I need to buy new rear shocks for my 1986 WS6 Trans am. I have never bought shocks before, and truly don't know were to start. I would like them to be as close to the factory pair as possible. What do you guys recommend?

 

For yerbasic good quality stock replacements, nothing performance or anything like that, Monroe Sensa-Trac.

For a slight upgrade over stock in terms of performance but nothing earth-shaking or anything, KYB.

Avoid Gabriel.

 

Or spend a mite extra, and buy performance; you won't regret it. My choice, Koni via Spohn, comes in colors and three flavors. Yellow looks nifty on a yellow Camaro.

 

bilstein or KYB. Konis are my favorite but I you don't sound serious enough about performance for the price of Koni.

 

I like my bilsteins. Work great

 

I decided to go with the koni shocks/struts. But am unsure what to get. I hear the monotube adjustable shocks/struts are the best. But every site I go to doesn't go into great detail. Are all koni shocks/struts adjustable and monotube? Links to what I should buy?

 

AFAIK their only ones for these cars are the "sport" ones; widely thought of as The Best you can get. Not by any stretch of the imagination, factory-like. (not a "bad" choice, don't get me wrong there, just, not at all what you started out at) They are monotubes, and they are adjustable.

http://www.shockwarehouse.com/index....cted_year=1990

Just a typical range of stuff you might see available. Some of the board sponsors may also carry them, I don't know.

You should be able to find more info if you poke around at www.koni.com. Might have to do a bit of digging.

 

If you use 4thgen rears for the external adjustment that can be done on-car, they are twin tube. 3rdgen style Konis (mono tubes) have to be removed to be adjusted. I wouldn't let the twin tube/mono tube thing hang you up to much when talking about Koni, they are all high quality shocks. The 4thgen rears also come in double adjustable.

FWIW, I will be using the Koni Yellow single adjustable 4thgen rear shocks because i want the ease of the external adjuster since will need to adjust them before and after every event. Just can't stomach the price of the double adjustables.

Whatever you decide, shop around! Price varies greatly on Konis from place to place. If you aren't looking to go adjustable I recommend using the Bilsteins.

I'd also like to reiterate what sofa said, Konis are far superior to any stock struts or shocks.

 

I ended up going with Koni front sport struts, and bilstein rear monotube shocks. Thanks for the help!!!

Also what adjustment setting do you guys recommend?

 

I run mine all the way down on the street and all the way up on the track.

I'm sure that Koni/Bilstien combo will work well for you but curious why you chose that set up? Was it the PITA adjustment procedure of the rear thirdgen koni? or does the 4thgen externally adjustable rears being twin tubes make you nervous? Or just trying to save a little coin?

After much reading I don't fear the Koni 4thgen rears with the twin tube design. I will use them in mine when i get to the rear suspension.

 

I went with that set up because I was able to find a set of koni struts for only $375 off this guy on facebook. I wanted adjustable struts not just for the performance reasons but to just say that I have them. I didn't want to deal with the rears being adjustable. seemed like a pain. having to remove the carpet/etc to adjust them, or have to take them off. The bilstein seemed like the best rear shock to go with. They are mono-tube, which prevents foaming, and were not that expensive.