GoHardZ28

Right now I have stock shocks with Eibach LS1 Prokit, and let me tell you it is a ROUGH ride. So I was looking into Bilstein shocks and maybe switching over to the LT1 ProKit. Anyone runing this setup or have any opinions on it?

I know Strano's and Koni's are everyones favorite, but thats not what I am looking for (to much $$$). This is more of a budget question.

Shocks:
Bilstein HD's
SLP Bilstein's
Etc...

Springs:
LT1 ProKit
DMS
BMR
Hotchkis
Etc...

Lets see what people are really happy with, on a budget!!!

LS1Aggie

iTrader: (2)

Give Sam Strano a call and he can help you figure out the best setup for your budget. He will give you the good and bad for the items you are suggesting.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

The LS1 pro-kit has a soft front spring rate (400 lb.in.) for lowering springs, get the bilsteins, it won't be perfect but a hell of a lot closer to perfection then the stock pogo stick shocks!
Talk to Sam!

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

In process....

thelast93

I too would like some info...I've read just about every post on the suspension page. Every one always goes back to strano and Koni, but flat out too much $$ for me.

I need opinions on what the lowest springs are that perform good in a DD, not sportlines. im leaning to an LT1 pro kit. BMR seems like a second choice, but some cars they are on are not dropped much where as some look low. Shocks will be KYB AGX.

Opinion from people with this setup?...

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Who doesn't want the cheapest thing that works? Trouble is, in the real world you get what you pay for, generally.

My springs aren't that much money in comparison, I also sell LT1 Pro-kits, fwiw.... Mine are $275....but that's also shipped to the door.

I have AGX's, I have Bilstein. Is say $670 too much? for quality springs and shocks???

GoHardZ28

Big thanks to Sam Strano. He really hooked me up last night. I am buying SLP Bilsteins with his Strano springs. I am buying them today!! I will update yall when I get them on the car!!

THANKS AGAIN SAM!!!!

thelast93

670 isnt bad compared to the Koni setup (which I just cant justify). I guess my concern is some of the cars that I see on here that are lowered, dont look that low...So I wonder what the lowest spring is that will deliver good performance? I am open to other budget minded options from those with expierence.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The lower it is the less working travel you have, and the less travel the shocks have to do their damping. Slamming a car works against how it works on the road. That's why my springs are the height they are--I needed to balance CG and working travel, that's what I felt was best, about 1.2" or so.... Beyond that is getting to be too low for things to work well.

Bad_Karma

so are the slp bilsteins better than the kyb shocks?

i am on a ls1 pro kit and stock shocks and hate it

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

They are built a lot better. Don't have adjustment though where AGX's do. SLP's are more about good control and ride, AGX's are more about making changes. The trouble with AGX's adjustment vs. Koni's is it's a lot more coarse and even at the softer settings don't ride quite as well as the Bilstein's.

That said, I need to point out that control is important for ride quality. Only going to tell you why Koni's are a lot more money because most folks can't understand it.... Koni's combine Bilstein quality with adjustment, and adjustment that is much more useable, and overall damping that is less harsh than the AGX's at a similar control level. They literally combine the best attributes of a Bilstein with the "best" (much better actually) of the AGX's.

In short, what I'm saying is this: If you wanted the best control overall, then neither of these is ideal. If you want the car to be more composed, ride better, and not have shock issues, and do not need the adjustment--then Bilstein's are superior to AGX's (and even for the time being less expensive too, which is not normally the case).

Bad_Karma

thanks for the help, I think i will be ordering some slp bilsteins soon.

chevystyle

iTrader: (1)

I don't remember the cost of my setup, but I have 1" lowering hotchkis springs and Bilstein shocks. It's not harsh or bad, but you know it's not stock. It rides just a tad too soft for me, though.

Jazz-LT1

iTrader: (2)

I am installing Bilsteins right now actually. I am still running an 1LE swaybar up front and stock bar out back. Eibach Pro Springs (got them pretty cheaply). My car is pretty light up front compared to stock (Fiberglass hood, tubular K-member and lower control arms, etc) so its not as low as they normally are. Before I did the weight savings it was too low in my opinion. I know I need new sway bars and plan on going with the Strano set after Christmas.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

By too soft, do you mean you prefer to feel the road more compared to what the car feels like with this combination? Or the car feels too floaty like a cadillac/sedan going over bumps etc? Sorry to ***** the thread, but I guess it was already going other directions.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

In comparing KYB's to Koni.. regardless of the adjustment settings... do the KYB's act like there's lower viscosity inside the piston chamber compared to Koni's? I know on my STI the struts seemed to get stuck at certain points. Low speeds wouldn't be enough to force them to move. Hell I even sat on the back of my sti in the trunk and a few seconds later, the shocks broke free of their stuck position and actually lowered another inch into the point where the springs were holding my weight. The stuck piston actually held my weight for a few seconds. They felt like they were poorly oiled or something...

I don't have much experience between many shocks. I figured I'd toss this question out there though

chevystyle

iTrader: (1)

I would like to feel the road a little more. It's just a little to soft of a ride. I'll see what happens when I upgrade to new sway bars, sub frame connectors, strut mount. That might stiffen the car up a bit.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

It's called stiction and it's something higher and higher end shocks have less and less of. Now what you were getting was a mix of stiction and just a ton of compression damping (or a broken shock since they popped free).

DevilDougWS6

iTrader: (8)

I would like to go the budget route with Sam. How much for the slp bilstiens and your springs Sam?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The shocks are $384.99 with a $5 handling fee, but no actual shipping. The springs are $275/shipped (to your door).

No sales tax since you are not in PA.