Opinions on KYB Shocks/Struts

[Bob Sweet]

I am thinking of getting a set for my 88 Z. Are they a decent upgrade over stock? What are the differences between the GR-2 and Gas-Adjust on the rear shocks? I am not going to be lowering the car or auto crossing it. Just looking for opinions on good replacements.

Bob

[turbovanman²]

They'll be fine for stock springs. The gas-adjust are just regular replacements and will be way better than your worn out stuff. The GR-2's are better.

[cordes]

I had some on the front of my shadow for a while. They were just the GR-2s. They were a decent replacement.

[Bob Sweet]

Thanks guys.

[87glhs232]

I have a set of gr2's for the front of mine. Gotta swap the springs and get the car back together though. Should be much better than the worn out Mopar units that were on there. :p

[fleckster]

I had GR-2s on my old Shelby Z and I didn't like them. But to be fair, they were not capable of handling the progressive rate Eibach springs. With the stockers, they might have been fine. I had the Gas-A-Justs on the rear. I liked them back there but they were STIFF. I have used the Gas-A-Just shocks on my old school RWD Mopars and have always like them.

[turbovanman²]

Ok, I had them mixed up, thanks Fleckster, Gas-adjust are the stiffer ones, :thumb:

[iTurbo]

Actually, the GR2s are like stock replacements (and maybe not even that good) and the Gas-A-Just are much stiffer.

I have the KYB GR2 strut and KYB GAJ shock combo on two cars:

On my Shelby Lancer, I'm using the KYBs with Eibach ProKit springs. I had also bought some GR2 rear shocks and compared them to the GAJ shocks. GAJ is waaay stiffer. The shock tube is also a lot thicker than the GR2. I ended up installing the GAJ shock because they would go better with the higher spring rate. They seem to do well with the Eibach spring and it isn't bouncy at all and feels firm and in control over speed bumps and dips/uneven road at high speed. As for the struts, I really hate the GR2s. They would probably be OK for stock springs, but with the Eibachs the front is very bouncy and I have to go very slowly over speed bumps or I'll get major rebound. Hiting dips/bumps cruising on the interstate at high speed feels a little scary sometimes. It really needs Koni struts in the front at least.

On my Omni, I have stock springs and they do well with them. The front is not too bouncy, but I wish they were a bit stiffer. At first I bought some GR2 rear shocks, but when I compared the two (by compressing with my hands against the floor), the GAJ was way stiffer so I decided to use it instead. I don't think they make the GAJ shocks anymore, but I lucked out and found some on eBay. I think the application was for an earlier L-body. They fit my GLH perfectly and the lower spring perch sat about 1/2" lower than the GR2. My Omni sits perfectly level with the GAJ shocks.

[tryingbe]

I have GR-2 for the front and Gas-A-Just shocks on the rear with stock springs on 89 Daytona Shelby.

GR-2 sucks big time. They are very floaty from the beginning and they're getting worst. They're only 1 1/2 year old too. I feel like I'm driving a boat most of the time.

[87glhs232]

Great :mad:

[tps25pentium]

gr2's dampen the stock springs just fine.. they weren't built with performance in mind but are better than sensatracs (aka boat shocks) in my opinion

if you can buy koni's BUY KONI'S!!

use them with stock springs on full soft setting until u save up to buy Eibach's down the road.. don't buy Eibach's first or you'll get a bouncy (unsafe) ride

[Wink]

Don't waste your money on KYB's. They are only a direct replacement for factory parts. I installed GR-2's up front and Gas-a-justs in the rear, when I installed Eibach springs. Let me tell you this........

With my experience with this setup, I get front end porpusing and bounce steer. There is just not enough dampening to control/tame the eibach springs. They prolly would work well on a stock setup. But in any performance application, do your self a favor, get something better.

[turbovanman²]

Don't waste your money on KYB's. They are only a direct replacement for factory parts. I installed GR-2's up front and Gas-a-justs in the rear, when I installed Eibach springs. Let me tell you this........

With my experience with this setup, I get front end porpusing and bounce steer. There is just not enough dampening to control/tame the eibach springs. They prolly would work well on a stock setup. But in any performance application, do your self a favor, get something better.

He is only going stock so they'll be fine, :thumb:

[tryingbe]

So, my Daytona Shebly is suppose to handle shitty... I see.

[87glhs232]

So, my Daytona Shebly is suppose to handle shitty... I see.

LOL, felt fine to me....but we werent carving canyons.

Oh well, this winter I plan to do this all over again with a CB motor, 555 or 568 and Koni's on all 4's.

[TurboJerry]

I must defend the GR2 struts. I had the same problem with the infamous bounce. I looked and found the car was sitting on the bump stops up front! The KYB boots have a 4" Bump stop built into them. I tried to cut them, but the rod hole was now way too big. So I got some 63620's from NAPA and cut the stops to 1.25". No more bounce...... The 63621's have a 1.625" stop, but I didn't find out till later. I think they could still be stiffer, but they do well for what they are. I run the Suspension Techniques, and the Eibachs, So I feel how both spring styles are with the GR2's.

[20w/ashelby]

is there something between gas-adjust and konis?

[tryingbe]

Price, stiffness, and quality.

[burnfaster]

Bilsteins

[turbovanman²]

Gabriels also work well.

[89DaytonaTII]

I'll throw in another negative for GR2 struts and stiffer springs. Bad combo, but better than blown old stock ones.

Gas-a-justs seems to work well out back with the stiffer springs though.

[ShelbyZD]

The GR2's aren't any performance strut. The Gas-adjust supposedly are.. but I doubt they are any better than the stockers (granted they are new). I have them on the rear of my Shelby with the stock springs (which are in quite good shape) and the back still squats badely when I hammer it. They are decent... but no comparison with the Koni's.

Gas-adjust shocks with the Bilisten struts are a good combo... from what I understand they are 2nd to the Koni's.

[Garret]

one thing I will throw in there is that the GR2 Gas-a-just combo with Suspension tecniques springs(linear spring) isn't bouncy at all, Having owning that setup and my current car with a Monroe Formula GP & Eibach combo I can safely say that I liked the KYB/ST combo better and may be a better choice for someone not wanting to go all out for Konis and Eibachs

[89turbomini]

I Ordered the Eibach Springs and Bilstein front struts for my daytona. Do you all think that will work out. Does anyone have experiance with the bilstein struts

[Holley]

one thing I will throw in there is that the GR2 Gas-a-just combo with Suspension tecniques springs(linear spring) isn't bouncy at all, Having owning that setup and my current car with a Monroe Formula GP & Eibach combo I can safely say that I liked the KYB/ST combo better and may be a better choice for someone not wanting to go all out for Konis and Eibachs
That would line up with something mentioned on TD.com a while back about LRE springs and GR/2s (IIRC it was JonnyB), saying that they were a very good combo. I have both, but havn't put the springs on yet ...

[ShelbyZD]

I Ordered the Eibach Springs and Bilstein front struts for my daytona. Do you all think that will work out. Does anyone have experiance with the bilstein struts

Which Springrate did you get? I would imagine the lower springrate ones would be fine.. not sure about the higher spring rate ones.. but Wallace (http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3820) seems to be using the KYB's with Eibach. Granted he may be using the lower spring rate as well.

Also, just to clear something up. KYB makes both a GR2 shock and strut. The Gas adjust is a different model and is better for performance than the GR2's... it is however only made for our cars as a rear shock.. no struts. That's where the Bilistien comes in. You can buy the Bilistien front shocks with the KYB Gas Adjust for a good combo.

[Chief8one]

i absolutely hate my kybs on my daytona, but i have the MP springs. i do have monroe struts on my duster with eibachs and its not too bad, but not good. I will go koni for now on....

[vxvxAndrewxvxv]

Ok, i've read this all through, and I have a set or shocks and struts sitting dowstairs waiting to go on my l-body. from what I've gathered i need to use my stock springs with the new stuff?

[cordes]

Ok, i've read this all through, and I have a set or shocks and struts sitting dowstairs waiting to go on my l-body. from what I've gathered i need to use my stock springs with the new stuff?

I would.