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Shock question

black 940

black 940

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2004
Location
Charlotte, NC
I need new rear shocks as I hit a large pothole and blew the rt. rear shock out. Are the GR2's good on these cars? Should I replace the strut inserts at the same time or just the shocks? Please give driving impressions on any shocks-struts that you guys have had and liked, this is going to be on a budget so I am afraid HDs, konis etc.. are out as of now:roll:.
 
From what I've read, you might as well get the Gas-A-Just (or Just-A-Gas) ones over the GR2's. I have them in the rear, stock struts in the front. They a LOT stiffer than the stock oil shocks that's for sure. I really don't have anything to compare them against other than the stock shocks though.

You don't have to replace the struts at the same time, just make sure you do the whole axle at a time (both rears/fronts). If you're looking for the stock shock, I could hook you up so you can save for some better ones.

Otherwise, check the for sale section. I've seen two listings within the past week for the gas-a-just for about $40.
 
If you want OEM or better grade, buy the sachs advantage, they work really well.

From the factory most NA models would have run just an oil based sachs, turbo spec models one of the gas versions.
 
The Boge Turbo Gas is one of the best of the cheap shocks in my experience. I stay away from KYB shocks because I don't like the way the worsen the handling of the car. :-P
The Boge Turbo Gas are now Sachs Advantage. They come with a lifetime warranty that Boge/Sachs will actually honor.
 
Thanks guys, I had some Bilstein Touring on my old car. I loved those shocks-strut inserts, however like someone else on the other thread stated mine started clicking after 1.5 years and then that turned into clunking. I will call around about the Sachs and bodge.

One more question, will the sachs-bodge improve handling at all or stiffen the ride up a bit? My Bilstein TC did a great job at reducing understeer.
 
QA1....Not considered a budget shock imop but defenitly one of the best there is!
Just installed a pair of QA1 double adjustable's for the rear, this in combination with the 28mm front sway the car is like driving on rails.
Good Luck.
 
Go to Auto Zone and buy the Gabrial Ultra shocks for front and rear. I used them on my 78 245 and had IPD swaybars(i also rebuilt whole suspension) and man they handle good. They are a little stiff, but for the money ya can't go wrong. Front 2 for $66.00 plus tax (32.99a piece), rears similar price. I am getting ready to put a set on the front of my 91 244, rears are already on it. They last pretty good too. It is the way to go if on a budget!!
 
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Anything new of oem grade will improve ride over old and worn out, boge/sachs and bilstein tc will all be of oem grade or better, so handling will be as new or better.

Anything Gabrial/Monroe/KYB/etc, will most likely be below oem in some way, either it will be cheap and nasty, harsh or not very long lasting, when you have oem grade stuff right there for so cheap from FCP etc, no 'good' reason to get below that.
 
smokeyfan1000 said:
Go to Auto Zone and buy the Gabrial Ultra shocks for front and rear. I used them on my 78 245 and had IPD swaybars(i also rebuilt whole suspension) and man they handle good. They are a little stiff, but for the money ya can't go wrong. Front 2 for $66.00 plus tax (32.99a piece), rears similar price. I am getting ready to put a set on the front of my 91 244, rears are already on it. They last pretty good too. It is the way to go if on a budget!!
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dont forget they have a lifetime warrentee
 
The Gabrials ULTRA ARE stiff, but beat the pants off OEM! AND they have a lifetime warranty!! I 've had them on 78 245 with IPD sways,also JCW rear overload springs, and took a SCCA racer for a ride,and he said it handled dam good! Made a 90 degree turn at 45 mph and under control of course! Later on I did break a sway bar end link, but it was O.E and 22 yrs old. I do the "shock test". I go to AP store, ask for a brand of shock, take it out of box,cut strap,compress it,and if it feels soft, try another. This is how I settled on Gabrial Ultras. They were the stiffest. Guees I'm old school, and cheap. But I'll bet I'll stay with most of ya in a curve.
 
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smokeyfan1000 said:
The Gabrials ULTRA ARE stiff, but beat the pants off OEM! I 've had them on 78 245 with IPD sways,also JCW rear overload springs, and took a SCCA racer for a ride,and he said it handled dam good! Made a 90 degree turn at 45 mph and under control of course! Later on I did break a sway bar end link, but it was O.E and 22 yrs old. I do the "shock test". I go to AP store, ask for a brand of shock, take it out of box,cut strap,compress it,and if it feels soft, try another. This is how I settled on Gabrial Ultras. They were the stiffest. Guees I'm old school, and cheap. But I'll bet I'll stay with most of ya in a curve.
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Making a purchase based on what 'feels' stiff out of a box is beyond dumb, the majority of your dampening happens on rebound, not compression, most of the boge/sachs range are quite soft on compression, your mistaking stiff for a shock that actually works properly, 'good' shocks don't need to feel/ride stiff in order to make your car handle well.

Considering a large chunk of people around here end up with Bilstein HD's or Koni's, I highly doubt you'd keep up with any of them.
 
I might not, but would like to see. I had to do my suspension on a budget. And I think it came out pretty good. I have found, soft shocks on compression, let the front end"lay down" on a car with old springs, and did not replace springs on 78 245. I just can't justify $400 on a set of shocks. I'm sure they are hi tech, but I'm cheap! I have always wanted to ride in a Volvo 240 with Koni's to see how good they are, just never got to. If I could afford them I would get em,. But the post was about BUDGET shocks that perform well. The Gabrial Ultra(with LIFETIME warranty) sure fits the bill in my book. Hey, if they were not worth a ----, I would say so. But so far, I have hung in the curves with everybody I've tried to . Including Porsche Carrera(I don't know HOW hard he was pushingit), but I could see a surprised look on his face. This was coming off a road onto a Hiway entrance ramp that was pretty sharp, and we were pressing pretty hard. I was on his "bumper". Maybe he just could'nt drive. He sure was lookin like could. So all good shocks are soft as hell?? Is that always true?? I was basing stiffness between brands. Mainly because I know A/z type shocks that are SOFT, are not for performance, they are for "luxury ride"... remember now, I'm poor, but like to drive fast,OK? I'm sure Konis are GREAT shocks. But remember, I'm not gonna get Koni tech out of Monroe Sensa-Tracks(they felt almost as soft as the worn out ones I took off!) The Gabrial Ultras did what I wanted for not much $$. I had a SCCA racer tell me it was dam good. What else can I say? I just did it the way the Moonshiners did. Hell I'm a North Carolinian. If ya gotta run cheap shocks, run STIFF cheap shocks!!
 
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Now please explain what it is that makes Koni the great shock that it is. I would like to learn more about shock technology, seriously. I have read on TB, so many people complain about Billy's clunking, and Bil. not making good on the warranty. What is the cause of that? Mis -application on a "too" lowerd car? Just got a bad one? Have not heard it about Konis. I have ALWAYS heard good about Konis. Which is better, all around, KONIS or BILLYS?? Come to think of it, I read on here that 1 type of Bilstein was a stiff shock. Educate me. I'm not scared to learn. I always did like listening to a genius. Just kidding, seriously, please explain shock tech to me. I'm just a old hotrodder/redneck. I know I don't know it all!
 
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My Bilsteins clunked on my old car and it was completely stock other than shocks. I have Koni Yellows on another car and they are awesome, the big advantage was they are adjustable. This car is not a sports car and for the time being it is going to remain mostly stock so I don't need top notch shocks. That is why I am looking to do this on a budget. I love my volvo and love the way it handles it is just not worth spending 1/4 of its value for shocks as of now.
 
Are these shocks for your 940? Or a 240,or740? My car is a 244, just for comparisons sake. If you want a "luxury ride", the Gabrial Ultras may be a little stiff for ya. BUT if you are looking for a "performance type" ride/ handling on the cheap. They have "VST" Which means they "stiffen up" the harder they get worked, in plain easy terms. IMHO, I think you will be happy with them. I paid $32.99 for(240) each front shock,and 25.00 a piece for rears. Just called A/Z and they say 52.99 a piece for fronts for 93 940. 25.00 for the 940 rears. So for a little over $155.00 for a four, still is pretty good price. And they have lifetime warranty, so when you wear them out, new ones are free! Hard to beat that. If you do try them, let us know what you think of them,OK? I went with them on my 78 245, because I paid $400.00 for the car, and like you, did'nt want to pay more for shocks than I did for the car! . Maybe someday I can afford KONI's!(drool, drool) I hope all this has been some help to you. All lot of people on here say Billys clunk,I wonder why they do?
 
Oh, and for Bishop's advice about my shock selection criteria and testing, it might not be hi-tech, but it eliminated the ones I felt were too soft for my driving style. I do not own a shock dyno. So shoot me!:roll: If you could share your knowledge about the technical and applied science and physics of modern shock absorber technology, I would appreciate it. Would like to know more about. :) Please share what you know with us!:)
 
smokeyfan1000 said:
So for a little over $155.00 for all four, And they have lifetime warranty
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You get what you pay for, lifetime warrenty means nothing, the maker is betting you will get sick of having to change out the shocks every 25000kms, cheap shocks 'will' fade or fail fast, you don't get something for nothing, so you got what you paid for.

smokeyfan1000 said:
it might not be hi-tech, but it eliminated the ones I felt were too soft for my driving style.
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No, you ruled out anything with lower compression dampening, like I said that means a lot less than 'you' think it does, and may not directly relate to how well the car will handle.
Heck, you also could have just ended up with the shocks that had the most stiction, great sign of build quality there, this here shock binds up so bad on compression, that it must be fantastic, yeah smart way to check for quality, stiff can also mean it's just plain crap.


black 940 - Seriously, get some Sachs Advantage/Boge Turbo Gas, or maybe Bilsteins TC's, either rears can be had for $50-$55 a side, good quality shock that will both handle and ride well, or troll the for sale section for used HD's, usually good value because they last longer than anything, and can be rebuilt fairly cheap when they do fade.

smokey - Do some reading, I'm not going to sit here and type out pages of what has already been posted many times, there is plenty of good shock info out there, and around here, do a search, read heaps.
 
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