Pro_built7

iTrader: (9)

Long story short guys- bought a '99 camaro with sam strano springs/ kyb agx shocks all the way around, they are very new with only a few thousand miles.

here's the problem-
tremendous clunking, bouncing and floating coming from the front end, and
it's more pronounced on the passenger side.

I inspected all the A arm bushings- they look fine and aren't dry rotted/ cracked or missing.

I looked at it while on the ground (normal lowered stance) to see that on the P side the shock shoulder was resting right on the bump stop of the strut mount---as if it was a Failed shock !? (explains bouncing on that side i guess)


the D side had minimal travel distance from the top of the shock shoulder to the bump stop.. like an inch MAYBE ?

I didn't install them, so I don't know how it was done, but I thought you guys could help me out or let me know whats going on here. Its driving me crazy over every bump I hit sounds like the car is falling apart or exploding.

I appreciate all the comments guys !

JamRWS6

Springs control ride height, not shocks. It is possible your shocks are bad though. Have you looked at what the KYBs adjusters are set to?

Pro_built7

iTrader: (9)

I know springs control ride height, springs are not the issue -- I think... I haven't been able to check the adjustment of the agx's. The problem is that the front end of the car is resting on the bump stops, completely resting on it on the passenger side. This is causing the terrible clunking and bouncing (from what I can tell ). There is no shock travel left.

I was trying to investigate a way to fix this, and if it was probable that the springs or shocks have failed, A failed or worn out spring would deffinitely cause the shock to stay fully compressed because the strut can't support the weight of the car on its own, thus affecting the ride height...

see what I'm trying to say man ?

01CaMMMaro

iTrader: (25)

The clunking could be a few things... First I would check that the strut nut is tightened with the spring compressed. If that doesnt fix it, check your upper strut mount and look around where the strut goes through the mount for worn out rubber. If thats not it, then I would say a bad shock.

JamRWS6

So if you take what you are saying and look what I said and you will realize I am questioning your springs and not your shocks. Like you said, If your spring is toast how the hell is the shock going to support the car? It isn't.

That said, I doubt a pair of Sam's new springs have failed and I would start questioning other parts. Pictures would probably be helpful.

As far as the KYBs, I don't think the warranty is any good on lowering springs. They don't call them Keep You Bouncing for no reason.

But as said above, if this setup has so few miles on it I would question the install and start by looking at the upper shock nut. These aren't struts.

Black02SLPSS

iTrader: (5)

X2 on the upper shock mount. And if its not that see if your shock is bad.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

When I changed my shocks I ran into something similar. It was the upper shock mount.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

I'll never let someone else install my suspension for me, ever again

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Being as I can't see the car it's hard to say.

Could well be failed upper mounts. Broken mounts can and will cause a clunking and a lack of dmaping since the damper is being help in place properly to do it's job.

Could be broken shocks, the way to know is to see if the mounts are broken or not. If they are, that's the issue. If not, it's a shock issue.

Pro_built7

iTrader: (9)

well guys, I just took a look, the shock mount looks a little dry rotted, but don't look "broken" or anything like that, I'm deff. going to replace both of them. I guess I'll start there along with stiffening up the kyb's (If they aren't on the stiffest setting already).
on a side note-

The agx's are alright to run with lowering springs correct ?

01CaMMMaro

iTrader: (25)

unfortunately ive seen ALOT of mixed reviews on aftermarket upper strut mounts, even the on moog ive seen good and bad results. I would get the GM replacements, they are about twice as much as aftermarket ones but from what ive seen on the forum, only the stock replacements from GM are reliable.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Not to be rude to the OP, but this thread title is kinda misleading. Makes it sound like the strano/kyb combo failed miserably, but really the OP doesn't know what is actually wrong. Who did you have install it for you?

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

They may look OK on the outside but the part that will affect the shock the most is on the inside. The only way to check that is to take it out and take it apart (I've been there, done that).

I have two moogs on my car and both went on mostly pain-free. Fit like OEM. Order them from advance auto, they should have them the next day.

Oreilly's house brand mount is a pile of crap though, stay far away from that, even though it is tempting since it is in stock it doesn't line up properly and the bolts are crap.

Anthony Williams

iTrader: (3)

I would look at the install, I've replaced my shocks twice in 10 years-the first time un known to me, the metal spacer that goes on top of the front shock fell out and I never found it ( it looks like a 2 in lenght of un-threaded pipe) When I reinstalled the shock spring package I got he same result you mentioned, sagging, bagging and booming . Had a friend make a new spacer based on the one I still had, installed it and 5 years with no problems.