So I'm lowering the car and have the rear springs out, the fronts out and have the springs compressed. I'm holding the flat on the top of the shock with vice grips and loosing the nut when it twists off WTF!!! I let it sit in penetrating oil all last nite. So this shock is screwed right? What do I do now, cut it apart and buy new shocks or what, please let me know if there is any hope.

 

It's junk..... Just another reason to not use stock shocks when lowering.

If you really only want to run stockers, let me know. I have two sets of very low mileage ones here I'd like to get rid of. Disclaimer: The previous statement in no way assumes I think it's ok to run OEM DeCarbon's with lowering springs, thank you.

 

I'd say, consider yourself lucky it twisted off in
your hand rather than pulling out under some
Dukes of Hazzard stress. That would suck.

 

So what do you recommend, Bilstein HDs? That's sorta what I had in mind, some Hals would be real nice though. Thanks for the input. What would you take for a set of the fronts, and how many miles are on em. Send me a PM.

 

Yea, I did the same exact thing. Sam, do you think the SLP Bilsteins are a good way to go. $400 is about all I would want to spend. I saw where Tokico has some now. So you think using the stock decarbons on Hypercoils is blasphemy? LOL, I know what you mean. Can't wait to see how it drives on correct shocks.

 

I didn't see what springs you are using, and since shocks are springs dampers you really don't want to put on a shock that can't damp your spring rate over the long haul. Bilstein HD's are intended for stock springs, which are softer and taller than whatever you are installing. That already means they are borderline for the job with the lighter srpings like a Pro-kit (which is still over 100 lb/in stiffer than a stock front spring). HD's are what I would term passable for Pro-kits, Sportlines, or ST springs. Absolutely not enough damping for anything else (they are all stiffer), and IMHO the HD's still lack damping control for the Pro-kit ilk too.

HAL's are fine drag shocks, but that's it. They are not good dampers, and again don't like heavier spring rates (note that generally 450 is as stiff a spring as you can get on HAL Coil-overs). HAL's are hydraulic shocks with no gas charge to suppress foaming oil and the cavitation that comes from it. The adjuster works only by letting more or less oil through to the outer chamber, not by restricting the amount of oil passing through the shock's piston which gives much greater control over the damping.

The stock shocks will have to go as set (nobody will want the rears separately....). $50 + shipping for the set of 4. One set has about 100 miles on them (first come gets those), the others have about 2-3k on them....

 

This is tricky. I don't particularly care for what SLP did to revalve their shocks to begin with. Taking compression damping out of a shock that is by no means stiff isn't what would do, or for that matter what I actually *do* to our Revalves. Also the SLP shocks use the the standard 4th gen HD's that have the same issues as the fronts, they are a little soft. I use a different rear damper anytime Revalves are recommended. I only use the 4th gen rear when someone opts for a standard HD front.

The SLP shocks don't work badly for the Level 1 springs, but can be improved upon (we've done it). That said, the Level 1 springs are still much lighter and taller than your Hypercoils. So while SLP shocks would be an improvement over HD's, if you are going to do it, you ought to do it the right way instead of a "less wrong" way. IMHO.

Nobody ever *wants* to spend money on the shocks. But they are, bar none, the most important single piece of suspension under that car. Good shocks are more important than ANYTHING else you can do under there. And cheaping out now will only cause you to spend more later in a second labor charge/new shocks to replace the ones that saved you $100. In other words you'll spend a lot more later to cure what a little more $$ now would keep from ever being a problem.

As for Tokico vs. Bilstein HD. We sell both (along with SLP Bilstein, Koni, KYB, Edelbrock). The Bilstein is a much better quality damper for about the same price as a Tokico. NEITHER IS UP TO THE JOB, especially with Hypercoils which are pretty stiff, extremely progressive and pretty low.

Which brings me to Revalves: We have Bilstein's tweaked on a case by case basis to work on your car with your springs. I can add damping when and how I want, and it's done to suit your driving style and the spring rate/suspension travel you have. They are $500 for a set and offer way better control for the spring. The other option is to run Koni's. An excellent option if you want an adjustable shock, or are in a big hurry. Koni's don't need revalved as they can handle a huge amount of spring rates because you can change their settings (and they are meant to handle as opposed to drag race). But, Koni's are more expensive. Anytime I can use them I will. We simply offer Revalves to get folks the damping they need for a lesser cost than Koni's. I actually partially model what I want from Revalves off of a Koni's reaction.

 

Thank you very much for your very thorough explanation. Pm'd ya.