I'm looking to replace my 20 year old stock shocks on my car for a decent set of adjustable ones. I don't want anything too pricey but I'll take any opinions. Also, I've never done suspension so I don't know what else I need to do if I'm changing the shocks. Do I need new springs as well? It may sound stupid but I have no idea. Is KYB any good? Thanks.

 

You should do a search. KYBs get pretty good reviews in here. I put Monroe sensa-tracs on all four corners of my car (Z28) and am very pleased with them. Good control and not too stiff.

phil

 

i am about to put monroe sensatracs all around on my IROC. NAPA lists these as the premium stock replacement for our cars. the Next Generation catalog from Year One also lists some Delco shocks and struts that would be factory replacements as well. i figured i would just go with stock replacements because they will still ride decent and with the polyurethane bushings and LCAs i am adding the car will handle way better than i can drive anyhow LOL.

 

You don't need new springs per se but remember, they are 20 years old to. So chances are they are worn out as well. Rear shocks can be changed in 10 minutes. The fronts are a little bit trickier but still farely easy. EbMiller has an awesome how to linked in his sig. I would search under his name to find the link. A quick search will also yeild you hundreds of threads answering the same questions you just asked. You should find plenty to read.

 

I searched for EbMiller and I could not find him, maybe I wasn't searching right. I hear the rear shocks and springs are easy but the hard part is the front. I want to replace my shocks with Bilsteins but the front is what makes me think twice.

I know you have to unhook the front swaybar end links to get the springs out as well as remove the struts. I have the GM service manual and it says you need to torque the front lower strut bolts to 205ft lbs. Now can the front struts be removed with regular hand tools? Even if they are removed can they be sufficiently tightened?

Then there is the part people forget which is the front upper mounts. After you replace those more than likely you will need an alignment. If anyone has done the front shocks, springs, and upper mounts let me know I want to know how hard it was for you.

 

Here ya go

EbMiller88

Send him a PM if his site is not linked.

 

Yeah I just found it, thanks.

 

I have done my own front struts twice (once in 1990 and once last month). It wasn't bad. You should do a search there is a lot of info here about replacing your own.

You need 2 jacks, one to raise the car, and one to raise and lower the A-arm to remove and install the strut. You could use just one jack by jacking up the car and blocking it and then re-use the jack, i guess. You don't need to remove the spring. I used a Craftsman torgue wrench and a cresent wrench to get the lower bolts off. torgue wrench had a nice long handle and i just used the cresent to hold the other side. What worked best for me was to put the cresent on the nut next to the rotor and use the torque wrench on the back side. I let the cresent rotate until it hit against the rotor, a-arm, etc. to hold the nut. They came off pretty easy. I also soaked the nuts with PB-Blaster (or liguid wrench) for a day before i started. To tighten them some manuals say 175ftlbs, some say 205ftlbs, some say 195ftlbs, the bottom line is get them as tight as you can with a long (1.5 ft) long wrench. my torgue wrench only went up to 76ftlbs, So I just tighten them up as tight as I can with torgue wrench. I have never had a problem. again do a search.

phil

 

I did one of my front struts almost a month ago. Have the other GR-2 to repalce the other side but I couldn't get the bottom nut loose. I didn't have any time to soak it though. I'll probably be doing that one tomorrow along with the rest of the stuff I'm going to do on my car (small maintenence stuff mainly). Its a bit weird driving with a worn-out 80k stock strut and a fresh GR-2 on the other side

Anyways, I didn't have to disconnect the swaybar endlinks at all, and it is a fairly straight-forward swap.

 

You need that specialty tool called the "section of pipe" I have needed a 4' section of pipe on the end of the ratchet to brake some nuts loose on front struts.

 

If you are removing the springs I would think you need to unhook the front swaybar.

 

You don't need to remove the spring or the sway bar.

 

u might wanna use impact sockets when taking your strut bolts off...i just did my struts last night and snapped 5 craftsman sockets....then i used and impact socket and it worked just took alot of muscle and a bigggg breaker bar...just tryin to save ya a trip to sears lol

 

I was using an impact gun I'll try a big pipe. I only have Craftsmen sockets still though...so we'll see if I'll use their lifetime warranty

 

I was mentioning unhooking the sway bar if you are changing springs too.

 

tokico makes a pretty good somewhat affordable adj. shock/strut. they were like $200 each when i was lookin to buy. i didnt buy them because i really wanted a coil-over setup.

 

You really don't need two jacks. I used a jack stand under the control arm and just lowered the jack enough to get everything where I wanted it.

 

you might as well replace the sway bar links.....most usually break off when takin them off....but the polyurethene ones are really worth it...i replaced the ones on my front and now it handles sharp...now i need to do the back ones....since one is broken already .....good luck and i might as well replace shocks too while im down there