KYB gas adjust shocks...

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Brooks James

Brooks James

VET, CPT, Huey Medevac Pilot
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Bought a set after I read a bunch of reviews . Biggest complaint was stiffness which I don’t care about. An unexpected benefit was that It raised the car slightly.
Most everyone said they were excellent. I know there are better shocks out there but they are $$$. Also bought 1.03 torsion bars and a large front sway bar and moog upper control arm offset bushings. Did I miss something? This won’t be for rally racing or anything like that, just cruising in a tight car. Anyone happy and care to share ?? PS I want to order a rear sway bar but I read that it doesn’t work well with mopar SS springs.
 
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Most everyone?
Maybe those that are not familiar with an actual good shock.
 
I found the same thing. Raised the car slightly, which was a good thing. I love the more controlled ride. A little rough over tar strips but I don't care.
 
Brooks James said:
Bought a set after I read a bunch of reviews . Biggest complaint was stiffness which I don’t care about. An unexpected benefit was that It raised the car slightly.
Most everyone said they were excellent. I know there are better shocks out there but they are $$$. Anyone happy and care to share ??
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I bought some KYB gas adjust put them on the front of my car I had to use Rancho T100 shocks on the back after much research on this site by the way thank you everybody I'm happy with the KYBs
 
Brooks James said:
I think the song “two out of three ain’t bad “ applies here.
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I remember in the early 90s when those things first came out they were like a big deal man... and yeah there's obviously better shocks Bilstein, Vikings a cetera. I'm just trying to build a wicked car that's still a driver.
 
Worst shocks in automotive history. I ran them on my Challenger for years, when I switched them out for a set of Bilsteins it was like an entirely new car. Never again.

First clue is, shocks should not raise your car. They’re to dampen the springs, nothing else.
 
72bluNblu said:
Worst shocks in automotive history. I ran them on my Challenger for years, when I switched them out for a set of Bilsteins it was like an entirely new car. Never again.

First clue is, shocks should not raise your car. They’re to dampen the springs, nothing else.
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If they were so bad why didn’t you replace them sooner ??
 
The KYB’s will not raise the rear. If it did as soon as you jounce the rear or drive it a while it will settle back to normal. I have a pair on my bench, they are not that stiff.
 
KYBs are a "digressive" design. As they operate through their range of travel, they get softer....Yeah. The initial movement is stiff but toward the end of the travel, they are soft...unlike a decent shock that is soft for small suspension movements but get firmer as the travel becomes greater.
To better describe, going down a slightly bumpy road, the KYBs want to skip off of the pavement while a Bilstein, Fox or Viking wants to soak up the small bumps but firm up when the road gets rougher.
The KYBs are often used with stock torsion bars. The driver gets the feeling that they are a great shock because suddenly, the car rides firm and gives the impression that it will handle better. Try driving over a brick or cobblestone road and report back if you still have your teeth.
 
Brooks James said:
If they were so bad why didn’t you replace them sooner ??
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I attributed the rough ride to the 1.12” torsion bars. My Challenger was my first torsion bar mopar and I listened to what everyone told me, that the ride would be rough with those bars. I wanted it to handle well, so I figured that was part of the trade off.

But that was BS, the large bars are fine with GOOD shocks. And KYB’s are hot garbage. They’re just cheap shocks with lousy valving that will rattle your fillings out of your teeth with larger diameter torsion bars.
 
Brooks James said:
Bought a set after I read a bunch of reviews . Biggest complaint was stiffness which I don’t care about. An unexpected benefit was that It raised the car slightly.
Most everyone said they were excellent. I know there are better shocks out there but they are $$$. Also bought 1.03 torsion bars and a large front sway bar and moog upper control arm offset bushings. Did I miss something? This won’t be for rally racing or anything like that, just cruising in a tight car. Anyone happy and care to share ?? PS I want to order a rear sway bar but I read that it doesn’t work well with mopar SS springs.
Click to expand...
I also have KYB shocks, I dont like them, harsh ride.
They will be coming out when the budget allows.
Most of the slop you will find in the factory A body front suspension will be in the lower control arm's. While you are at it you may as will put new lower control arm bushings in and box the LCA's. Seeing that you are putting rubber bushings in the upper's you will need to stick with a rubber bushing in the lower. I understand mixing rubber and ploy bushings is not a good idea.
 
Overall I've been happy with them for what they are. as mentioned there are much better shocks out there I found them to have a little bit too much lift. A shock should dampen and not add up force.
 
I had a set on my 69 Dart for many years now. I just replaced them with a set of bilsteins. Maybe it’s my callused *** but I cant tell any difference.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
I had a set on my 69 Dart for many years now. I just replaced them with a set of bilsteins. Maybe it’s my callused *** but I cant tell any difference.
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If your *** is callused and bigger and there is no difference , then the Bilsteins have a softer ride. LOL
 
72bluNblu said:
I attributed the rough ride to the 1.12” torsion bars. My Challenger was my first torsion bar mopar and I listened to what everyone told me, that the ride would be rough with those bars. I wanted it to handle well, so I figured that was part of the trade off.

But that was BS, the large bars are fine with GOOD shocks. And KYB’s are hot garbage. They’re just cheap shocks with lousy valving that will rattle your fillings out of your teeth with larger diameter torsion bars.
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I have had KYB shocks on my 100% rebuilt 1983 D150 for 10 years now and they are fine. They were a little stiff for the initial 1000 miles or so, but with 40,000 miles now on the clock they are fine. If you want a canyon carver they spend huge money and get that.
I also had a set of KYB’s on the 68 Barracuda when it was a drag race only car. Fur four years they were very stable, very predictable, very easy to drag race chassis tune. Over the recent Plandemic I have changed the 68 Barracuda from a drag race only car into a drag race street car that will also see autocross action. With that I swapped the KYB’s for an expensive set of Bilstein Shocks. As yes, the Bilstein’s will handle better, but the Bilstein shocks are also mucho more moreno.
So it really depends upon where you are dollar wise and where you want to go. But there is nothing really wrong with KYB’s considering the price.
 
72bluNblu said:
Worst shocks in automotive history. I ran them on my Challenger for years, when I switched them out for a set of Bilsteins it was like an entirely new car. Never again.

First clue is, shocks should not raise your car. They’re to dampen the springs, nothing else.
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Those who are lurking in the shadows checking agree, let’s hear from you !
 
Brooks James said:
Those who are lurking in the shadows checking agree, let’s hear from you !
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I agree. They came on my current car. I couldn’t get that junk off fast enough. Straight garbage. They ride like ****. And the worst thing of all is they aren’t adjustable. It’s 2021. A shock that isn’t adjustable is as worthless as a carb with fixed jets, aftermarket EFI you can’t tune or a powerglide.

A nonadjustable shock should be in an antique shop. Soon to follow should be the single adjustable shock.
 
512Stroker said:
Seeing that you are putting rubber bushings in the upper's you will need to stick with a rubber bushing in the lower. I understand mixing rubber and ploy bushings is not a good idea.
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Not true. Using rubber UCA bushings does not tie you into using rubber LCA bushings. Lots of guys use poly LCA bushings with the offset UCA bushings, there’s no issue there.

What you don’t want to do is use rubber strut rod bushings with poly LCA bushings, but that’s about it.

my68barracuda said:
I have had KYB shocks on my 100% rebuilt 1983 D150 for 10 years now and they are fine. They were a little stiff for the initial 1000 miles or so, but with 40,000 miles now on the clock they are fine. If you want a canyon carver they spend huge money and get that.
I also had a set of KYB’s on the 68 Barracuda when it was a drag race only car. Fur four years they were very stable, very predictable, very easy to drag race chassis tune. Over the recent Plandemic I have changed the 68 Barracuda from a drag race only car into a drag race street car that will also see autocross action. With that I swapped the KYB’s for an expensive set of Bilstein Shocks. As yes, the Bilstein’s will handle better, but the Bilstein shocks are also mucho more moreno.
So it really depends upon where you are dollar wise and where you want to go. But there is nothing really wrong with KYB’s considering the price.
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They’re garbage. If you want cheap run a set of Monroe’s. Look stock, still ride better than KYB’s. Or Gabriel’s, they’re not terrible either. Not great but not terrible. With torsion bars bigger than 1” KYB’s are the worst thing ever.

Like Kern Dog said, guys with little torsion bars run them and they think they’re “ok” because the super soft torsion bars mask how lousy the shocks really are.

Brooks James said:
Those who are lurking in the shadows checking agree, let’s hear from you !
Click to expand...

It’s not a secret. If you search KYB on this forum you will see far more negative reviews than positive. There’s pretty much no one that uses torsion bars larger than 1” that like KYB’s. If you just search KYB and my screen name, you’ll see one post from like 10 years ago that says they’re ok, followed by dozens involving really colorful language about how ridiculously terrible they really are after I figured out there were why my Challenger was riding so harsh.

If a dentist’s convention designed a set of shocks for the purpose of boosting dental visits, KYB’s would be the result.


yellow rose said:
I agree. They came on my current car. I couldn’t get that junk off fast enough. Straight garbage. They ride like ****. And the worst thing of all is they aren’t adjustable. It’s 2021. A shock that isn’t adjustable is as worthless as a carb with fixed jets, aftermarket EFI you can’t tune or a powerglide.

A nonadjustable shock should be in an antique shop. Soon to follow should be the single adjustable shock.
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The KYB part is right on.

But both the Bilstein RCD’s on my Challenger and the Hotchkis Fox shocks on my Duster are the non-adjustable version. I’m sure the adjustables are nicer, but the non-adjustables are just fine
 
72bluNblu said:
Not true. Using rubber UCA bushings does not tie you into using rubber LCA bushings. Lots of guys use poly LCA bushings with the offset UCA bushings, there’s no issue there.

What you don’t want to do is use rubber strut rod bushings with poly LCA bushings, but that’s about it.



They’re garbage. If you want cheap run a set of Monroe’s. Look stock, still ride better than KYB’s. Or Gabriel’s, they’re not terrible either. Not great but not terrible. With torsion bars bigger than 1” KYB’s are the worst thing ever.

Like Kern Dog said, guys with little torsion bars run them and they think they’re “ok” because the super soft torsion bars mask how lousy the shocks really are.



It’s not a secret. If you search KYB on this forum you will see far more negative reviews than positive. There’s pretty much no one that uses torsion bars larger than 1” that like KYB’s. If you just search KYB and my screen name, you’ll see one post from like 10 years ago that says they’re ok, followed by dozens involving really colorful language about how ridiculously terrible they really are after I figured out there were why my Challenger was riding so harsh.

If a dentist’s convention designed a set of shocks for the purpose of boosting dental visits, KYB’s would be the result.




The KYB part is right on.

But both the Bilstein RCD’s on my Challenger and the Hotchkis Fox shocks on my Duster are the non-adjustable version. I’m sure the adjustables are nicer, but the non-adjustables are just fine
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Regardless I still dont think it would be a good practice to mix bushing materials in the same suspension. I dont care what others have done that just doesn't seem like a sound engineering principal.
 
Here's your biggest clue. They're available at autozone, pep boys, o'reilly and advance. They're total crap. It's like McCullough and Poulan chain saws. They were once top shelf. Best there was. Once you started seeing them in KMart and WalMart, they were total ****.

I used to sell them back in the 80s at a local parts chain. Everybody thought they were hot **** cause they were red and white. lol

ANY shock that raises the height of the car is rendering the springs and torsion bars less effective. Especially in the rear. The Mopar leaf spring suspension is supposed to rise in the rear and plant the tires down on the pavement. Any type shock that pushes against the rear suspension is putting it in a preloaded position. It's the torsion bars and springs jobs to hold the car up and the shocks job to dampen the springs and bars oscillations. KYB shocks are crap. Much like Firestone tires. Anybody's been in the automotive industry long enough will tell you.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Here's your biggest clue. They're available at autozone, pep boys, o'reilly and advance. They're total crap. It's like McCullough and Poulan chain saws. They were once top shelf. Best there was. Once you started seeing them in KMart and WalMart, they were total ****.
Click to expand...

You also can get Holley, Edelbrock, MSD, Doug Thorley, Cragar, B&M, Accel, Auto Meter, Carter, Champion, Weiand, Hurst,
Mr Gasket, Hooker, Milodon, etc etc at all those places. Lol
Might as well throw all that crap in the trash to !!!! :thumbsup:[/QUOTE]


8 Pros 5 cons KYB's
 
We offer both KYB and Bilstein. In respect to our Mopars sales Bilstein sales are 2 to 1 over KYB. I have personally ran both on my cars over the years and for budget conscience people the KYB are a happy medium in my opinion between a lower cost shocks like Monroe or Gabriel and high end Bilstein, Viking or Fox. Honestly I tend to use KYB on my daily drivers as I rack up miles quickly. Om my classics I like to invest my money into the suspension. I want experience the best in handling and performance and feel the difference over just driving my daily driver. That's half the fun. But as with the hundreds of threads on this site on KYB vs high end shock there are commonalities across the board when in comes to KYB's biggest being harsh ride. But just as others have posted shocks are designed to dampen and not support the vehicle.

James From
PST
 
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