mccool98ta

i just discovered that my recent ride quality issues are the result of a blown front passenger shock. currently i have hal's with hotchkiss springs, they handled great and were very consistent at the drag strip, but i could never really get the ride dialed in just right. my question is should i just replace the blown hal shock with another one, or should i replace both of them with koni's or revalved bilsteins and reuse the springs that i already have. what would you do in my place?

thanks

Jason

lopo

the springs have nothing to do with the shocks really. the springs control vehicle bounce. the shocks control jounce/rebound. always replace shocks in pairs.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

There are few factors @ work here.

1. Hal's are not intended for the spring rate in the Hotchkis springs, and springs VERY MUCH have to be matched well with shocks. Shocks after all are spring dampers.

2. I'm assuming when you say can get the ride dialed in right that means you couldn't find a setting that made the car handle well without being punishing, or that you couldn't get a nice ride with decent response and body motion control? That is a mark of incompatible springs and shocks, and/or stiffer springs than you need teamed with the lack of shock damping. See you can run some pretty soft springs and have the car very tied-down feeling by using proper shock valving.

Only Revalved Bilstein's or Koni's are going to be capable of properly damping your springs, however even Bilstein HD's would likely be much better overall than the Hal's before they were blown. While I Revalve a lot of Bilstein's, I'd recommend the Koni's in this case. A couple of reasons: The first is the you can adjust the Koni's and turn them down for the strip, or up (or whatever) to your liking for the street. Secondly the Koni's adjustability is better suited the progressive nature of the Hotchkis springs. With a non-adjustable shock we have to look at an average spring rate which means at times it might be a little stiff, or a little soft. You have this with any progressive spring, but with the ability to tweak damping you have control over *how* to set the damping.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

And FYI..... Jounce is the same as bounce, or compression. Rebound is known as that, or extension generally. Just kind of had jounce and rebound linked together where it's the bounce/jounce that are the same. FWIW.

mccool98ta

i went with the hal/hotchkis combo because i saw a good number of people running eibachs and hals. but with my exhaust system i am only able to lower the car an inch in the rear so i was kinda limited on spring choices. sam, can you tell me how much adjustability the koni's have, i mean do they start around stock stiffness and go up from there or are they still pretty stiff even at the softest setting. i just dont want to lose too much at the drag strip, also how easy are the koni's to adjust while on the car? thanks for all your help

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The Eibach's are significantly softer than the Hotchkis springs to start, which makes the HAL's more suitable for them. Though, I wouldn't say well matched..... Just like anything else, all parts are not created equal, and suspension parts more than anything have the most different ideas and execution involved.

Koni's have a huge range of adjustment. They will damp up to a 600 pound spring if you turn them up, which is stiffer than your springs. They can be made soft enough that much below half-way down I hate the way the front end rises under normal hard driving. I don't really drag race, you'd probably want that.....

There is a trick with the Koni's. They adjust through the wheel-well, and the adjuster is on the top of the shock rod. You reach through the spring with a 2.5mm allen wrench. Once you do it, it's really not hard. I can do mine very quickly. The only catch is you have to make sure your front springs do not have the dead, or collapsed (softer) coils on the top. They block the adjuster....

skippytheloon

iTrader: (14)

Sam, I just got my Koni SAs today. Just opened the box, the instructions show that the adjuster **** sticks up into the engine bay where a STB would bolt on. Are you sure you need to use an allen wrench from the wheel well to adjust the fronts?
*Anyways, how much would it be to get these installed at a good shop, I don't know if I'll have enough free time to do it myself any time soon.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Yes, I'm *quite* sure...... Do you see where the shock rod on the fronts can stick out of the shock tower? Further, look at the front shocks, there is no provision to adjust from the top.

Looking about 3 hours to install, depends on the labor rate.

rodent

iTrader: (1)

Looking forward to the Koni and Blisteins I got from Strano. Thanks again for all the great advice! I was mostly talking to your wife when I orderedand she seams to know what she's talking about.

I just hope my BMR springs don't block the front Koni's adjustment spot.

Shawn

skippytheloon

iTrader: (14)

LOL, completely wrong instructions. You gotta admit that would be cool though, just pop the hood and twist a ****. I got the right shocks but they came with some spare parts/papers for other cars.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like instructions for a 3rd gen F-body (I had Koni SA's for my 3rd gen). You'll love the difference in the shocks.


Have fun!

acarnut

The HALs are rebuildable and revalveable.

I had mine revalved ($20 each) to handle the higher spring rates I am using, and when the seal went on one of the front shocks, I had them send me out a rebuild kit ($15?) and I fixed it myself, filling it up with premium shock oil from a local motorcycle shop. I had to make my own shock wrench, but I made that myself for a few bucks.

DaveH
'00 Z28 Conv, Lowered 2.5", 18x10.5 Z06 Wheels F&R
http://www3.telus.net/acarnut/