I'm in the market for new struts for my FC and am looking for a little help as far as what to get. I will also be installing new RB springs.

Now, I'm looking at getting KYB AGX adjustables ($123 each front right and left, $93 each in the rear) , but I'm not exactly sure how much use I will get out of the adjustability, but I do suppose it can't hurt to have it and not use it. The flip side of this, is that they are relatively expensive when compared to a KYB Gas-A-Just Shock in the rear ($37 each) and KYB GR-2 Strut ($82 front left and $50 front right) combo.

I'm definitely not in the coilover market, as the car isn't THAT great, but any other ideas and input is all good.

Oh yeah, it's a 4 lug and I've got no real desire to go 5 lug, nor do I plan on getting rims. I'm just going to rock my phone dials until a good deal comes up for a five lug swap. I plan on doing some autocross and maybe a few laps at Road America once in awhile, too. But really I'm just looking for a good setup that will work for pretty much anything.

Adjustable shocks are great and all, but you can save some money by going to a good non-adjustable shock. The advantage to a nonadjustable being that you can focus on your driving, and not be out tinkering with the car everytime it does something weird. Also, if a shock has 5 settings, 4 of them are wrong for what you're doing, and they'll be five different people telling you why each setting is right.

And I agree, adjustable coilovers are wasted if you're not going to corner-weight the car. Just more ways for the car to be setup wrong.

If you're just looking for a good all-around setup, bilsteins are flat-out the best shocks you can get (well, in my opinion). They ride great on the street, and corner awesome on the track. It's what I run on the Cobra, and I don't regret not getting adjustables.

I've got the KYB non adustable gas struts on my car and I love them. Hell last night going down the highway I had all but 10 feet before I hit a dog and they handled like a dream. But they droped my car an inch and a half and I cant fit my jack underneath without driving up on blocks. Having the adjustable option would be nice but for the price I'd stick with the stuff I've got now, I know I'm to lazy to get under there and change anything around.

Cusco struts, nigga.

I've got the KYB non adustable gas struts on my car and I love them. Hell last night going down the highway I had all but 10 feet before I hit a dog and they handled like a dream. But they droped my car an inch and a half and I cant fit my jack underneath without driving up on blocks. Having the adjustable option would be nice but for the price I'd stick with the stuff I've got now, I know I'm to lazy to get under there and change anything around.

That is something I did not take into account, good point.

I have the KYB AGX shocks and I'm glad I got them. ($400 shipped, you could probably find them for that too) I use them with Eibach springs and Cusco camber plates.

My setup is for a street car, thats why I went with progressive rate springs.

You don't need to get under the car to adjust the fronts, you just open the hood. The rears I can just climb to without lifting the car, they're huge dials near the bottom of the shock.

I keep the rears at 6 or 7, and the fronts at around 3. From what I can feel, thats stiffer then your normal Gas-A-Just shock. I have a few Gas-A-Just shocks sitting around that I'm not using :P

I don't constantly tune my suspension, but I wanted the adjust ability so I could tune it in to begin with. I also like being able to turn it to soft when I'm giving my parents, or other non-stiff-suspension-people a lift.


But they droped my car an inch and a half and I cant fit my jack underneath without driving up on blocks.

Err, shocks don't drop the car. Springs and pillowball mounts can though.

kyb agx are "performance" shocks
kyb gr2 are stock replacement shocks

if you are sticking with stock spring rates, gr2 is fine.
if you are planning on running a stiffer spring, agx is better.

additionally, neither is designed to go very low. any considerable drop moves the shock out of its comfort zone and blows it relatively quickly. eibach pro kits + agx is a tried and true combo on many cars. i've heard the sportlines cause problems for the lowness reasons mentioned earlier.

kyb gr2 are stock replacement shocks

I belive the GR2 is 20% stiffer then stock.

Don't quote me on that though :P

kyb agx are "performance" shocks
kyb gr2 are stock replacement shocks

if you are sticking with stock spring rates, gr2 is fine.
if you are planning on running a stiffer spring, agx is better.

additionally, neither is designed to go very low. any considerable drop moves the shock out of its comfort zone and blows it relatively quickly. eibach pro kits + agx is a tried and true combo on many cars. i've heard the sportlines cause problems for the lowness reasons mentioned earlier.

What would you call substantial? I should be dropping down about an inch.

What would you call substantial? I should be dropping down about an inch.

You're probably fine, but don't go any lower then that.

Usual range is .75 of an inch. So I doubt that .25 extra will hurt much.

Notice my lack of definite declarations in this post though :)

You're probably fine, but don't go any lower then that.

I have 14 inch rims right now, I can't go any lower. I plan on going to 15s or 16 eventually, if the price is right.

Your ninja edit is phenomenal. :)

The drop may not be exactly one inch, but I do trust that it is quite near.

One inch drop, 20% rate increase.

I belive the GR2 is 20% stiffer then stock.

Don't quote me on that though :P

sorry i had to. :blah:

whether they are stiffer or softer will probably depend on what car you are putting them on. i highly doubt kyb bothered to vavle the gr2 specifically to each car application.

One inch drop, 20% rate increase.

i would personally go with the agx's, if you don't want to look into other shocks. my first choice for other shocks would be bilstein or koni yellows, assuming they make them for your car.

i highly doubt kyb bothered to vavle the gr2 specifically to each car application.

I'd be willing to bet they do. KYB makes shocks and struts. That's what they're know n for. And not valving per application is stupid. You're gonna sit there and tell me that the same valving will work on a 3400 lb car as will work on a 2000 lb car?

If they didnt valve specifically, you wouldn't order them by model - you'd order them by size and stroke length. Which would make getting the right shock for a lowered car a *lot* easier.

I'd be willing to bet they do. KYB makes shocks and struts. That's what they're know n for. And not valving per application is stupid. You're gonna sit there and tell me that the same valving will work on a 3400 lb car as will work on a 2000 lb car?

If they didnt valve specifically, you wouldn't order them by model - you'd order them by size and stroke length. Which would make getting the right shock for a lowered car a *lot* easier.

i didn't say they have one shock that they use for every car ever.

i said they probably don't revalve for each individual application. it'd wouldn't be very cost effective.

for cars that are similar weight with similar characteristics, its probable the shock is the same if not very similar, with different casing to fit the car. therefore, the actual difference in stiffness vs. stock will depend on what car it's going on.