First, just because KYB as a company makes high end hydraulic systems for other applications does not mean one of their cheap products isn’t junk. That’s actually a logical fallacy you’re arguing there. It’d be like saying the Plymouth Cricket was a high performance car because Plymouth also built the Hemi ‘Cuda. Just isn’t true, one doesn’t have anything to do with the other.
Second, a shocks ability to adapt is based on its design, the amount of valving it has, weight of the oil used etc. They can’t magically adjust to everything, and a bad design may in fact be unable to adapt well to ANYTHING. In my opinion the only reason people run KYB’s and like it is because they also run undersized factory torsion bars. It doesn’t make the KYB gas-adjusts the right shock for that combination, but the too harsh shock response is masked by the overly soft spring response. Neither is good and the combination could still be better. How many people that still run KYB’s have tried Bilstein RCD’s or Hotchkis Foxes on the same car? I’m sure there’s a few, but I bet that number is a lot lower than the number that run KYB’s.
KYB gas-adjusts are junk. If you want cheap, you’d be better off with Gabriel’s or Monroe’s. If you want good, Bilstein RCD’s and Hotchkis Fox shocks are awesome. And while they may be intended for larger torsion bars and higher performance, they will still adapt better to factory suspension because of the improved valving they have. Maybe they’re overkill or a waste of money for stock parts, but that still doesn’t make the KYB’s good.
If you like the harsh, chattery ride you get from KYB gas-adjusts, you’re more than welcome to run them. But they’re not a good shock.
