impaled

i am going to be getting some shocks for the front sometime soon here and dont know what brand to go with. i want adjustable so i can corner well and hook in a straight line.

i have koni's out back with all BMR suspension pieces.

i dont want to drop $500-600 on Koni's out front, as i plan on getting some spray or a cam instead of dropping that much on front struts.

i dont really want the KYB AGX's i didnt like those too much on my old stang.

how would the progressive valving Bilsteins do out front as dual purpose (although they arent adjustable)?

i dont want QA1, i dont like the feel and havent heard too many good things about them.

any other suggestions?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I think you already answered your own question.

You have Koni's on the back so anything that isn't up to scratch on the front will be very obvious. You want adjustable damping to turn down the force and increase weight transfer when you drag the car. Yet, you had AGX's, and didn't like them and frankly they are better shocks than QA1's are for street use.

If you are interested in the car working as well on the street/ride/handling side, don't skimp on the shocks. And fwiw, I've had customers, one in particular, change from QA1's and Afco's to Koni's because he hated the way the car drove on the road. After he did, his best 60' time dropped to 1.50 from his previous best of 1.58.... Makes you think doesn't it...

impaled

i had AGX's on the mustang though and not the formula.

its not that i dont have the money for Koni's right now, its that i would rather get some spray or headers first and maybe go Koni in a while.

maybe i should just hold out on the front shocks for a while. i just happen to have a hard time justifying $500-600 on KONI shocks for the front when that could get me headers, or pay for almost half of my nitrous.


Sam - i have spoke with you over the phone about getting Bilsteins for the front. would that be a good compramise? i still dont know. maybe i could live with the AGX's considering they are about $100 a piece. its not that i didnt like the ride, i just didnt think the adjustability factor was that great for weight transfer.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Pick your poison... I sell all the brands mentioned and will get you whatever you decide on. I assume you're asking because you want to get the best result you can, right?

With Koni's on the back and the fact you want the car to handle well (not withstanding you might do somethings that work against you there with a "full suspension" that might not be the best for either goal), then you pretty much need to match the rear shocks with an equivilent front.

Now, if you don't want to spend the $$$ on the front Koni's, in all honesty I'd say you need to go a full set of whatever you decide on, be it AGX's, Bilstein, Tokico's.... But if part of your "full suspension" plans include lowering springs, that pretty much leads me to take the Bilstein's and Tokico's out of the running. And if you are going to spend $400 on AGX's (which are in stock) that you didn't love on another car, regardless of what it was, why not pony up the bit more and do it right?

It depends on your priorities. Yes, you can do cheap headers for the cost of your front Koni's. And they make less difference in the day to day use of the car than shocks do. Headers are "cool", shocks aren't. But headers only help you when you mash your foot to the floor. Shocks matter all the time in terms of stability, impact damping, roll and pitch control, and are always at work when you drive the car.

impaled

the stock springs are being kept on car and i am not going to be lowering it.

i havent had any problems using different shocks on front and back before. i had it that way on my first third gen and it was fine, i had lakewood 70/30's in front with something else in back launched great, but wouldnt corner (obviously).

and i am mixing and matching now with stockers up front and it drives fine, i just want some adjustability.

to me headers are more importiant at the moment, louder exhaust, better sound and will complament other engine mods more.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Then I think you need to put your Koni's up for sale and since you want adjustables that give you the best shot at also working decently on the street, that leaves AGX's. And if you play your cards right, the sale of the rear Koni's will cover a good bit of the set of AGX's.

I have AGX's in stock too, and in fact the price just went down $10 to $390 a set plus shipping: http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7

That should make you and I both happy. You get adjustable shocks, cheaper than just the front Koni's, *AND* when you sell your Koni's you'll make some money back. And I'm happier because you have a set of shocks meant to work together.

impaled

i am still not sold on the "having to match thing." i will hold off until i can get some konis.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Then there is nothing more I can do to help you.... You don't *HAVE* to have matching dampers.... unless of course you want a cohesive result in how the car drives. You don't to have a cam that can deal with heads and "match up" well, unless of course you want it to work the best it can.

Ok, you had Lakewood drag shocks that didn't match the rears you had... and then followed the statement with of course it didn't turn. No kidding.

I think it's odd you now decided on Koni's where you didn't want them before. What changed?