wogert

I have been looking at Bilstein shocks and also KYB.

Any comments? Which are better in a Z? Or should I check out another brand?

I like handling and performance. Ride and comfort are not important to me. I want to feel when I run over an ant on the road!! LOL!

99andMine

Ive heard god things about the Bilstein. They give up much better traction by reducing wheel hop. And the whole comfort thing is nice on a long trip. The Edelbrock are supposed to provide a rigid ride while accellerating rapidly while maintaining a smooth ride under normal conditions. Just an idea.

teke184

for the price range...bilsteins are hard to beat.

they will be a very nice improvement over stock.

wogert

I know for a long time, Bilstein made all of the "performance" grade shocks for GM. Many cars it became an option package to get the Bilstein.

Anyone know if the OE shock on the Z28 are factory Bilstein? Bilstein were always easily identified by the bright yellow. These OE shocks are bright orange and marked Delco... but that doesn't mean much, they stamp everything Delco these days... LMAO!

BTW, I had a nightmare experience with KONI on my race-modified Cavalier (years ago). Good thing for the lifetime warranty cause I was replaced them at least 6 times, which was about every 3 months. They were the adjustable, but the adjustments kept blowing out and they'd turn soft and spongy. Anyone got opinions to add in regards to KONI?

Sam Strano

Bilstein's are not OEM on Z28 or Firebird. Some SLP cars had an option for SLP specified Bilstein's (valvings that SLP set, not Bilstein). The OEM Bilstein's that came on some Vette's and trucks were similar. Bilstein built them, but to GM's specs and they are known as Delco-Bilstein's.

Bilstein HD's are not bad shocks at all, and much better for almost any use than any KYB. What HD's are not good for is the best handling or lowering springs. HD's are excellent replacements for the DeCarbon shocks, and a very nice upgrade if you have stock or very near stock spring rates. But they are not meant to damp the higher rate lowering springs that exist for the car. IMHO, the HD's are exactly what should have been OEM on the F-body. But not much more.

In regard to the Koni's. They are excellent for this car. You prior experience was bad because of the small insert they used to fit into a stock GM housing. They break all the time. This is not the case for the f-body, they are complete shocks, not tiny inserts.

wogert

Yeah, you are correct. The cavalier KONI's were cartridges that slipped into the "gutted" factory strut housings.

I have completely stock suspension and I dont have any intention of lowering. I live in NH... rough roads, potholes, etc. I scrape enough now, without lowering my ground clearance!!

So sounds to me like the Bilstein's are the way to go.

Thanks all!

TobyZ28

After doing a lot of shock research for the spring upgrade I'm about to do, every single site/ person / article on knoi shocks has said the KONI's are top notch without anything negative at all about them.. ever