AGX's out and Bilsteins in!!!
06-06-2009, 04:45 PM
#1
AGX's out and Bilsteins in!!! So I put some new agx's on the car a few months ago. Absolutely the biggest pieces of crap ever made! Handled like ****, and felt like I was getting punched in the kidnes just looking at a bump in the road. The ride was more than harsh it was just plain ridiculous. So I put on a set of slp bilsteins. It was like falling in love with my car all over again and couldn't be happier. Just thought I would post up my experience with this set up for everyone to take into their own consideration. Also, I am sitting on the eibach pro kit. Either way, I'm happy with the bilsteins and personaly wouldn't recomend the agx's to anyone for any application.
06-06-2009, 05:10 PM
#3
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glad you found something you like but I must say, you could probably have sold your set of AGX's and combined the money together to come close to getting a set of 4/3 Koni's with the new price going on until the 30th of this month. Im currently on AGX's and ordered a set of Koni's this morning from Strano. Im on Hotchkis but also ordered a set of Strano springs, im sure the difference will be "night and day"... will post a review when im done in a little more than a month as ill be on the July shipment.
06-06-2009, 05:18 PM
#4
Well I really didn't want the konis. I've always liked the ride bilsteins have but thought I would give the agx's a try. Man was that a mistake! I've rode in a koni equipted car and personally, I wasn't any more impressed than I am with my bilsteins. I don't need the adjustments. My car has never been on a road course and dodging trash cans as fast as I can without spinning out is not an every day problem. Its comfortable, easy on the wallet, and I can drive it everyday and not get beat to death driving. Its also lowered, looks good and gets me compliments. That and now my soda's don't spill hitting bumps on the freeway! Well worth the money in my opinion and will equip all the f bodys I'll own with them.
06-06-2009, 05:54 PM
#5
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aww **** i just bought agxs from a board member. Did i Just make a huge mistake? Im just looking for something that will ride better than stock. I dont need the fansy wansy air ride feel but don't want the 4x4 eather.
06-06-2009, 06:19 PM
#6
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When I was looking at new shocks, it did'nt take much research for me to conclude no friggn way on AGX's. For me there were only 2 shock options Bilsteins and Koni's. Koni's were too much coin for me. I went with SLP Bilsteins and I love how my car rides.
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06-06-2009, 08:33 PM
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Good to hear good experience there MSTKLR, now its time to switch up your sig there. Got a question for ya too, just got finished installing a front set of Bilstein struts on my buddies car. He has a Z too wtith 160k miles on the clock, so needed to say, the old de carbons had to go.
The nuts on the perch houses were all rusty, we actually had to cut a shock apart to get the spring off, I had some extra parts around to get eveything back together. We took everyting out, put it back in the same way, torqued down all the nuts and bolts, everyhting looked correct and in pace.
This is my 3rd time doing an install like this, so I was famailar with the procedure and what had to be done.
But now he has a clunking noise coming from his front passenger side.
These were brand new bilksteins outta the box, with the nut,washer, and cap that you hammer down on the strut.
Was he missing pieces?
Any clue or thought as to what and why may be clunking?
I told him all the dirt and rust was holding his strut together and now the car doesn't know what to do with the new Bilsteins, I feel bad for offering to help and have this happen. He just spent $2k on his A/C so I thought I'd be the good bud and help a brotha out, the same shop quoted him $400 to install the shocks.
I have my Bilsteins in my garage waiting to install too, so looking forward to that weeeknd project, an insight you can give would be much appreciated.
Did you install new endlinks too while you had it apart, makes a big diffrence.
Thanks,
The nuts on the perch houses were all rusty, we actually had to cut a shock apart to get the spring off, I had some extra parts around to get eveything back together. We took everyting out, put it back in the same way, torqued down all the nuts and bolts, everyhting looked correct and in pace.
This is my 3rd time doing an install like this, so I was famailar with the procedure and what had to be done.
But now he has a clunking noise coming from his front passenger side.
These were brand new bilksteins outta the box, with the nut,washer, and cap that you hammer down on the strut.
Was he missing pieces?
Any clue or thought as to what and why may be clunking?
I told him all the dirt and rust was holding his strut together and now the car doesn't know what to do with the new Bilsteins, I feel bad for offering to help and have this happen. He just spent $2k on his A/C so I thought I'd be the good bud and help a brotha out, the same shop quoted him $400 to install the shocks.
I have my Bilsteins in my garage waiting to install too, so looking forward to that weeeknd project, an insight you can give would be much appreciated.
Did you install new endlinks too while you had it apart, makes a big diffrence.
Thanks,
06-06-2009, 09:33 PM
#9
Good to hear good experience there MSTKLR, now its time to switch up your sig there. Got a question for ya too, just got finished installing a front set of Bilstein struts on my buddies car. He has a Z too wtith 160k miles on the clock, so needed to say, the old de carbons had to go.
The nuts on the perch houses were all rusty, we actually had to cut a shock apart to get the spring off, I had some extra parts around to get eveything back together. We took everyting out, put it back in the same way, torqued down all the nuts and bolts, everyhting looked correct and in pace.
This is my 3rd time doing an install like this, so I was famailar with the procedure and what had to be done.
But now he has a clunking noise coming from his front passenger side.
These were brand new bilksteins outta the box, with the nut,washer, and cap that you hammer down on the strut.
Was he missing pieces?
Any clue or thought as to what and why may be clunking?
I told him all the dirt and rust was holding his strut together and now the car doesn't know what to do with the new Bilsteins, I feel bad for offering to help and have this happen. He just spent $2k on his A/C so I thought I'd be the good bud and help a brotha out, the same shop quoted him $400 to install the shocks.
I have my Bilsteins in my garage waiting to install too, so looking forward to that weeeknd project, an insight you can give would be much appreciated.
Did you install new endlinks too while you had it apart, makes a big diffrence.
Thanks,
The nuts on the perch houses were all rusty, we actually had to cut a shock apart to get the spring off, I had some extra parts around to get eveything back together. We took everyting out, put it back in the same way, torqued down all the nuts and bolts, everyhting looked correct and in pace.
This is my 3rd time doing an install like this, so I was famailar with the procedure and what had to be done.
But now he has a clunking noise coming from his front passenger side.
These were brand new bilksteins outta the box, with the nut,washer, and cap that you hammer down on the strut.
Was he missing pieces?
Any clue or thought as to what and why may be clunking?
I told him all the dirt and rust was holding his strut together and now the car doesn't know what to do with the new Bilsteins, I feel bad for offering to help and have this happen. He just spent $2k on his A/C so I thought I'd be the good bud and help a brotha out, the same shop quoted him $400 to install the shocks.
I have my Bilsteins in my garage waiting to install too, so looking forward to that weeeknd project, an insight you can give would be much appreciated.
Did you install new endlinks too while you had it apart, makes a big diffrence.
Thanks,
06-07-2009, 03:36 AM
#11
wat different between
Bilstein HD shocks, Strano specific setup
SLP Bilstein shocks
what will be best for my every day driving ? will these work great with stock spring, do I need to buy any other part for install ? thanks
Bilstein HD shocks, Strano specific setup
SLP Bilstein shocks
what will be best for my every day driving ? will these work great with stock spring, do I need to buy any other part for install ? thanks
06-07-2009, 09:49 AM
#12
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Only you know what kind of ride quality you prefer. Asking the majority doesn't really work here. Most people seem to like the STI ride quality for daily driving, but I despised it. It's just my opinion for ride preference and I am in the minority. I had bought one last year and only kept it for 5-6 months. Unfortunately we all have to be our own test rats for trying out a spring/shock combo for our ride quality preferences. We CAN try to explain the characteristics of what the ride is like, while you identify what kind of ride you prefer.
The strong opinions you get on what kind of shocks we recommend for you revolves around controlling the springs. KYBs can control the springs, but I'd imagine my ride quality preferences would hurt due to changing the compression and rebound with one ****... I'd probably never find an ideal setting. Both compression and rebound do two different things.
The strong opinions you get on what kind of shocks we recommend for you revolves around controlling the springs. KYBs can control the springs, but I'd imagine my ride quality preferences would hurt due to changing the compression and rebound with one ****... I'd probably never find an ideal setting. Both compression and rebound do two different things.
06-07-2009, 10:14 AM
#14
Personally, I think you may have. Bilsteins would work great for you. Yes the agx's are adjustable but the compression/rebound are set by one **** to a fixed ratio that (to me) was never comfortable for an driving situation. It felt like I had no shock on it at all with a low setting and felt like it was an iron rod on a high setting. There was no in between. I put a set of the slp bilsteins on mine and am definantly not looking back! That, and at summit you can pick up the slp bilsteins for $313. Was a lot cheaper than any of the others that carry them. Part number sle-70008.
06-07-2009, 10:57 AM
#15
To be honest with you I really don't know all the details on the difference between them all. As far as I know, the slp valved ones were designed to be used with their lowering springs. The hd's were valved for a stock ride height (even though the research I found showed the slp's to be the better choice reguardless of application between the two), and am not really sure about the strano's. From what research I found he had bilstein revalve them to his specifications but weather that's for stock, lowered or either I'm not sure. I personally have the Eibach Pro Kit and the slp's and couldn't be happier. Its really all personal prefrence but if I were you I would just stick with some slp's or give sam strano a call and see what his are all about.
06-07-2009, 11:32 AM
#16
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The difference, from what I understand, is bilstein's are tuned for stock springs/non dropped cars, which is the reason why strano used to do his revalve bilsteins that were better for aftermarket springs with a drop. AGX's are better tuned for aftermarket springs.
06-07-2009, 11:49 AM
#17
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I have the slp blisteins with BMR 1.25 lowering springs. Perfect combo. For the money you can't go wrong. Why break the bank on Koni's when you can have a shock the handles great for everyday driving. I drove a Koni set up car and wasn't impressed at all for what they cost. Too harsh of a feel for everyday driving, but that's just my opinion.
06-07-2009, 03:20 PM
#18
Personally, I think you may have. Bilsteins would work great for you. Yes the agx's are adjustable but the compression/rebound are set by one **** to a fixed ratio that (to me) was never comfortable for an driving situation. It felt like I had no shock on it at all with a low setting and felt like it was an iron rod on a high setting. There was no in between. I put a set of the slp bilsteins on mine and am definantly not looking back! That, and at summit you can pick up the slp bilsteins for $313. Was a lot cheaper than any of the others that carry them. Part number sle-70008.
06-07-2009, 03:35 PM
#19
Bilstein HD's are valved for stock springs.
SLP Bilsteins are valved for SLP springs.
Strano revalved fronts are specific to the spring being used. Strano uses a 3rd gen rear Bilstein which has stiffer valving than the 4th gen rear Bilstein.
I purchased 4th gen rear Bilsteins and they were an improvement over my stock rear Decarbons. I believe that the 3rd gen rear Bilstein is the better handling rear shock but ride quality may suffer a bit.
SLP Bilsteins are valved for SLP springs.
Strano revalved fronts are specific to the spring being used. Strano uses a 3rd gen rear Bilstein which has stiffer valving than the 4th gen rear Bilstein.
I purchased 4th gen rear Bilsteins and they were an improvement over my stock rear Decarbons. I believe that the 3rd gen rear Bilstein is the better handling rear shock but ride quality may suffer a bit.
06-07-2009, 04:25 PM
#20
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its nice to see a post where everybody isn't sucking off Koni's finally. i'm sure they are really good and what not, but not everybody can or want to spend the dough on them. i agree with the OP that for what most of us want their cars to do, eibachs and slp bilsteins are the perfect combo.