Where to buy OEM shocks other than the dealer
01-21-2013, 03:42 PM
#91
After I removed and took apart the shock/spring assembly, this is what I used.
Hack saw - You'll be cutting up your old shock
White out/something to mark the shock with - To mark where you'll be cutting and drilling.
Something to measure with - To measure where you'll be cutting and drilling
Drill/drill bit - You need to drill out a hole in the bottom to bolt the Koni into the created sleeve.
Somewhere to put the old shock oil
(optional) D_Rex Koni extenders - D_rex Koni strut exten
You'll be cutting way above the spring perch, so you'll have no issues with your springs as long as they use the stock perch.
Best I've found is about $700 shipped. Just found this on google. They have a 15% off coupon today only.
KONI Sport Yellow Shocks - Koni Yellow Struts - Koni Inserts
If you can't fork out more than $500, and you think that only your rears are blown, why not just get the Konis for the rears today and the fronts later? You'll save the $500 you'd be spending on the coilovers in the long run, and if you're already kind of low on cash, that'll go a long way overall.
Also, just a note to anyone thinking of cheaping out on suspension. Koni and Ground Control have LIFETIME warranties on the products. If you're going to keep your car for a long time, that's something to consider.
Hack saw - You'll be cutting up your old shock
White out/something to mark the shock with - To mark where you'll be cutting and drilling.
Something to measure with - To measure where you'll be cutting and drilling
Drill/drill bit - You need to drill out a hole in the bottom to bolt the Koni into the created sleeve.
Somewhere to put the old shock oil
(optional) D_Rex Koni extenders - D_rex Koni strut exten
You'll be cutting way above the spring perch, so you'll have no issues with your springs as long as they use the stock perch.
Best I've found is about $700 shipped. Just found this on google. They have a 15% off coupon today only.
KONI Sport Yellow Shocks - Koni Yellow Struts - Koni Inserts
If you can't fork out more than $500, and you think that only your rears are blown, why not just get the Konis for the rears today and the fronts later? You'll save the $500 you'd be spending on the coilovers in the long run, and if you're already kind of low on cash, that'll go a long way overall.
Also, just a note to anyone thinking of cheaping out on suspension. Koni and Ground Control have LIFETIME warranties on the products. If you're going to keep your car for a long time, that's something to consider.
01-21-2013, 03:45 PM
#93
RACELAND coilovers? - Page 29 - NASIOC that took me a while to find
read this too:
Cheap coilovers and droop - NASIOC
read this too:
Cheap coilovers and droop - NASIOC
01-21-2013, 03:47 PM
#94
Esousa, if you're not driving the car in competitive level motorsports on a regular basis, then coilovers are not for you as you're spending money either on crappy cheap parts or spending it on good ones that are wasted money because they offer adjustability and capabilities you won't utilize in street driving.
Stick with D-Specs, Koni Yellows, or stock replacements.
Stick with D-Specs, Koni Yellows, or stock replacements.
01-21-2013, 03:59 PM
#96
if ride quality is irrelevant to you then megans are ideal for you
01-21-2013, 04:06 PM
#98
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esousa22, from what you're saying just get whatever you want. You don't care about how harsh the ride will be or performance. Just go with the cheapest option you want.
01-21-2013, 04:09 PM
#99
01-21-2013, 04:37 PM
#100
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I've got a bookmark for a nasioc DIY of the koni yellows but thanks! I'm not sure if my fronts are blown too. I don't know how to tell if they are toast when they are on the car because I'm still learning. I've done a turbo swap but haven't messed with suspension too much other than taking the struts on and off the car a couple times. I have yet to search to find out how to check if they are blown though. I'm guessing that they are all gone and either way, I dont want stock int he fronts and aftermarket in the back, it could make a negative impact in the ahndling of the car if I had to guess.
In terms of the having stock fronts Koni rears, Konis can be adjusted to dampen the same as stock. The adverse effects of having stock shocks in the front and Konis in the rear will be a slight increase in potential oversteer and a maybe stiffer ride. It can't be any worse than driving on 4 blown shocks, which you think you're currently doing. However, you keep stating that you couldn't care less about ride quality, and you're thinking of riding on cheap coilovers, so I don't believe the negative impact on the handling of the car will be enough for you to notice.
Why I would not want to consider cheap coilovers compared to products known and trusted:
- Someone on NASIOC posted they had a catastrophic failure using Raceland coilovers. While he said it may partially be his fault, suspension shouldn't break that easily. He took the pictures down, it was posted almost a year ago, maybe you can PM him and ask him. It's in the car part review section.
- With the price, either they didn't do a whole lot of research on spring/valving combinations or they ripped off some other company's work. You're talking about negative impact on handling, this will impact that.
- Both Tokico (not rebuildable) and Koni (rebuildable) have lifetime warranties. The value is just really not there with the cheap coilovers. $500 for 3-5 years of use on a cheap coilover set is >= $100/year. However, $700 for the lifetime of the car (my car is 10 years old and it's my first blown strut, replaced for free) will most likely be less than half of the cost in the long run.
- You said you're eventually going to turn it into a garage queen. Guess what? Konis perform great, and are usually the shock of choice for competitions, such as Spec Miata. Since Konis are rebuildable, they can be revalved to your specific needs once you make this step.
- The only benefit of having a coilover system compared to a well paired spring/shock combo is the camber plates and ride height. Most alignment places charge 1.5 to 2x as much to do an alignment on cars with camber plates. More costs to factor in. Do you need these features now? Is it worth paying more for? If you will need it one day, camber plates can always be added, and there are coil sleeves, such as Ground Control, to throw on and adjust.
- Is cheaping out on $200, is it worth the peace of mind knowing you have a solid product connecting your chassis to the ground? Especially if, in the long run, they provide a better value and investment? Okay, this one is more of an opinion.
I guess, if all you want is a cheap fix now and don't care about ride quality, you can throw on whatever junk you can find. Hell, you can find no name brand shocks for $50 w/ free shipping on eBay. Why not use those?
01-21-2013, 05:26 PM
#102
I think the only way to determine if shocks are blown on the car would be to see if they're weeping oil. Otherwise, I think you'll have to take them off.
In terms of the having stock fronts Koni rears, Konis can be adjusted to dampen the same as stock. The adverse effects of having stock shocks in the front and Konis in the rear will be a slight increase in potential oversteer and a maybe stiffer ride. It can't be any worse than driving on 4 blown shocks, which you think you're currently doing. However, you keep stating that you couldn't care less about ride quality, and you're thinking of riding on cheap coilovers, so I don't believe the negative impact on the handling of the car will be enough for you to notice.
Why I would not want to consider cheap coilovers compared to products known and trusted:
- Someone on NASIOC posted they had a catastrophic failure using Raceland coilovers. While he said it may partially be his fault, suspension shouldn't break that easily. He took the pictures down, it was posted almost a year ago, maybe you can PM him and ask him. It's in the car part review section.
- With the price, either they didn't do a whole lot of research on spring/valving combinations or they ripped off some other company's work. You're talking about negative impact on handling, this will impact that.
- Both Tokico (not rebuildable) and Koni (rebuildable) have lifetime warranties. The value is just really not there with the cheap coilovers. $500 for 3-5 years of use on a cheap coilover set is >= $100/year. However, $700 for the lifetime of the car (my car is 10 years old and it's my first blown strut, replaced for free) will most likely be less than half of the cost in the long run.
- You said you're eventually going to turn it into a garage queen. Guess what? Konis perform great, and are usually the shock of choice for competitions, such as Spec Miata. Since Konis are rebuildable, they can be revalved to your specific needs once you make this step.
- The only benefit of having a coilover system compared to a well paired spring/shock combo is the camber plates and ride height. Most alignment places charge 1.5 to 2x as much to do an alignment on cars with camber plates. More costs to factor in. Do you need these features now? Is it worth paying more for? If you will need it one day, camber plates can always be added, and there are coil sleeves, such as Ground Control, to throw on and adjust.
- Is cheaping out on $200, is it worth the peace of mind knowing you have a solid product connecting your chassis to the ground? Especially if, in the long run, they provide a better value and investment? Okay, this one is more of an opinion.
I guess, if all you want is a cheap fix now and don't care about ride quality, you can throw on whatever junk you can find. Hell, you can find no name brand shocks for $50 w/ free shipping on eBay. Why not use those?
In terms of the having stock fronts Koni rears, Konis can be adjusted to dampen the same as stock. The adverse effects of having stock shocks in the front and Konis in the rear will be a slight increase in potential oversteer and a maybe stiffer ride. It can't be any worse than driving on 4 blown shocks, which you think you're currently doing. However, you keep stating that you couldn't care less about ride quality, and you're thinking of riding on cheap coilovers, so I don't believe the negative impact on the handling of the car will be enough for you to notice.
Why I would not want to consider cheap coilovers compared to products known and trusted:
- Someone on NASIOC posted they had a catastrophic failure using Raceland coilovers. While he said it may partially be his fault, suspension shouldn't break that easily. He took the pictures down, it was posted almost a year ago, maybe you can PM him and ask him. It's in the car part review section.
- With the price, either they didn't do a whole lot of research on spring/valving combinations or they ripped off some other company's work. You're talking about negative impact on handling, this will impact that.
- Both Tokico (not rebuildable) and Koni (rebuildable) have lifetime warranties. The value is just really not there with the cheap coilovers. $500 for 3-5 years of use on a cheap coilover set is >= $100/year. However, $700 for the lifetime of the car (my car is 10 years old and it's my first blown strut, replaced for free) will most likely be less than half of the cost in the long run.
- You said you're eventually going to turn it into a garage queen. Guess what? Konis perform great, and are usually the shock of choice for competitions, such as Spec Miata. Since Konis are rebuildable, they can be revalved to your specific needs once you make this step.
- The only benefit of having a coilover system compared to a well paired spring/shock combo is the camber plates and ride height. Most alignment places charge 1.5 to 2x as much to do an alignment on cars with camber plates. More costs to factor in. Do you need these features now? Is it worth paying more for? If you will need it one day, camber plates can always be added, and there are coil sleeves, such as Ground Control, to throw on and adjust.
- Is cheaping out on $200, is it worth the peace of mind knowing you have a solid product connecting your chassis to the ground? Especially if, in the long run, they provide a better value and investment? Okay, this one is more of an opinion.
I guess, if all you want is a cheap fix now and don't care about ride quality, you can throw on whatever junk you can find. Hell, you can find no name brand shocks for $50 w/ free shipping on eBay. Why not use those?
Thanks guys/gals
/thread
01-21-2013, 05:50 PM
#103
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SORRY I DIDN'T ASK THIS EARLIER, HAVE YOU...
**CHECKED TO BE SURE THE ONE YOU TOOK OFF ISN'T LOCKED INTO "SHIPPING/INSTALL SET"?**
Put the nut back on the end and tighten it up but do not let the shaft rotate clockwise. Throw another nut on and counter-tighten the two nuts into each other.
CAREFULLY turn the shaft using the more inboard nut 1/4-1/2 turn counter-clockwise. See if the shaft frees up and cycles clean now.
I could tell you the amount of times an inexperienced tech forgot about this and while tightening the top nut accidentally put the shock/strut into shipping/transit/install mode and forgot to undo it so the suspension works.
If my tech-fu wording is a bit off someone else explain this better b/c I know when I installed the struts in my RS they came locked and would not willingly extend until I unlocked them.
**CHECKED TO BE SURE THE ONE YOU TOOK OFF ISN'T LOCKED INTO "SHIPPING/INSTALL SET"?**
Put the nut back on the end and tighten it up but do not let the shaft rotate clockwise. Throw another nut on and counter-tighten the two nuts into each other.
CAREFULLY turn the shaft using the more inboard nut 1/4-1/2 turn counter-clockwise. See if the shaft frees up and cycles clean now.
I could tell you the amount of times an inexperienced tech forgot about this and while tightening the top nut accidentally put the shock/strut into shipping/transit/install mode and forgot to undo it so the suspension works.
If my tech-fu wording is a bit off someone else explain this better b/c I know when I installed the struts in my RS they came locked and would not willingly extend until I unlocked them.
01-21-2013, 07:50 PM
#104
SORRY I DIDN'T ASK THIS EARLIER, HAVE YOU...
**CHECKED TO BE SURE THE ONE YOU TOOK OFF ISN'T LOCKED INTO "SHIPPING/INSTALL SET"?**
Put the nut back on the end and tighten it up but do not let the shaft rotate clockwise. Throw another nut on and counter-tighten the two nuts into each other.
CAREFULLY turn the shaft using the more inboard nut 1/4-1/2 turn counter-clockwise. See if the shaft frees up and cycles clean now.
I could tell you the amount of times an inexperienced tech forgot about this and while tightening the top nut accidentally put the shock/strut into shipping/transit/install mode and forgot to undo it so the suspension works.
If my tech-fu wording is a bit off someone else explain this better b/c I know when I installed the struts in my RS they came locked and would not willingly extend until I unlocked them.
**CHECKED TO BE SURE THE ONE YOU TOOK OFF ISN'T LOCKED INTO "SHIPPING/INSTALL SET"?**
Put the nut back on the end and tighten it up but do not let the shaft rotate clockwise. Throw another nut on and counter-tighten the two nuts into each other.
CAREFULLY turn the shaft using the more inboard nut 1/4-1/2 turn counter-clockwise. See if the shaft frees up and cycles clean now.
I could tell you the amount of times an inexperienced tech forgot about this and while tightening the top nut accidentally put the shock/strut into shipping/transit/install mode and forgot to undo it so the suspension works.
If my tech-fu wording is a bit off someone else explain this better b/c I know when I installed the struts in my RS they came locked and would not willingly extend until I unlocked them.
01-21-2013, 08:03 PM
#105
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Give it a shot and see, IMHO worth the 15minutes to try and see.
EDIT: and yes, if it was installed without being turned out essentially running with the valve stack offset it would blow them out. Thing is once they blow out there's no valving at all, and rebound would not happen and the shock would return just as fast as compressed versus freezing up, or at least that's usually what I would see.