I am sure this has been asked a bunch of times already but I couldnt really find an answer when searching so I thought I would ask you guys. I am looking for some suggestions for some decent shocks / struts for my 88 IROC. I am pretty sure I still have the originals on the car & I know I need new ones. I would really like to get Bilsteins but I dont know if I will be able to afford them so I am wondering what might be decent but not that expensive. Since what I have are so shot as it is I am sure that anything I put on would be an improvement but I dont want to get crap. I just dont know if KYB are good enough or if I should just put it off until I can get the Bilsteins. So any advice you guys can give me would be great, so thanks in advance.

 

i bought me a set of the expensive KYB shocks and struts, the adjustable ones, and i effing love the heck out of em, but Bilstein and Koni are the way to go if u got the cash

 

I dont know that I need adjustable but when you say expensive what do you mean?

 

Me personally i bought the the BEST monroe ones that they make and im totally happy. People love the adjustables but ya i cant see spending the big bucks for them. I did alot of suspension upgrades myself as u can see from my signature. I really like them but to each is own. good luck

 

What do you have planned for the car? What you want to do with it will determine what you 'need' to buy.

 

Basically just street driving, no autocrossing or racing planned, maybe a little 1/4 mile stuff here or there, but I like to drive "enthusiastically" when I get into some twisties so I want something decent but not harsh. From what I have read on here it sounds like the Koni's might be a little too firm for me. A friend put Bilsteins on his mustang last year & they are awesome so I know I would like them but they are pricey, so I thought if I could find something less expensive that was still decent then I would consider them.

 

Are you planning to lower the car? The nice Bilsteins are more than the KONIs, aren't adjustable and don't have KONIs warranty. The nice KYBs or Tokicos would probably fit the bill unless you are lowering the car much, then the Bilstein HDs, KONIs, or nice Tokicos is what I'd look into.

 

I just bought the cheaper KYB struts I love em I use them for street as my daily driver and I also drift with them and they have been excellent so far

 

I have most of the suspension upgrades and used Eibach Prokits with KYB gas-a-just shocks and struts. The shocks felt good at first, but it's about 1.5 years out and it does't quite feel the same . Something a step up would probably be better. The spring/shock combination does ride harsher than the stock set-up if that matters to you.

 

I dont have any definite plans to lower the car it is something that I have thought about but I keep deciding not too do it because I am too worried about scratching the nose all to heck, so probably not gonna lower it. What kind of prices & what models are the nice KYB's or Tokicos, and where do I find them?

 

I was under the impression the Bilstein's had a lifetime warranty... ??

Mine ride nice, but have also added SFC's, Wonder Bar, Strut Tower Brace, Poly Bushings, etc...

Raf

 

Shox.com seems to have some of the best prices for what you're looking for. Mine's been lowered for about 3 years and I only have minor scuffs on the bottom of the nose where you can't see without getting under the car. Just have to be carefull, not pull too far foward when parking, and learn to judge where the car will and won't hit.

 

ok I checked out shox.com & I found some non adjustable Tokico HP's the whole set of 4 for a little under 300.00, does anyone have any experience with them or know anything about them? That doesnt sound like a bad price to me I just want to make sure they are decent, the other upgrade I want to make to the car this year is a set of LS1 front brakes, so if I can get a decent set of shocks for 300.00 (even though I would really prefer the Bilsteins) it would leave me more for the brakes, I did poly bushings & end links last year & a Magnaflow, so I thought brakes & shocks this year & it would feel like a totally different car.

 

Tokico and KYB arent bad shocks in any case, and i would tell u how much i like my KYB AGX's but my cars not done yet! So id say go with a decent set and be done with it.

 

So I ordered Tokico HP non adjustable shocks & struts from shox.com a little while ago, they should be here on friday or the following monday, woo hoo, but I still wont put them on for at least a couple weeks or more, but I will have them when I am ready, now all I have to do is get the brakes, then the next thing I have to figure out is what I'm gonna do about the rear end keep the 9 bolt & get better gears or just get a 10 bolt with good gears, does it ever end? lol

 

Fortunately NO

 

Don't forget an allignment after you install the sturts. Unless you aren't installing new mounts at the same time.

 

I have never replaced the struts in this or any other 3rd gen for that matter so please pardon my ignorance on this but would the mounts come with the struts, & if not, is that something that usually needs to be done? I didnt order mounts so I guess I didnt plan on doing that but if its something that I should do please let me know.

 

No, they do not come with the struts. If they are stock, odds are they need to be replaced. You can use stock replacements or upgrade to the aftermarket parts from Hotpart.com or Spohn.net. I have the Hotpart ones and really like them. If I'm not mistaken, they come with a lifetime warranty still and free shipping.