Second/third opinion on spring/shock combo.

[pkschul]

I purchased this combo a few years ago thinking I did all the right research first. I had a guy on Facebook say these KYB shocks will make the car too bouncy with the Eibach lowering springs.
I hate Facebook advice and much prefer advice from forums on all sorts of things. Just looking for more opinions before I get back in to this project.
Thanks!

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

I really like the KYB gas-a-just shocks and feel they’re a good stock replacement.
They’re more performance oriented than monroe, but not as much as Bilstien.
I can’t say how they are with the Eibach springs.

 

[Mr.Spool]

The kyb's drive really nice
They are not bouncy at all
Bilsteins are even stiffer..
For a good laugh I've had a gn pull 1g of lat acceleration on kybs

 

[TireFryer]

I have KYB shocks in mine, car rides like a Buick.. They aren’t bouncy at all

 

[~JM~]

Had KYB shocks under a '78 Malibu. Mostly stock 305 V8 errand runner. They worked well.

I have Bilsteins on my Buick. The car had some Napa gas shocks on it when I bought it. The Napa shocks were beefier looking than the Bilsteins.

 

[Hunter Dog]

We recently installed the HR rear suspension and have Billstein shocks. We have ATR exhausts. The issue we have is when we put anything with weight of any kind (luggage if going to car show far away, seats, normal travel items) or any passengers in the back seat our suspension is impacting the exhaust and really banging loudly at the slightest bump. This combination is not proving to be working out too well when it comes to causual driving to and from car shows. We are considering removing the Billsteins and installing some type of air shock. Air bags inside the springs is another option but have been told those are really stiff. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Mr.Spool]

We recently installed the HR rear suspension and have Billstein shocks. We have ATR exhausts. The issue we have is when we put anything with weight of any kind (luggage if going to car show far away, seats, normal travel items) or any passengers in the back seat our suspension is impacting the exhaust and really banging loudly at the slightest bump. This combination is not proving to be working out too well when it comes to causual driving to and from car shows. We are considering removing the Billsteins and installing some type of air shock. Air bags inside the springs is another option but have been told those are really stiff. Anyone have any suggestions?

What's happening is your changing the weight and weight distribution of the car drastically.
Put the air bags in for sure.
Air them up when you want to transport all the extra people and weight and air them down when they leave.
Its the simplest and most cost effective way.
I drive my daughter and her friends to prom in one of my 5 sec cars

 

[SCOOBY DOO]

I ran Bilsteins and KYB's. The Bilsteins were stiffer. I preferred the KYB's.

 

[outatime86]

Surprised no one has asked what shape are your body bushings in? Missing any or are any donut sandwiches?

Adjustable shocks might be your answer for loaded down and not loaded down driving. Cost savings would be the air bag idea already mentioned.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

I used to transport my ex MIL in my GN. She would go 250 dressed out.
Air bags, helper springs around the shocks... Nothing helped.
It still ran low 1.4 short times, with or without her in the trunk.

 

[TIMINATOR]

If u do air bags, have a separate fill valve for each. Have them even pressure for driving around and run more pressure in the passenger side for track use. The stock suspension squats on launch and that unloads the right rear more than the left rear. Before I knew what I was doing, I ran 9s with no rear sway bar or other mods, only one bag in the passenger side and sticky tires.
TIMINATOR

 

[outatime86]

Hotchkis makes shocks for us as well. Bilstein's are $100entry-$140performance a piece but don't have any adjustability. Hotchkis are $136non adjustable-$21adjustable a piece, thats a $36 difference for non adjustable and $71from adjustable VS belstein's.

For the 40 miles I drove my car before overheating, my rancho rs9000 9 way adjustable shocks with new rubber body mounts (+gnx mount) gave me a fantastic ride! When I goto the track I can adjust and play with the adjustment if I need to stiffen or soften. Once my rancho's go out I'll be installing the hotchkis adjustables.

For the price of performance shocks from bilstein I would definitely check out other company's before you buy.

 

[TIMINATOR]

What part #Ranchos did you run? I called them last week and the rep told me they had truck and 4x4 shocks only!
TIMINATOR

 

[Chuck Leeper]

I think you have to look at their catalog and find the open/close dimensions to fit the Buick.

 

[outatime86]

I think you have to look at their catalog and find the open/close dimensions to fit the Buick.

MY shocks are 20 years old, when I bought them I took my car into a 4x4 shop and had them measure the shocks I had and they picked the shock from rancho. Recently I had to replace the rubber bushings and adjuster knobs in them but the shocks work fine. I'll have to check for the series number stamped on them, but when I called for replacements based off the stamped number they did not have a replacement. If I didn't have hotchkis replacements I would do the same thing over again, goto a reputable 4x4 shop and have them measure what I have and pick a set of ranchos.