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Installed new front shocks, need help, bumpy front

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Old Mar 8, 2007 | 07:44 PM
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Default Installed new front shocks, need help, bumpy front

I installed new KYB AGX front shocks and Eibach pro kit springs on both passenger and drivers sides. I put them in in about 4 hours, then drove and it was horrible - I forgot the spring seats on the shock - it was felt choppy and "loose" thumpy and hard over bumps and turns.

Then today I got it back on the lift, took out the whole shock assembly, put in spring seats, compressed it and tightened it again (making sure "notches in spring seat and upper boot line up with spring), installed back in, rechecked my sway bar bolts and put everything back together. Did other side too - it went a lot quicker this time, me and my buddies got it done quick, in under 2 hours.

It's still bad. I didn't have these problems before the install. Now the new shocks and springs are in and it feels almost like it's going to fall apart (choppy loose, thumpy and hard), but I double checked everything, NOTHING is loose. It almost sounds like its bottoming out, but its not. I tried playing around with the AGX's settings, no luck. I dont know what to do.
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Old Mar 8, 2007 | 09:03 PM
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Sounds like you're one of the KYB victims. Word is that they aren't very good at dampening aftermarket springs
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 12:42 AM
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It almost feels like its bottoming out, like the front is not solid after the new front shock/spring assembly install.

Also, I might have not installed the bumpstop correctly, mine is the KYB shock with the yellow biscuit like bump stop just slid on the shaft, but its moving around.... then the spring seated on the lower spring seat and held at the top by the rubber boot mount and inside it the 2nd piece of the rubber mount (which has a washer built in I believe) with the shock nut on top.

Upper arm on top of that and mounted in, ball joint connected to spindle, etc...
Is the "bump stop" just supposed to slide on there like that with nothing holding it in place, it doesnt seem right to me....



Mine looks more like the top with just the shaft and "biscuit" on it, however NOT held in place like at the bottom..
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 06:52 AM
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Word is those shocks aren't good with stock height springs and are even less effective with lowering springs.
Get some Koni's....
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 10:10 AM
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I doubt you can do anything to make the KYB's correctly dampen the prokit springs unfortunately

Shocks that don't dampen springs correctly cause for a very bumpy unstable ride. The only way to stop springs from oscillating is to put something there that's got the power to slow it down
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 10:57 AM
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Guys, he has AGX's... but never mentioned where he has them set. Maybe that would be a semi-helpful thing to know???????

But yes, you bought cheap shocks and so-so springs. The combination certainly isn't as good as other setups. Maybe you can make it better, maybe you can't, you'll just have to try different settings on the shocks to see. One issue is with AGX's, the softer you go for ride, the worse the car drives. Kind of an either/or thing. Shocks are trick things, which is why good ones are not cheap.
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 02:46 PM
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Ewww I hated the KYB's on my eclipse. Def try adjustin them and see what you can live with.
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 05:27 PM
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I tried adjusting them anywhere from 2 (very soft) to 6(hard) on the 1-8 scale. I have them on the rear also, also with the Eibach Pro Kit and they work flawlessly; they're great set at 4 and I get no wheel hop and don't feel the rear squatting.

The front feels completely different. After the install it feels rough and bumpy, as though the front is not solid. I took out the shock/spring assemblies on both sides AGAIN and uncompressed/checked everything/reinstalled and torqued everything and am still getting that problem. Obviously theres better parts out there (there always are), but KYB AGX's and Eibach Prokit arent cheap *** parts either, I know many people that run them, I was hoping maybe some of you guys have experience with these issues and can help me out.

Is that typical of the shock/springs on the front to act like that after the install/ is that typically what it acts like before "breaking in"?
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Old Mar 9, 2007 | 05:53 PM
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Ahhh.... the KYB's are cheap-*** parts, more so than the springs IMO.
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