What Struts to get

[fyvve]

I need new struts i think and i was wondering which to get. I am not into street racing or anything of the like but i would like to make my car handle better. So i was thinking since i need new struts anyway, i may as well uprgrade from stock while im at it. I dont want to lower my car at all but if thats what it takes a small amount lower will be ok i guess. Anyone have some suggestions? Is there a place on the internet to buy stock struts in case i decide just to go with that? 97 integra LS.

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[fyvve]

How about these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TOKIC...98189835QQrdZ1

[teg92]

Tokico are pretty good, I have the KYB gr-2 struts on my hatch and it rides pretty nice

[fyvve]

yeah but how much are those going to lower my car. I really dont want it lowered if at all possible.

[teg92]

Originally Posted by fyvve

yeah but how much are those going to lower my car. I really dont want it lowered if at all possible.

struts dont lower your car springs or coilovers do

[fyvve]

Originally Posted by teg92

struts dont lower your car springs or coilovers do

Hey thanks for that. So those struts i linked to wont do anything but make my suspension tighter?

[SP00NFed]

call me old fashion, but i love my agx's

[fyvve]

So i found those on ebay for 244 plus shipping. How much can i expect to pay for basic factory replacements? I mean if i went to a independent guy, how much could i expect to pay for the struts not including labor? How much can i expect to pay for labor?

[teg92]

OEM struts would probally cost more than aftermarket ones, Im sure you can find a used pair somewhere for a few bucks but just get new ones Tokico, KYB. etc.. As for labor its probally going to cost from $200.00 to $400.00 depends on where you go

[fyvve]

So what is the real advantage to aftermarket struts? How do they change a cars ride?

[JessTD]

well the big advantage to going to something like the kyb agx struts is that they are adjustable...so you can adjust your ride quality.

[fyvve]

ok but i dont think i can affort those. SHould i get those that i linked to or just oem ones? I know im being annoying but i just really dont know anything about this. If someone wants to break it all down for me that would be fantastic

[riceburner2005]

I would say get the Tokicos or wutever off of ebay. wuts the point of paying the same or more for OEMs when u can get aftermarket. Not only will u get a better ride ur handling well also get better.

[TheOtherDave™]

Originally Posted by fyvve

So what is the real advantage to aftermarket struts? How do they change a cars ride?

In a nutshell, aftermarket dampers (a term that applies to shocks or struts equally) are designed to be stiffer. In general, they require more force to compress the same amount as an OEM damper.

The primary means by which the damping rate is controlled is by controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid though a series of valves and orifiices internal to the shock piston. By reducing the rate at which the hydraulic fluid flows when compressed, the damper becomes firmer.

The net effect of a stiffer damper is reduced body roll and more progressive loading of the outside tire when turning. The tradeoff is that the smaller loads - like potholes and bott's dots are transmitted through the chassis of the car more directly.

Enough of the technical, theoretical crap....

When paired with OEM springs, the increase in ride harshness should be minimal. I had a set of KYB GR2 struts on my GTi and they were great.

Labor should be no problem. Any competent garage should be able to remove the OEM shocks, transfer the springs over to your new shocks and reinstall them. Call Midas and get a quote.

[TheOtherDave™]

Now there's a whole separate issue of matching damping to spring rate... but the GR2 dampers are IMO, just right for OEM springs.

The AGX shocks are overkill if the OEM springs are going to stay.

[Joe]

would eibach pro kit springs go better with some agx or gr-2 shocks?

[TheOtherDave™]

Originally Posted by Joe_Hard

would eibach pro kit springs go better with some agx or gr-2 shocks?

It depends on the spring rate. Stiffer springs require stiffer dampers.

If the springs are too stiff for the damper, the dampers will continue to cycle (extend--compress) with normal road shocks and will wear out quite quickly, creating a very dangerous situation*.

I'd talk with the guys at Eibach and follow their recommendation.

When I lowered my GTi, I used a set of Eibach springs for the European Golf Rallye. They recommend the Koni Yellows or another adjustable damper by SPAX. Since I couldn't find a SPAX distrubutor at the time, I went with the Koni Yellows; they were superb.

---
*Footnote: In general, I'm an advocate of true coilover suspensions, where the springs and dampers are designed for one another by the same company.

[fyvve]

Awesome advice, thank you very much. So i found these on ebay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KYB-G...spagenameZWDVW
What do you think of those for stock springs? And by the way, if my struts are bad, does that mean my springs may be bad too?

[fyvve]

Oh and one other problem: I was having the struts replaced a while back but the guy ran into some problem. I cant remember what it was but it seems like he was saying that something was fused to something and that he couldnt fix it. Does taht ring any bells for anyone here?

[TheOtherDave™]

Originally Posted by fyvve

Oh and one other problem: I was having the struts replaced a while back but the guy ran into some problem. I cant remember what it was but it seems like he was saying that something was fused to something and that he couldnt fix it. Does taht ring any bells for anyone here?

That could be any one of a number of things.

It could be a bumpstop fused to a piston.
It could even be a knackered spring fused to the lower spring seat.
It could be a suspension bushing fused to a control arm bolt.

For those who buy the $199 "coilover" sleeves from eBay, it could be the spring perches jammed against the threaded sleeve. Or the sleeve fused to the body of the damper. (Note: eBay "bargains" are rarely worth the hassle.)

All of these are fixable... to varying levels of expense.
Is there an immediate problem with the car that prevents you from installing new dampers?

[fyvve]

Originally Posted by TheOtherDave™

That could be any one of a number of things.

It could be a bumpstop fused to a piston.
It could even be a knackered spring fused to the lower spring seat.
It could be a suspension bushing fused to a control arm bolt.

For those who buy the $199 "coilover" sleeves from eBay, it could be the spring perches jammed against the threaded sleeve. Or the sleeve fused to the body of the damper. (Note: eBay "bargains" are rarely worth the hassle.)

All of these are fixable... to varying levels of expense.
Is there an immediate problem with the car that prevents you from installing new dampers?

Yes, the "fused" problem i was talking about did prevent me from getting the new struts then. The guy doing the work was a local repair shop and i dont think he wanted to do the job in the first place so i wasnt surprised when he said there was nothing he could do about the fused bits. He didnt say there was nothing that could be done just taht there was nothing he could do. As for your ideas the one about the suspension bushing being fused to the control arm bolt seems to ring a bell a little bit, still not sure though. I dont have anything non stock on my car so i dont think its the thing you mentioned about ebay bargains.

By the way the best any shop could offer me for oem struts was 109 a piece which works out to $440 total for all four. So i am thinking those on ebay, the gr-2s are the way to go for me since they are only 200 and you guys say they will go nice with my stock springs. That sound right?