looking for a good price for shocks.

amazing that once it fits a porsche the price goes up 400% i can get some very trick shocks for my truck or jeep for about $50 ea. but noooooo not for this volkswagon named porsche

when I pull my KYBs I'll sell 'em cheap... thing is: you get what you pay for...

the normal units sold for our cars are too stiff (high pressure nitrogen), just 'cause you have a stiff suspension does not make it a good suspension...........

I've never seen a shock dyno chart for KYB, but I'd bet that they are valved wrong (if valved at all, I think they just fill 'em up too much)

I had 'em on my first 914.
I really liked the feel.
To me they feel like my Koni's on full firm.

I like the adjustability of the Koni's. If I had another car and was on a tighter budget, I'd get the KYB's again.

they didn't "kill my back"

KT

QUOTE (Mueller @ Jun 16 2005, 05:12 PM)

just 'cause you have a stiff suspension does not make it a good suspension...........

couldnt have said it better mike. Dampers dampen the spring's vibration. KYB got the nickname Kill Your Back/Butt for a reason; from what Ive heard/read they are just too high pressure and the valving isnt right for 914s.

when is someone gonna pony up the cashola for ohlins or penskes on a 914? It'll double the value of a 4

QUOTE (trekkor @ Jun 16 2005, 08:22 PM)

I had 'em on my first 914. I really liked the feel. To me they feel like my Koni's on full firm. I like the adjustability of the Koni's. If I had another car and was on a tighter budget, I'd get the KYB's again. they didn't "kill my back" KT

true, when they are still fresh, they are usable... the ones on my old teener were SHOT though... and they weren't that old(according to the POs receipts) and those were TORTURE!!

I have a pair sitting around. Make offer.

QUOTE (messix @ Jun 16 2005, 04:49 PM)

looking for a good price for shocks. amazing that once it fits a porsche the price goes up 400% i can get some very trick shocks for my truck or jeep for about $50 ea. but noooooo not for this volkswagon named porsche

KYB is a fine shock for the street. My car had them they felt fine with stock suspension. They lacked adjustability and firm dampening that Koni's offer. If you look around you can find KYB strut inserts for less than $50 ea. $42.90 to be exact. Those sound like VW prices to me.

KYB's wear out more quickly than Koni or other high quality shocks/struts. If your not out for utlimate performance and dont care about replacing your shocks after 30,000 miles KYB can be a good cheap alternative.

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/persm/po...rsche+914+Strut

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=porsch...=Search+Froogle

I use them/have used them. I have no complaints.

thank you for the responses.

i do have stock lowered suspension. how are the boges?

any others that are reasonable [i'm a cheap sob].

i like value not most expensive.

QUOTE (grantsfo @ Jun 16 2005, 05:34 PM)

KYB's wear out more quickly than Koni or other high quality shocks/struts.  If your not out for utlimate performance and dont care about replacing your shocks after 30,000 miles KYB can be a good cheap alternative.

I've had them wear out in 1/2 that time too. I've tried KYB on both my 914 and my Fiat and am always impressed for the first few months, then they start to go "flat" rather quickly after that. Once they're gone, they're gone too. It's as if you aren't running shocks at all at that point. Just my experience.

--
Randy

QUOTE (messix @ Jun 16 2005, 08:38 PM)

thank you for the responses. i do have stock lowered suspension. how are the boges? any others that are reasonable [i'm a cheap sob]. i like value not most expensive.

me too... I looked around and bought used konis for the front, and lightly used Bils for the rear... $200 invested... KYB prices, but shocks that will last MUCH longer

They flat out bite....they need to improve to suck....

QUOTE (messix @ Jun 16 2005, 05:38 PM)

thank you for the responses. i do have stock lowered suspension. how are the boges? any others that are reasonable [i'm a cheap sob]. i like value not most expensive.

Boges I have seen are around $100 ea. You can find Bilsteins for the same price. I'd get Bilsteins over the Boges.

I still have a pair used...with 140 springs for 200...

QUOTE ("*" @ Jun 16 2005, 05:53 PM)

I still have a pair used...with 140 springs for 200...

kybites or bils. or koni's

I like my boge`ys (rear), I need new shocks up front (will be boges too). Increase to heavier springs and they get a little more response. I don't exactly like a stiff suspension that rattles my teeth out. If you've got good enough traction and can keep the wheels on the ground evenly, you shouldn't have to worry about how super-stiff your suspension is.

Then again, I'm following the methodology of softer shocks and freaking huge swaybars/tortion bars and zero-friction bushings. 180 springs in the rear.

I don't like my kyb's. They were on my 914 when I got it, and they are probably shot. At freeway speeds, I bounce around like a rubber ball.

QUOTE (messix @ Jun 16 2005, 05:57 PM)

QUOTE ("*" @ Jun 16 2005, 05:53 PM) I still have a pair used...with 140 springs for 200... kybites or bils. or koni's

sorry...bils

no offense intended here, but I think those that are happy with KYBs haven't used a good shock like a Koni adjustable. Bils are a bit harsh for my taste. I like Koni Yellows and their ride can be cushy or hard - your choice.

I've got KYB's on the Black car & it rides like a truck! I'm about to put Bils with 140# springs on it. Yellow Koni"s on the Blue car & love 'em

KYB's have too great a dampening rate for a car as light as a 914. Sounds like they don't last long either. I have had a few sets, never really complained about them. They seemed alright to me. Koni's would be the struts of choice of course.

KYB's you use the factory springs which makes them really cheap.

Troy - I can get you KYB's for:

Front - $70 pair
Rear - $ 130 pair

So for $200 - shocks all around. Not too bad if you ask me.

I can get Koni fronts for just under $400 a pair.

QUOTE (Root_Werks @ Jun 17 2005, 09:25 AM)

KYB's have too great a dampening rate for a car as light as a 914. Sounds like they don't last long either. I have had a few sets, never really complained about them. They seemed alright to me. Koni's would be the struts of choice of course. KYB's you use the factory springs which makes them really cheap. Troy - I can get you KYB's for: Front - $70 pair Rear - $ 130 pair So for $200 - shocks all around. Not too bad if you ask me. I can get Koni fronts for just under $400 a pair.

he he he . . . I got a pair of NOS Koni red adjustables for the front for $20 from some guy in the local paper.

You just gotta look around for the best prices. Now, anyone have a set for the rear that cheap

I think the KYB thing is blown way, way, way out of proportion. Like the stainless brake line issue (YOU WILL DIE!).

I had KYB's on my 914 for about 2 years and it was a rough ride, but the car handled well. Then I put in Bilsteins all around - and it is still a rough ride. Maybe the car handles a little better and maybe it's a little bit more compliant over the big bumps. But it wasn't a night and day difference. The KYBs are a little bit more jarring but it's probably not worth throwing away a perfectly good set over.

I think it really depends on what your springs and torsion bars are, both the KYBs and the Bilsteins are probably overdamped for anything less than 140lb springs and who knows what torsion bars. I have 110's in the back and stock torsion bars and I think I would need to upgrade a little to get the whole thing balanced out.

I think it also depends on how much your 914 wieghs overall. A 2100lb 914 I am sure will be more jarring than a 2300lb 914. they are 25% the cost of Koni's which is a lot of money in my book. I know I had them on at least 2 914's I have owned, at least that many. Niether was was so stiff it bothered me. Stiffer than Koni's? Sure, but I agree, not worth pulling them off.

I'd say if money was tight and your current shocks are just plain shot, KYB's might not be a bad way to go. Heck $200 for all 4 isn't bad at all. better and safer than driving around on completely worn out ones.

But I do think Koni's are one of the best set ups for 914's I have seen so far.

QUOTE (seanery @ Jun 17 2005, 05:57 AM)

no offense intended here, but I think those that are happy with KYBs haven't used a good shock like a Koni adjustable. Bils are a bit harsh for my taste. I like Koni Yellows and their ride can be cushy or hard - your choice.

No offense taken. However I have owned 3 914's with a range of suspension setups including Koni and Bilstein and for short periods ran KYB's on two of those cars. Having logged over 300,000 miles in those cars over mountain roads I have a real good sense of the differences. KYB are a fine shock during their early life for street use. They just dont last long and lack adjustability which is important to me in tuning the suspension for AX. When you look at the time to pull your struts and shocks and struts it just makes more sense to me to go with high quality Koni or Bilstein if your planning to drive your car much. I like a firm car so I really didnt find the KYB to be too stiff, if anything they lack enough dampening. And honestly I find Koni's and Bilstein's set on full firm to be much stiffer than KYB's. I have heard same compliants about Bilsteins being too stiff as well, but I think they are fine. frankly I think tire choice has a bigger impact on ride quality then the differnce between these shocks.


But dont trust me when it comes to harsh rides my daily driver is a Toyota Echo with huge springs and big sway bars with koni yellows adjusted to full firm in the rear for my street car. All four wheels will come off the ground if I hit a big enough bump at speed in that car.

Last year I replaced the KYB's installed by the PO with Bilsteins. Don't know the total mileage on them when replaced, but I put 10-12k miles on the car before replacement. With the KYB's every ripple or tar strip on the road was like running over a board. With the Bilsteins the suspension works to smooth out the irregularities. The ride is firm, but no longer harsh.
Harvey

QUOTE (trekkor @ Jun 16 2005, 05:22 PM)

To me they feel like my Koni's on full firm.

keep in mind i have a '75 [heavy] with stock t-bars and i think stock springs. its lowered and i havent checked to see how it was lowered in the rear yet [cut coils or what ever else could have been done to get it about 3" down] i'm just driving it as a driver not racing or ax. and i'm verey used to harsh rides from my work truck and my one ton other daily drive to my jeep. so you guys that drive your cushy cars that think if you can feel a freeway expansion joint that thats a harsh ride i say "wwwwwhhhhhhhaaaaaaa!" get some cheese.

oh heres a picture of how low it is

and whats the diff between bilstien sport and heavyduty. prices on those bad but not

Anyone ever see door shock dyno printouts for any of these shocks, kyb, knoi red, koni yellow, etc. It would be interesting information to have. Koni has some graphs on their web site but not enough labels and resolution to make much of. I like having hard fast numbers to work with.

Andrew

Does anybody know if the Koni Reds are rebuildable? I have a rear pair, but they are leaking.

QUOTE (Cabasa @ Jun 17 2005, 06:55 PM)

Does anybody know if the Koni Reds are rebuildable? I have a rear pair, but they are leaking.

yep, and if you are the original owner(or at least have the receipt), they do it for free, I'm told...

QUOTE

I don't like my kyb's. They were on my 914 when I got it, and they are probably shot. At freeway speeds, I bounce around like a rubber ball.

I have KYB on my back and they are extremely rough. Can't wait to change them to Bils so they match my front end. Eddy

QUOTE (smooth_eddy @ Jun 17 2005, 08:37 PM)

QUOTE I don't like my kyb's. They were on my 914 when I got it, and they are probably shot. At freeway speeds, I bounce around like a rubber ball.   I have KYB on my back and they are extremely rough. Can't wait to change them to Bils so they match my front end. Eddy

Deutsche Autos brauchen deutsche Teile! Bilsteins and Porsches are cut from the same cloth.

QUOTE (xitspd @ Jun 17 2005, 11:24 PM)

Deutsche Autos brauchen deutsche Teile! Bilsteins and Porsches are cut from the same cloth.

Holland is closer than Japan

QUOTE (SLITS @ Jun 18 2005, 05:25 AM)

QUOTE (xitspd @ Jun 17 2005, 11:24 PM) Deutsche Autos brauchen deutsche Teile!   Bilsteins and Porsches are cut from the same cloth. Holland is closer than Japan

Your Right!