What Shocks to get?

[Kiwi-E 731]

I'm planning to lower my car with king springs superlows front and rear and will need to buy new short body (or shortened) shocks. I have done a bit of research which has given mixed opinions. A lot of people say go for Koni or bilstein but we're talking $800+ and i'm wondering if there it a descent brand that will suit my needs for a fraction of the cost.

 

I'm after a reasonable-ish ride quality ( I understand it will be much harder riding the lower it is). Also i would like it to handle alright just so that its better than stock and gives a nice safe feel. I'm not planning on racing or going real fast around corners but it would be good if it handled well enough to have a wee play every now and then.

 

Things to consider:

A clevo will be going in sometime in the future and so will stiffer front springs

I might do the shelby drop and get a larger sway bar at some point to help improve handling

 

So i want to know is if a cheaper brand of shocks will suit my needs or if i'm better to bite the bullet and go for Koni's etc. I know the story of how the poor man pays twice, and don't want to buy another set after i cheeped out and the first set was shit.

 

Brands i've read a bit about:

 

Cheapies:

Ultima: not that great of a review

Monroe GT: Harsh ride

KYB: we have them in most of the family cars and they perform good, however none are in a lowered application.

UltraKing: never heard of them before but found them on trade em.

 

Dearer ones:

Koni: Good reviews

Bilstein: Good reviews

 

I haven't herd much about Gabriel's either.

 

I will dummy up the springs and take measurements before i order shocks to see how much travel i can get before i get clearance issues or balljoints binding. This will probably confirm if a short body shock is beneficial (guessing it will from what i've read).

 

 

 

[Nath 1,975]

Monroe are shit, you can have my fronts if you want to see exactly how much they suck

 

From what I've read you're better off going hydraulic rather than gas on an X series, apparently they have issues compressing the gas ones properly IIRC.

[Stu5766 394]

Ultima = Chinese shit!

[Mr Polson 10,214]

I have cheapo Ultima short stroke big bore in my ute, lowered 2.5" and it's been coping pretty well since I put them in (replaced the factory fronts).

Rear of the ute has Repco ones in it - just replaced some Gabriels that were in there when I bought it.

 

Wagon has Pedders shocks in the front, very comfy ride.

Rear of it still has factory air/pump up shocks from old old Ghia that had them optioned with the tow pack.

[Kiwi-E 731]

Ok so that crosses Monroe and probably Ultima off the list. Polson how do the Ultima's perform?

[SLO247 1,713]

I have Ultima front shocks in my AU with lowered springs. Pretty firm.

 

The pedders gear has always worked well for me, be it the comfort gas or the sports ryder. Even the comfort gas which are standard bore and stroke work well in the front of a low X series. Does seem to shorten the life though.

[wagoon 2,429]

Probably the best I have heard off apart from Koni and Bilstein is pedders. Pedders springs and shocks from the reports I have seen are not as harsh as kings springs with standard type shocks (monroe etc) and the pedders shocks seem to be able to handle ok.

 

My wagon is running run of the mill shocks(can't remeber the brand but they are standard). When I had the standard springs in the car they are ok with plenty of understeer when pushed. I then bought a parts ute that had low kings springs ( not even superlow these are one step under standard height) that I swapped into the wagon. It was mainly to get a reading on the installed spring pressure of the springs but I haven't been arsed pulling them back out again. The install of the king springs alone reduced the understeer enough that the back started to get tail happy and I was then starting to get over steer. My tyres were starting to get pretty low( and very old) at this point so I go new tyres. I lost the oversteer cause the tryes gripped a lot more than the old tyres I had on the wagon but the understeer stayed away. BUT with installing the low king springs I have had a couple of instances of the upper control arm hitting the bump stop and bashing it sounds like I have just snapped the chassis of the car, with the standard spring I had never hit the bump stops. There is nothing wrong with my shocks, they still control the car quiet nicely but when it comes to harsh sudden bumps they can't keep up with the king low springs installed

 

So what does this blurb/rant/waffle mean. Good quality short stroke shocks are not just for handling and going around corners fast, they are for general motoring comfort and will help to stop the car from hitting the bump stops when using lower than standard springs. As a bonus you will be able to corner faster but that is because with a good quality shock like Koni or Bilstein controls the car better(Bilstein give a slightly harsher ride than Koni, I have been told this by several people independent of each other). That is what the shocks are suppose to do, so if you skimp on shock quality you are skimping on ride quality it's that simple.

[slydog 7,873]

First thing to remember in performance and in general is springs give car height and shock control gives ride quality if done right.

 

A fast acting but well controlled shock with a light but progressive spring is the perfect combo.Finding it is the hard bit...

[351XD_Fairmont 604]

I wouldn't be writing off the ultimas yet, I've put them in most of my cars with no problems yet. I went from standard shocks and springs in my ed Fairmont ghia to King springs lows and ultima short strokes and it was hands down the best handling car I've ever driven. They also weren't Chinese when I bought mine, the paperwork with them said they were Canadian from memory?

[Stu5766 394]

I wouldn't be writing off the ultimas yet, I've put them in most of my cars with no problems yet. I went from standard shocks and springs in my ed Fairmont ghia to King springs lows and ultima short strokes and it was hands down the best handling car I've ever driven. They also weren't Chinese when I bought mine, the paperwork with them said they were Canadian from memory?

Ultimas have always been a Chinese product to my knowlage.

I had to work for a bloke who insisted on selling all things ultima. Brake pads, rotors, shocks.

I know who the Australian supplier is, but I won't mention names.

So from at least 2007 they have been Chinese.

[351XD_Fairmont 604]

I probably purchased my first set around 05-06 so maybe they changed after? I bought my last set about a year or two ago and they were just as good as the first ones so perhaps they had some bad batches or something.

In regards to hydraulic shocks for x-series does anyone have a brand and/or part number, I've been looking for some but haven't had much luck

[bear351c 10,270]

Basically, Springs carry all the weight, shocks stop the car bouncing. If you get lowered springs, you should get short body shocks. Obviously, its your choice, and many fellas i know have never done this, and suffered no major issues. The shock internals may hit the limits inside, and do mechanical damage in extreme circumstances.

 

You can get different thickness 'rod' that makes up the coil spring. 16mm, 18mm etc. You can also get a bigger bore shock, and larger rods in the shockies.

 

I've used Monroe, didn't like them, Gabriel was better, Pedders big bore + rod with short body was better still (bit harsh), Koni/Billstein prob the best all round (but pricey). They are/were rebuildable though, so that saves you buying more later on. If you're not going the Clevo route for a year or two, Pedders or such will last easily, when you stick the 351 in it, get some good ones.

[SirkWhyXF 1,533]

i have the ultimas, i'm happy with them for the price, they do the lob well enough for a cruiser anyway.

[Kiwi-E 731]

So it seems if you buy cheep ones they might work ok and get by with your setup from peoples experiences. If its really worth the investment for Koni's then i'll get them. I don't want to be buying another set in 6 months after i hate how the first set performed, or if i decide to drive the car a bit harder and need the better spring control.

 

I know what you guys are saying about spring control, my stock shocks might be comfy as cursing around home but as soon as I get 6 fellas in the car on rough roads I'll be bashing the bump stops and be all over the road like a wild woman's shit.

 

Hmmm decision time..... Be a tight arse and get Ultimas and see how they go or to buy Koni's and be done with it...

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Ok so that crosses Monroe and probably Ultima off the list. Polson how do the Ultima's perform?

 

Well they've been in the ute around 3 years now and still work.

Theyre limited by the fact I don't have shock hat spacers I think.

[RAWDEAL 222]

you can get kyb shorts.. ill link when i get home, 330 a pair

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Kiwi-E 731]

Cheers mate, have you run them before?

[SPArKy_Dave 8,881]

 

[SPArKy_Dave 8,881]

 

[351XD_Fairmont 604]

Some great vids there Dave, thanks for sharing them

[Kiwi-E 731]

So I'm thinking of getting Koni's and being done with it. Does anyone know where to get them at a reasonable price that would ship to NZ? I'll look up some suspension joints here in NZ and see if they're prices are on par with the cost of importing some. My other option is ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Falcon-XE-XF-Sedan-KONI-Adj-Short-Front-Rear-Shock-Absorbers-/281861311614?hash=item41a03e4c7e:g:xjkAAOSwT5tWJiSB&vxp=mtr, never brought anything through it before though.

[xwagon 168]

i can help you,  i get trade price on all most everything i buy.  have you brought the front springs yet?? as i think i have the same ones you are looking at spare

[wagoon 2,429]

So I'm thinking of getting Koni's and being done with it. Does anyone know where to get them at a reasonable price that would ship to NZ? I'll look up some suspension joints here in NZ and see if they're prices are on par with the cost of importing some. My other option is ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Falcon-XE-XF-Sedan-KONI-Adj-Short-Front-Rear-Shock-Absorbers-/281861311614?hash=item41a03e4c7e:g:xjkAAOSwT5tWJiSB&vxp=mtr, never brought anything through it before though.

If you can't get them shipped direct to you in NZ Im happy to ship them from my place. I live about an 1 1/2 from the seller so if they do pickup I would be happy to go down and pick them up and ship them off to you. Can't say that I have every done anything like that before but can't be to hard. Maybe try Australia post website to see if they can give you a postage cost from my place(postcode 4307) to your place you you can get an idea on postage cost.

[Kiwi-E 731]

i can help you,  i get trade price on all most everything i buy.  have you brought the front springs yet?? as i think i have the same ones you are looking at spare

Cheers man I've already got two sets of springs, What part of NZ are you in? I'll send you a pm if i can figure out how.

 

If you can't get them shipped direct to you in NZ Im happy to ship them from my place. I live about an 1 1/2 from the seller so if they do pickup I would be happy to go down and pick them up and ship them off to you. Can't say that I have every done anything like that before but can't be to hard. Maybe try Australia post website to see if they can give you a postage cost from my place(postcode 4307) to your place you you can get an idea on postage cost.

Thanks Wagon i'll keep that as a backup plan.

[xwagon 168]

am in new plymouth, am getting some koni rear shocks in the next few weeks for the xw wagon, but will price up the ones that on that ebay ad and let you know how much i can get them for.  i run bilstein front and rear in the xa,  and rate them over the koni. but need adjustment in the xw rear to go with the rrs front end.

 

text me on 0226763120 if you like.