jclark311

Holy s,,t you guys, i have been searching here for a month, and i still cant figure out what shock to buy? Am i the only one who might want a shock thats good for performance, both drag racing, and whipping around corners? Does anybody make a good performance shock thats an upgrade from the decarbons? At this point i am ready to stick those s,,t decarbons right back on there! Is there no reasonably priced replacement for the stock shocks, for handling, and straight line performance?

CheshireCat

It really depends on what you consider reasonably priced, but for me, the short answer was no...

I went with the Bilstein HDs, but that was a couple of years ago and my understanding is that the current model HD isn't as good.

The best bet is the Koni SA, but they aren't inexpensive.

The KYB offers some adjustability, but isn't optimal for either drag or cornering...

The stock setup isn't very good for cornering, but actually wasn't bad for straight line... I think there's guys running 11s on the stock springs and shocks...

jclark311

I have a 97 Formula, with the stock WS6 suspension. That suspension setup is fine for me, i dont have any problems cornering. But its got 70k miles on it, i have the K Frame out now, when i put it back in, i would like to change out the shocks, bushings, and ball joints. No sense in doing it later, its apart now. Is there an aftermarket shock, that replaces the factory Decarbons, that will keep my straightline/cornering performance the same, or better than the factory Decarbons?

CheshireCat

The Koni SA is your best bet, but they'll run over $500 for the fronts.

Bilstein HDs are better than stock though I've read that the current version has less bump and more rebound damping than the old ones did.

I think Sam Strano is advising the KYBs these days if you don't want to spend the money on the Konis...

If you're just looking to replace the stock decarbons, SLP used to sell the take offs and there are a lot of people (like me) that bought some and never used them. You see them for sale still occaisonally.

jclark311

Good info, thanks!

Greed4Speed

I'm running the new Bilsteins. They're fine. They have the SLP valving now.

Kraest just had a post in the LS1 section on how he kept up with a Z06 on a road corse and then ran low 12's. Guess what shocks he has. Bilstein.

Another shock to look at are the Tokico's. They did pretty well with stock springs and did OK with some stiff *** springs I ran for 2 years.

Norm Peterson

Are those Tokicos the 'Illumina' line or the newer 'D-Specs'?

If they're the D-Specs, Sam can probably get them (if he hasn't already - I know he carries them for the S197).


Norm

jclark311

I guess i dont see the problem with the factory 1LE suspension. If you can drive, its pretty darn good. I think i will just replace my shocks with factory Decarbons, its a street car, and i am more interested in straightline performance, my money would be better spent on an aftermarket torque arm, and lca's. You got guys out there spending 1k on shocks to gain a tenth in the 1/4 mile. You put a nitrous kit on and you will gain a second.

firebirdStud

I think most people upgrade the shocks for daily driving, and hope they can help out at the strip as well. That is my rationale though. I have a 95, and Im gonna get the konis. They seem to be the best bang for the buck. Awesome on the street, and you can adjust them for the strip, or so I have been told...

Norm Peterson

That's the point - you can't picture the difference that better damping can make if you've never tried it. Human imagination just doesn't work that way.

Anyway, for street driving upgrading the shocks will make a noticeable difference in almost all of what comes under the general category of 'handling'. Pretty much by definition, street driving is about transient handling, or the changes that happen as you go from straight ahead into a turn, or as you straighten out on corner exit, or when you find yourself having to make a mid-corner course correction. Those are all things that shocks will influence. Nobody I know drives endlessly around in steady-state circles on perfectly flat pavement where it wouldn't much matter what shocks were on the car (or even what their condition was). If it makes any difference, adjustable shocks can be set one way for normal driving & cornering, and somewhat differently to gain a little at the drag strip. What's not to like?

Give Sam Strano a call.


Norm

SNOTGREEN

I am by no means an expert on this subject, especially with pretty cruddy 60' times with this car, but with a little past experience trying to do both (road course/drag), improving performance for one often is a sacrifice for improving the other. For drag anyways, an older car like mine, with likely a very spongy stock front suspension, I left it alone for weight distribution purposes for the time being. I guess removing the front sway bar would help a little, but obviously a bad idea for street/performance driving other than straight line. Out back I have done the same thing on a few 4th gens, comp eng 3-way adjustables, 1LE springs, BMR LCA's & adj panhard, 21mm sway w/poly bushings, air bag in right rear spring. Perhaps if I had a good converter, I could probably get my 60' down. I leave the shocks at 50/50 for the most part, with one exception on an M6 car. Air in the bag varies. Shocks were about 50 each, bag was 35 bucks, springs were through SLP (a while ago) as was the sway bar, and the bushing/end links were around 40. LCAs/Panhard - 220 new but you can find them cheaper used of course. No passes yet w/the LCAs/Panhard on this car.

Oh - and just in case your car has seen a lot of weather like my current car has (very bad bushings all around), I recommend the Hyperflex bushing kit from energy suspension. Can be a PITA to install some of these, but since you have the front k-member broke free, may as well replace.

jclark311

Thanks snot, i bought the Energy Suspension Bushings already from Summit. I want to do the ball joints, and front shocks now, while i have it a part, but i think the stock shocks are going back on. I cant do 500.00 for Konis now, GM doesnt sell a stock replacement anymore, and it seems nobody else sells a reasonably priced shock for straightline performance.

CheshireCat

jclark311, Check your PM's