when you can do it right the first time.
In the end I also saved enough to add Sam's hollow swaybars to the Pkg and the difference is like night and day.

**AKA Speedy** · 11-20-2010, 04:54 PM

Koni's are on... best investment ever!!! it compliments the already beefed up UMI suspension on the car. Now I'm saving for springs.

**The Guz** · 11-21-2010, 12:39 PM

You can actually loer the car on koni's with stock springs until you get enough saved for the lowering springs. ITs often reffered to as the heater hose mod.

**Blue28** · 11-21-2010, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by The Guz

You can actually loer the car on koni's with stock springs until you get enough saved for the lowering springs. ITs often reffered to as the heater hose mod.

The front can be lowered with the stock springs by putting the lower spring seat
snap-ring in the lower snap-ring groove, then the seat will set lower giving about a 3/4" drop. BTW, the lower groove is for use w/stock height springs.

In the rear you can do the Hose Mod in which you replace the upper spring isolator with some 5/8" ID oil/fuel line hose. You'll need to slide about 18" of the hose onto the coil of each spring, enough to cover 1 full coil with about 1/2" to 3/4" hanging over the top end of the spring. This will give about a 3/4" drop in the rear.

**RyanJM** · 11-21-2010, 10:14 PM

Everyone seems to like koni but honestly for the $350 I paid the KYB AGX setup works great for around town and flying down backroads through the twisties I just set them differently for both and I ran the BMR springs because Strano's were over a month out and I am happy with the look and ride. I also have spohn sway bar set and UMI adj lca, panhard bar with a stb and cat rides smooth enough considering the 18" wheels and lower profile tires and handles great. If I has a 6spd and planned on doing auto x I would have got koni but for around town and tearing up backroads the KYB's are great and the money I saved paid for most of the sway bar set. Unfortunately UMI was pony selling hthe hollow strano bars which were outta my price race so I had to use the heavier spohn set but the car is Soo much better.
No matter what your choice on struts are make.sure.you get new GM mounts for.the front it is something that will the install smooth and last longer than cheap auto pays store ones.

**Sam Strano** · 11-22-2010, 11:11 AM

Let me say that I'm glad you seem to be happy with what you ended up with. However, I firmly believe that it's a matter of what you are comparing to, and not a measure of my springs or Koni's.

A number of folks have had both KYB and Koni's and find the difference to be massive. One point being the Koni's offer better control without the harshness the AGX's have (which is probably why you change them). And I hope you don't have any failure issues with the AGX's because the warranty sucks vs. a tip-top, kick-ass warranty on the Koni's.

As for the springs. I'm sorry that you bought BMR springs. I wish I would have had springs right that second. The fact is I have them more often than I do not. But I can't have thousands in stock, I'm a tiny one-person show--sometimes I run out, and because I choose not to have the lowest bidder make my stuff but stand by the details that made me have springs done to start with there will be times that we have to wait to get a premium product.

Same with the bars. They aren't all equal. Spohn's front is too small in comparison to the rear bar, and never mind that they are a lot heavier than my bars.

I sell UMI's bars which are also 35/22, but solid (and more than 20 pounds heavier)--and those are a much better combination.

In the end, if cost or time was an issue there are other options available... Koni/Strano springs/Strano bars are a more high-end setup. When folks want to step down from there we use a lot of Bilstein's, then after that we do AGX's (I sell those, just not my 1st choice of backup plans to Koni) and of course we have the UMI bars which cost less and use different hardware, but are of like balance to my Hollow bars at least.