KYB Shocks

[europower]

How does the KYB shocks compare to say Bilstein or Boge?

[sixto]

Here's some reading for you - http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=259237

Sixto
87 300D

[i-osprey]

I'll summarize my experience with them as my conclusions are a bit drawn out on that thread.

I used the KYB GR-2 struts and the KYB Gas-A-Just shocks on the rear.

Apparently, there is no KYB GR-2 shock.

I bought the set expecting there to be but I received the Gas-A-Just for ther rear.

They are excellent.

Once I deflated my tires to the manufacturer's recommended psi for front and rear I was very pleased.

I will also say that the full effect wasn't achieved until I also replaced the steering damper.

With all that done and some new strut mounts I highly recommend the KYB option.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

My KYB experience -
I put KYBs on my '72 250 many years ago. They rode hard and the front's lower mount loosened up causing a severe rattle. Replaced with Bilsteins.
Installed KYBs on a friends '87 300SE. They rode hard but my friend liked them. Otherwise, they lasted until he got rid of the car.
I put KYB Gas-Adjust all round on my '87 Isuzu Pickup. They worked fine for that vehicle. But the OE shocks were already non-gas KYBs.
My recently purchased '82 240D came with Gas-Adjust KYBs on the front. With new Michelins, properly inflated, they ride hard. Plus they're badly rusted, so I paid $80 for a pair of new Bilsteins, from a friend who sold a 300CD without using them. Haven't installed them on the 240D yet so I don't know how different they may perform.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[Ramblin]

My experience with KYB shocks has been horrible..They don't last nearly as long as other brands mentioned above. Who wants to change shocks every couple of years!!!!!!

[t walgamuth]

They work fine for a while but in my experience they are shot after 30K miles, so who can afford to fool around with the POS even if they are lifetime warrenty?

[JimmyL]

Keep
Your
Bilsteins

Long term, they blow......

[europower]

Is there any way to tell the difference between the Bilsteins hd and or comfort?
I mean on a w123 in the rear.
Thanks to all for the input, i just did kyb on the w116 and they did feel a little better than the older Bilsteins but thats about the only model i have tried them on so ill leave it at that based on everyones input, i do not really want to get in there any time soon.

[gerkebi]

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Keep
Your
Bilsteins

Long term, they blow......

+1

[pixelsblack009]

KYB Shocks on a W115 did not seem that good to me feels kinda hard and its very rough I think they are japanese I would go for Bilstein something with more reputation I guess specially for a benz but thats just me and it was a 115

[sixto]

Maybe Bilstein used a different color for comfort and HD shocks in the 123.

Sixto
87 300D

[Brandon_SLC]

I've had great luck with KYB's. One of my cars has a set with 130k miles on them. You can bounce the car as hard as you can muster, and it settles down in 3 motions (1 1/2 bounces). About the same as most brand new Buicks. To most people that would still be acceptable, but that's about where I replace them. I like a hard riding car, so I've never had a complaint about the way they ride. In the last 25 years, I've only had one fail. And that was after hitting a giant pothole at 75 in my Lexus.

I bought a set for my 240D (still not installed). I bought them on sale last year, and paid less than $200.00 for a set of 4. My car will never be a show car or bring a lot of money from a collector, so I don't see the point in putting the best of everything in a car worth under $2000.
If I had a show piece I would spend the bucks to keep the car closer to original. All of my Mercedes came with shocks made by Sachs or Boge, as far as I can tell. I've never had a car with Bilsteins, so I don't have an opinion. What I do know is a set of 4 Bilsteins cost more than twice as much as KYB's, and I've always been happy with the KYB's I've owned.

The reports I hear about early failure don't fit my experiences with KYBs. If a car has been lowered or has sagging springs, perhaps the shocks are bottoming in severe circumstances.

[babymog]

I put KYBs on a 124, probably around 2years ago, drove it about a year with them.

I have no complaint on longevity, at least through that period, but did feel that they were too harsh (little cracks and joints would jar me). Not as nice a ride as original.

I do like the factory Bilstein jack, ...

[babyjames]

On the '83 I have KYB's on the front, HD's on the rear (with wagon springs). I'm very happy with the way the car rides and handles. On the 123's, the shocks are really (REALLY!) easy to change. The Japanese shocks have been on there for a couple years, now, and are still doing great. This car is something of a garage queen though, as I only drive it from July to October, and only occasionally, then.

When it comes time to replace the dampers on the front of the 124, though, I'm going to use HD's. As the job is quite a bit more involved, I want to put the Bilsteins on and forget about them for 10 years....

Jay.

[Gurkha]

Tokico are the high performance options from Japan, in terms of life, I fully disagree with Billstein being superior. Having tried both KYB and Billstein, I would say they are equal give or take 1%. KYB is OEM to most Japanese vehicles so if they did blow, Japanese vehicles would be rated quite poor in that case. Tokico and Billstein Sports are neck to neck and Tockico's offer on dash adjustment of damping, spring rates etc.

http://www.hitachi-hap-la.com/tokicogasshocks/