If anyone is considering KYB replacement shocks, DON'T!!!

Less than 8 months ago I put new rear shocks on. Guess what, one of them is already dead. They have a lifetime warranty, BUT, with Advance auto parts you can't claim the warranty unless you go back to the same store. I'm used to Autozone and Checker where all of my Warranty information is stored under my phone #, so I didn't save the receipt.
Advance auto parts won't warranty them.
My tough luck I guess.

BTW - FREE to anyone who wants to pay the freight for 1 good rear KYB shock

I had KYB's on my Lincoln Town Car for a long time. I eventually failed the front ones, but I was driving to and from work on a 10-mile dirt road at speeds up to 70.

They were also really stiff, which was what the Town Car needed, but I wouldn't put them on a Benz, since they ride a lot stiffer to begin with. The general consensus on here is that Bilsteins are the best. I haven't tried them yet, but I probably will soon, since my 240 needs shocks.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

We already have "KYB" as an acronym around here.






...................."keep your Bilsteins".............

A set came on my Corvette when I bought it and I figured the KYB was for "kick your butt" because they're so stiff!

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I replaced the rear struts on my Soob with KYB's. I have no complaints.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

I had kybs many years ago on my saab 99. gas filled. they were fine till they wore out, then they lost all shocking ability in an instant. The rear would start coming around on the concrete bridges with the little drainage grooves as if it were ice. very disconcerting at 65 mph.

I have never had any complaints with bilsteins on my benzes.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

KYB's are ok... but nothing beats Bilsteins for the MB's....

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the sooner you start... the sooner you'll get done If it ain't broke, don't fix it.. Its always simpler to tell the truth...
2007 Honda Accord EX
2007 Honda Accord SE V6
96 C220
97 Explorer - Found Another Home
2000 Honda Accord V6 - Found Another Home
85 300D - Found Another Home
84 300D - Found Another Home
80 300TD - Found Another Home
Previous cars:
96 Caravan
87 Camry
84 Cressida
82 Vanagon
80 Fiesta
78 Nova
Ford Cortina
Opel Kadet
68 Kombi
Contessa

I have a new set of KYBs on one of my '87s, seems to ride a bit harsh for a 124 but no other complaints.

I'd rather have Bilsteins. I also have a new pair of externally-adjustable Konis for the front, but I'm afraid that they might ride harsher still, even on the softest setting. Anyone have any experience with them?

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

So, now within a month, my Durango has a bad shock.
I just put 4 new shocks on the Durango this summer!
And these shocks are Monroe. So, this makes me think that it must be something I am doing.
I do live on dirt roads, which ocasionally can have washboards. But, come on, am I just having a stroke of bad luck?
Do you guys have any input on what kills shocks pre-maturely?

I feel like somebody up there is out for me!!!

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1980 300SD W116 - Daily driver. 362,800 miles and counting. (about 100 miles / day) -- on hold, have a ticking vacuum pump. New one on the way.

I just put two "Gas-A-Just" KYB's on the rear of China.

China engine replacement 1980 240D

I got them free in the trunk of another 240D I bought so I had nothing to lose. I would NEVER buy any shocks for these other than Bilsteins.......

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I've seen two things cause premature shock failure. The first and more common is overheating. This happens when you run a suspension over rough surfaces and cause the shocks to work so much that they build up heat faster than they can get rid of it. Cheap shocks (like the base Monroes) will often fail as low as 200 degrees. I've seen some more expensive shocks continue to work (for a little while) at over 300. You can get temperature-sensitive stickers that change color at specified temperatures to determine how hot your shocks are getting.

The other thing that fails a shock in a hurry is exceeding its mechanical limits. This was demonstrated very clearly on a vehicle I was testing when the manufacturer decided to try a different shock and mistakenly used one that was a little too short. Said shock was promptly ripped in half as soon as the vehicle went to full rebound.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

The monroe shocks that I have on the Durango weren't the cheapest, but also not the most expensive. Luckily, they do have a lifetime warranty.

The KYB shocks that failed on my mercedes were the cheapest.

In both cases, the fluid has leaked out of the shock. I am wondering if the dirt (from the dirt roads) manages to get around the seals and thereby letting the fluid leak out

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1980 300SD W116 - Daily driver. 362,800 miles and counting. (about 100 miles / day) -- on hold, have a ticking vacuum pump. New one on the way.

Put whatever you want on Durangos, Saabs, Corvettes and Yugos, but the best shock for an MB (not the cheapest or trendist) is Bilstein. Comforts for the sedans and wagons and HD's for the coupes.
And change them every 80-90K miles.

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Houston, Texas
1984 300CD 235K miles, Elvira, one owner
1987 300TD 180K miles
1974 TR6 78K miles Sarah Jane, one owner
OBK #27

Dirt on the shaft will usually just get pushed off by the wiper seal, at least until it wears the wiper seal down. When a shock overheats, it tends to melt the seals (and sometimes the valves too) resulting in the shock puking oil.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I guess that means I either have to keep replacing them (free but takes a lot of time if it's 2 to 3 times a year), or buy the most expensive ones and hope they don't die.

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1980 300SD W116 - Daily driver. 362,800 miles and counting. (about 100 miles / day) -- on hold, have a ticking vacuum pump. New one on the way.