Shocks

N

nate chase

New member
Apr 26, 1999
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Anyone had good luck finding a decent set of shocks? My uncle can't afford
to pay $75 a shock for Bilstiens and was going to goto Sears and buy their
best gas shock. I on the other hand might spend the bucks if I knew they
were really worth it. Love to hear your experience, thoughts or concerns
when it comes to the shocking truth!!!

Nate Chase
'75 Glenbrook
Omaha, NE
 
Nate
If you can't afford Bilstiens,and there is some question if they really
are the best or not, go the KYB route. Sorry I don't have the
numbers handy, but someone will be along shortly with them. Stop
that man from going to Sears !! On this one everyone will agree :-)

Mike Beaton......' 77 Kingsley
Antigonish Nova Scotia

> Anyone had good luck finding a decent set of shocks? My uncle can't afford
> to pay $75 a shock for Bilstiens and was going to goto Sears and buy their
> best gas shock. I on the other hand might spend the bucks if I knew they
> were really worth it. Love to hear your experience, thoughts or concerns
> when it comes to the shocking truth!!!
>
> Nate Chase
> '75 Glenbrook
> Omaha, NE
>
 
Go to this site for KYB. http://www.p-s-t.com/kyb.html

J.R. Wright

>
> Nate
> If you can't afford Bilstiens,and there is some question if they really
> are the best or not, go the KYB route. Sorry I don't have the
> numbers handy, but someone will be along shortly with them. Stop
> that man from going to Sears !! On this one everyone will agree :-)
>
> Mike Beaton......' 77 Kingsley
> Antigonish Nova Scotia
>
> > Anyone had good luck finding a decent set of shocks? My uncle can't afford
> > to pay $75 a shock for Bilstiens and was going to goto Sears and buy their
> > best gas shock. I on the other hand might spend the bucks if I knew they
> > were really worth it. Love to hear your experience, thoughts or concerns
> > when it comes to the shocking truth!!!
> >
> > Nate Chase
> > '75 Glenbrook
> > Omaha, NE
> >
 
I like KYBs myself and they also have a lifetime warranty. I guess they
are somewhat less expensive. I heven't had to buy any in about 6 years so
don't recall the price.

Dave Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 Macfarlane Drive PH4
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
561/243-0402
 
Thanks for the comments from all about the shocks. I was looking at Caspro's
new catalog and saw they have "redesigned" new shocks that they say are
best. Doesn't say what the warrenty is but they run $74 apeice. Anyone tried
these or compared them to Bilstiens or (were they YGK or something close to
that...???) and as far a pricing goes?
 
Don't be fooled by the Caspro shocks. They are Gabriel shocks and are the
old twin tube design and are not the same as KYBs ($249 for 6 at Gateway) or
Bilsteins. Some people think that just because they are physically larger
they are better. Not true.

>Thanks for the comments from all about the shocks. I was looking at Caspro's
>new catalog and saw they have "redesigned" new shocks that they say are
>best. Doesn't say what the warrenty is but they run $74 apeice. Anyone tried
>these or compared them to Bilstiens or (were they YGK or something close to
>that...???) and as far a pricing goes?
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
"The beautiful Mohawk Vally"
 
Six KYBs are only $185.00 delivered from P-S-T! See: http://www.p-s-t.com/

Paul Bartz

From: Tom Warner [mailto:warner]
Sent: Monday, May 03, 1999 7:41 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Shocks

Don't be fooled by the Caspro shocks. They are Gabriel shocks and are the
old twin tube design and are not the same as KYBs ($249 for 6 at Gateway) or
Bilsteins. Some people think that just because they are physically larger
they are better. Not true.

Thanks for the comments from all about the shocks. I was looking at Caspro's
new catalog and saw they have "redesigned" new shocks that they say are
best. Doesn't say what the warrenty is but they run $74 apeice. Anyone tried
these or compared them to Bilstiens or (were they YGK or something close to
that...???) and as far a pricing goes?
 
>From: Tom Warner
>Subject: Re: GMC: Shocks
>
>Don't be fooled by the Caspro shocks. They are Gabriel shocks and are the
>old twin tube design and are not the same as KYBs ($249 for 6 at Gateway)
or
>Bilsteins. Some people think that just because they are physically larger
>they are better. Not true.

Tom,
Thanks for the reply. I decided to goto the KYB Shocks for $32.25 ea
(includes free shipping) at Performance Suspension Technology, PST. Their
number is 800 247-2288. I ordered two complete sets (4 front and 8 rear),
one set for myself and one set for my uncle's '73 Painted Desert.
It's the first step in getting my coach to stop wandering and my uncle's
to stop bottoming out. I talked to Chuck K. here in Omaha this weekend and
he gave me some excellent ideas to test the frontend components to isolate
my problem. What a nice guy and what a nice coach he has. He's close to a
walking GMC encylopedia and has helped myself and my uncle as well as alot
of Omaha GMCer's get off on the right foot.
Chuck, we salute you...!!!SALUTE!!!

Nate Chase
'75 Glenbrook
Omaha, NE
 
snip.......
but if, for
>example, I can get 3X or 4X the life/performance out of Bilsteins for
>2 to
>3X the price,

Don't forget....both Bilsteins and KYBs carry a lifetime warranty- so
only cost and performance become the issue and my KYBs have given me 6
years of good service so far!

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 Macfarlane Drive PH 4
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
800-827-9989
 
Thanks so much for pointing my uncle and myself to your discussion
>info. I can't believe the prices there! I think we'll go with the
>$29.95
>KYP's. For the price I can replace them twice for the cost of Caspro.

Folks,
It gets better than that since the KYBs have a lifetime warranty!

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 Macfarlane Drive PH 4
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
800-827-9989
 
Nate, I'm still unclear how the KYB stack up to the highly touted Bilsteins.
I know the cost spread is significant, but wondered if we could get a report
vis-a-vis the respective quality/longevity/performance.
I -- like many of you -- don't have money to throw away, but if, for
example, I can get 3X or 4X the life/performance out of Bilsteins for 2 to
3X the price, sounds like a no-brainer to me when you shake in the labor
(one's own or hired) to change shocks a couple times.
Sure would like to get a sampling of opinion from the gentlemen of "The List."

Thanks
Dick 75 PB in Atlanta

>>From: Tom Warner
>>Subject: Re: GMC: Shocks
>>
>>Don't be fooled by the Caspro shocks. They are Gabriel shocks and are the
>>old twin tube design and are not the same as KYBs ($249 for 6 at Gateway)
>or
>>Bilsteins. Some people think that just because they are physically larger
>>they are better. Not true.
>
>Tom,
> Thanks for the reply. I decided to goto the KYB Shocks for $32.25 ea
>(includes free shipping) at Performance Suspension Technology, PST. Their
>number is 800 247-2288. I ordered two complete sets (4 front and 8 rear),
>one set for myself and one set for my uncle's '73 Painted Desert.
> It's the first step in getting my coach to stop wandering and my uncle's
>to stop bottoming out. I talked to Chuck K. here in Omaha this weekend and
>he gave me some excellent ideas to test the frontend components to isolate
>my problem. What a nice guy and what a nice coach he has. He's close to a
>walking GMC encylopedia and has helped myself and my uncle as well as alot
>of Omaha GMCer's get off on the right foot.
> Chuck, we salute you...!!!SALUTE!!!
>
>Nate Chase
>'75 Glenbrook
>Omaha, NE
>
>
 
>From: Richard Bachert
>Subject: Re: GMC: Shocks
>
>Nate, I'm still unclear how the KYB stack up to the highly touted
>Bilsteins.
>I know the cost spread is significant, but wondered if we could get a
>report
>vis-a-vis the respective quality/longevity/performance.
>I -- like many of you -- don't have money to throw away, but if, for
>example, I can get 3X or 4X the life/performance out of Bilsteins for 2 >to
>3X the price, sounds like a no-brainer to me when you shake in the >labor
>(one's own or hired) to change shocks a couple times.
>Sure would like to get a sampling of opinion from the gentlemen of >"The
List."
>
>Thanks
>Dick 75 PB in Atlanta

Dick,
Try the site Gen pointed out. It sure sold me...

Nate Chase
'75 Glenbrook
Omaha, NE

>Gene 76Palm Beach /Or/CA
>
>GMC Technical Information
>http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
>Emory...
>> Now, I don't know if it was because the KYB shocks are not as
>> good as the Bilsteins or if it is due to the fact that the ones I took
>> off were then 10 years old.

One thing to keep in mind is that the shocks are part of the dampining
system. So, how an individual shock performs depends on the wheels, tires,
actual spring rate of the airbag system (and whether or not you've modified
it), weight of the vehicle etc.

Look long enough and you'll find "the ideal shock" for your coach.

Henry
 
I have Bilsteins, but I was not the one that bought them. The "Infamous
Previous Owner" or "IPO" had them installed. It is my understanding that the
lifetime warranty only applies to the original owner. My Bilsteins may be
close
to 10 years old by now. I wonder if I should buy another set of Bilsteins or
go
with KYBs shocks.
Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI

>
> Don't forget....both Bilsteins and KYBs carry a lifetime warranty- so
> only cost and performance become the issue >>
>
> David -- there is a third issue -- LABOR. I'm not saying that either will
> fail first but if it does then labor to replace them becomes an issue.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Santa Fe, NM
 
Emory...
> Now, I don't know if it was because the KYB shocks are not as
> good as the Bilsteins or if it is due to the fact that the ones I took
> off were then 10 years old.

I guess I would be in the same situation, after 10 years of use and
nothing broken, I would find it hard to go back and say gimmee 6 new ones
for free. Was there any oil leaks after 10 years do you remember Emery?
- --
"I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to..." John saidfrom inside a
1974 Glacier.
 
I meant to say Emery...

> Now, I don't know if it was because the KYB shocks are not as
> good as the Bilsteins or if it is due to the fact that the ones I took
> off were then 10 years old.

I guess I would be in the same situation, after 10 years of good use and
nothing broken, I would find it hard to go back and say gimmee 6 new ones
for free. Were there any oil leaks after 10 years, do you remember
Emery?

- --
"I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to..." John said from inside a
1974 Glacier.
 
KYB shocks are single acting, meaning they only give you a dampening
effect in one direction. Bilsteins are more expensive because they are a
double acting shock. They give you a dampening effect on both directions
of travel. If you want to reduce the bouncing or porpoising of your unit
these shocks are worth the money. The shop I work at installs IPD
suspension systems and Bilstein shocks. After test driving many of these
units before and after the work it is amazing the difference. Even when
only replacing the shocks the difference is very noticeable. If you want
to have the best of both worlds think about Bilsteins on the front and
KYB on the rears. The back end of these coaches do not bounce because of
the air ride. Darren
 
Rick just one point. both the Bilsteins and the KYB shock eyes break off
occasionally for a very important reason. they were designed that way. it
is a safety valve so your suspension parts do not get damaged. When you hit
a bad bad pot hole, the only thing that restricts the suspension travel on a
GMC front end is the shock. If the shock eye does not break, your shock
mount or something worse will.

>
>> I'm still unclear how the KYB stack up to the highly touted Bilsteins.
>
>Richard,
> Like all (ex)mechanics, I'm opinionated. The following is an opinion, and
>so may or may not apply to you. ;-)
>
> I like KYBs. Sold many of them over the years. The company stands behind
>their warrantee, but finding a dealer to make the swap can sometimes be
>difficult. I have a set on my '88 4-Runner. At 50,000 miles, they're
>feeling just about worn out. Of those I sold, I'd guess about 20% failed in
>the first 2 years. So they're good, but don't last forever. Good value for
>the money though.
>
> The Caspro shocks are, as Tom suggests, just conventional twin-tube
>shocks, albeit really heavy-duty ones. Their sheer physical strength is
>tempting (apparently Bilstein's have been known to break an end off), but
>that's about all. Their claims of superiority due to having the proper
>reversed valving for our rear suspension is bogus: so do (most all) the
>competitors. I haven't tried them, but suspect they would do the job.
>
> There's nothing exotic about tailoring shock valving to the application.
>For years stock passenger car shocks were 30/70 (30% of their resistance on
>compression for softness on bumps, 70% on rebound to damp oscillation.
>Performance/sports cars used 50/50 valving for firm control, and drag racers
>used special 90/10 front shock to allow the front end to rise to full height
>immediately (for better weight transfer to the rear wheels), with the 90%
>compression resistance keeping it up there. Our rear shocks simply need
>something like 70/30 or 60/40 valving, simple for any manufacturer who makes
>shocks specifically for the GMC.
>
> Myself, I like Bilsteins. Original equipment on Mercedes and some other
>pricey cars, they have a reputation for long life (usually well over 100,000
>miles). The company seems to stand behind them. They were first to produce
>the DeCarbonne monotube gas-pressure shock, and have been building them for
>so long there are very few if any bugs left. They ride beautifully on my
>GMC, and I've never experienced a hint of wheel hop or bouncing. For more
>detail, see Wes Caughlan's article in GMC Motorhome News, March 1998.
>
> Whatever you do, don't get some generic shock like a Monroe. I've seen
>them fail totally in under 15,000 miles.
>
>Rick Staples
>'75 Eleganza
>Louisville, CO
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
"The beautiful Mohawk Vally"
 
Darren Answer me a question about Bilsteins. I had occasion to remove
front rear shock on driver side some time ago when I was doing some plumbing
work. I took the pressure off rear wheels and removed shock When I got
it on the ground it started slowly expanding. I have no problem with ride or
any reason to believe shock is not working properly and maybe this is normal
behavior. Anyway ,compressed it and reinstalled , but still wonder.
Bill 76 Edgemont

> KYB shocks are single acting, meaning they only give you a dampening
> effect in one direction. Bilsteins are more expensive because they are a
> double acting shock. They give you a dampening effect on both directions
> of travel. If you want to reduce the bouncing or porpoising of your unit
> these shocks are worth the money. The shop I work at installs IPD
> suspension systems and Bilstein shocks. After test driving many of these
> units before and after the work it is amazing the difference. Even when
> only replacing the shocks the difference is very noticeable. If you want
> to have the best of both worlds think about Bilsteins on the front and
> KYB on the rears. The back end of these coaches do not bounce because of
> the air ride. Darren
 
You are right Emery however the fact is that they designed the shocks so
that the eye breaks off before damage to the coach is done.

>

>
>a bad bad pot hole, the only thing that restricts the suspension travel on a
>GMC front end is the shock. If the shock eye does not break, your shock
>mount or something worse will. >>
>
>For those who are new to the GMC:
>
>Don't let this scare you though. I have been driving mine for 18-1/2 years
>with KYB and then Bilsteins and have hit a lot of potholes and have never had
>a shock break. Anything is possible but it is not common.
>
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>Santa Fe, NM
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
"The beautiful Mohawk Vally"
 
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