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-   -   Shock/Strut Recommendations (http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/259237-shock-strut-recommendations.html)

i-osprey 08-20-2009 02:58 PM
OK, this might be sacrilege but I am considering KYB GR-2 struts and shocks.

On fleabay, the KYB set is $226 including shipping and the Bilsteins are $469 including shipping.

I've read some good reviews on this product but I wanted to ask around here before I bought them.

The price is right and I know how good Bilsteins are. I just don't know if they're that much better.

pawoSD 08-20-2009 03:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by i-osprey (Post 2274767)
OK, this might be sacrilege but I am considering KYB GR-2 struts and shocks.

On fleabay, the KYB set is $226 including shipping and the Bilsteins are $469 including shipping.

I've read some good reviews on this product but I wanted to ask around here before I bought them.

The price is right and I know how good Bilsteins are. I just don't know if they're that much better.
Not worth it. Stick with Bilsteins. Since it is expensive. I did my rear shocks first....and now I am saving/waiting a while to do the front struts.

Don't forget that for the front struts you will need the strut mount pads too.

i-osprey 08-20-2009 03:32 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryBible (Post 2273464)
The 500E is a bolt in swap. In order to change the rear sway bar on the 124 cars, you have to unbolt the suspension mounts and lower the assembly a little to snake the old bar out and the new one in. You don't have to disconnect brake lines or anything like that, just lower it a bit, just enough to get the job done.

As I said before, I have stock springs and regular Bilstein Heavy Duty shocks all around. With the stock front sway bar and the 500E rear bar the car is amazing. The only regret I have is all the messing around I did in the course of discovering this. If I had it to do over, I would have bought a 500E rear sway bar the day I bought the car. I would have then simply maintained the suspension and made no other modifications.

I bought my 500E sway bar from FastLane. It cost a little over $200. That was a number of years ago, so I don't know what one would cost now.
OK, I just wanted to know if you bought new stock springs.

I have looked high and low for a 500E rear sway bar but I have only found one at the dealership. $300 something plus tax.

Anybody know of a salvage yard that might have one and would ship it to me?

I live in the Texas panhandle and I haven't found a salvage yard around here yet that has a W124 500E.

Hit Man X 08-20-2009 03:57 PM
KYB = Keep Your Bilsteins

LarryBible 08-20-2009 05:40 PM
osprey,

I used the 500E bar because it was available. There are heavy aftermarket bars available from companies like Eibach and H&R.

I would suggest that you go to the performance Forum or whatever it's called here and do a search. Several years ago, there was a spreadsheet available there with the diameters of the various 124 factory bars. Find out what diameter the 500E bar is and find a solid aftermarket bar that is AT LEAST that size.

sixto 08-20-2009 09:28 PM
I've regretted every KYB GR-2 replacement. I've never put them on an MB though.

sixto
87 300D

LarryBible 08-21-2009 01:45 PM
Yes in the course of my 124 suspension learning experience I went through a set of KYB's. They are durable and well made, but you could get the same effect by fabricating steel rods and putting them in the place of the shocks and struts.

babymog 08-21-2009 11:18 PM
I agree. My KYBs were fine at controlling the chassis, but made it ride like a Corvette (pickup truck).

i-osprey 08-22-2009 03:18 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by pawoSD (Post 2274778)
Not worth it. Stick with Bilsteins. Since it is expensive. I did my rear shocks first....and now I am saving/waiting a while to do the front struts.

Don't forget that for the front struts you will need the strut mount pads too.
Do you mean the strut mount or something else?

i-osprey 08-22-2009 03:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by babymog (Post 2275872)
I agree. My KYBs were fine at controlling the chassis, but made it ride like a Corvette (pickup truck).
Did you have them on a W124?

Was it a 300D?

Was it uncomfortably stiff?

I will be driving almost exclusively on the highway and I am becoming very cheap.

I will also have to replace the strut mounts so I am trying to cut costs as much as possible.

Has anybody ever used Sachs-boge replacements?

Are they any good?

i-osprey 08-22-2009 03:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by sixto (Post 2275033)
I've regretted every KYB GR-2 replacement. I've never put them on an MB though.

sixto
87 300D
I put a set of KYB Monomax on my '98 Jeep Cherokee and I really liked the results.

I am getting nose dive on braking and a really wallowy ride.

I haven't had a bad experience with KYB but I haven't put them on a MB either.

i-osprey 08-22-2009 03:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by sixto (Post 2275033)
I've regretted every KYB GR-2 replacement. I've never put them on an MB though.

sixto
87 300D
What didn't you like about them?

babymog 08-22-2009 03:27 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by i-osprey (Post 2276226)
Did you have them on a W124?

Was it a 300D?

Was it uncomfortably stiff?
It was an '87 300D (W124), and it was IMO uncomfortably stiff with high-end Goodyear / stock size 195s.

My current 124 with OE shocks and 215/55-VR16 Michelins rides MUCH better and handles better FWIW.

pawoSD 08-22-2009 05:27 PM
I used Bilstein comforts/OEM on the back of my W124, I think it rides very nice.

I am not sure about the front struts...they should probably be replaced, but they don't seem to be "all the way dead"....you can't make the car bounce up front....one of them is slightly leaking some oil though, so they are probably just about shot.

LarryBible 08-22-2009 05:36 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by i-osprey (Post 2276226)
Did you have them on a W124?

Was it a 300D?

Was it uncomfortably stiff?

I will be driving almost exclusively on the highway and I am becoming very cheap.

I will also have to replace the strut mounts so I am trying to cut costs as much as possible.

Has anybody ever used Sachs-boge replacements?

Are they any good?


As I said in an earlier post, KYB's on a W124, I don't care what engine it has in it, will make you think you mounted steel rods in place of the shocks and struts. That car will jar your teeth out.

I have no doubts that KYB's on a truck or Jeep would be okay, but BELIEVE ME, don't try them on a W124. Been there, done that!


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