Shock recommendations

[Mhoop]

Hello everyone! I’m needing to replace the shocks on on 72 coupe. It has a stock 302. What does everyone recommend for just a good replacement shock? I need to replace front and rear. I’m not needing a high performance option, just a good factory replacement. Thanks in advance!

 

[Hemikiller]

KYB Excel-G are a good factory replacement shock. If you want a firmer ride, then try the KYB Gas-a -justs.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...cid+v8,1132849,suspension,shock+absorber,7556

 

[71coop]

I ran the KYB Gas-A-Just shacks for a while, they are pretty good. I thought they provided a better ride as they "warmed up" while driving - seemed a little soft when starting cold, but improved with use.

I now use the Bilstein's from opentracker, and the ride is only a little stiffer, but not so soft as the KYBs when cold. I like them. If I where you, I'd try to GAS-A-Just shocks (cheaper and good all-round performance) to see if you like them, just for starters. The cost was very reasonable.

 

[mjseakan]

I put the KYB Excel-G on mine a couple of years age and I'm happy with them.
Mike

 

[jpaz]

KYB Excel-G’s here too. I put them on a couple years ago and really like them.

 

[giantpune]

I've had the gas adjust on the back of mine for a long time. I can't complain about them, other than the added complexity of the hose and adjustment fitting. Its something else that can break.

 

[71ProjectJunk]

I am running the KYB Gas-A-Just and they are a fine shock.

 

[midlife]

A really good shock can be had by sticking your fingers into the wall socket...just sayin'....and it's free!

 

[rodgeydodge]

Hello, Roger here from Australia. I had Koni shock absorbers fitted all round. They are adjustable for damping and I have them on the middle setting and they work fine.
They cost about $1,000 here, so you guys should be able to get them for about 2 bucks fifty . . . . just kidding.

 

[Justin71]

Hello, Roger here from Australia. I had Koni shock absorbers fitted all round. They are adjustable for damping and I have them on the middle setting and they work fine.
They cost about $1,000 here, so you guys should be able to get them for about 2 bucks fifty . . . . just kidding.

They even let us go outside and drive our cars around here in Texas! Hope you are gonna get to do that again soon down there in Aussie land!

 

[giantpune]

They even let us go outside and drive our cars around here in Texas! Hope you are gonna get to do that again soon down there in Aussie land!

Thats just helping him keep the miles off it.

 

[rodgeydodge]

Hey! Things are good here in Oz. The borders between States have re-opened (except for Western Australia) and International visitors are now welcome again: even Texans . . . . actually, especially, Texans. Not that it was ever a problem to go for a drive here in Queensland. Cairns is a thousand miles North of where I live in Brisbane (which is near the New South Wales border) and Birdsville is a thousand miles West and you haven't left the state. So there is plenty of dirt and bitumen in between.
I was talking to a Holley salesman in the USA some years ago and he said that the news there showed some extensive flooding in the state of Queensland. I emailed him back and told him we had an area the size of California and Nevada under water; admittedly not very deep in parts though. He wrote back a day or so later saying "California and Nevada ???!!!???!!!". I replied and said that it was still raining and he could add Utah to the total. Six months later, the water finally arrived at the Murray River in South Australia.
Notwithstanding that, we do have some nice drives around Brisbane to the Mountains and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.
The Pommies have no idea how big Australia is (pronounced Straylya). When I was there, one guy said he wanted to visit and experience the outback and see Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, Cairns and Longreach. He wanted to hire a car and drive to these places. He figured it was a long way so he had allowed a whole long weekend for the trip. The round trip would be 4,700 miles: duh!
Stay safe guys.

 

[Robsweden]

Im running qa1 shocks, great upgrade.

 

[droptop73]

The QA1 Stocker stars? Single or double adjustable?

 

[Robsweden]

The QA1 Stocker stars? Single or double adjustable?

Single

 

[giantpune]

Single

Which model numbers did you use? I'm looking at the QA1 and see they have a couple different options for the front and back on our cars.

Edit -
I got off the phone with QA1 support. They say the model TS601 fit the back of our cars and TS402 fit the front. For stock height cars. They didn't specify exactly what "stock height" is. Our cars had various stock heights from the factory depending on the options.

 

[Robsweden]

I used, I also haive 1 inch lowering springs in front and stock rear leaf springs with Energy suspension shackels.

 

[Otto]

I originally used KYB gas charged shocks. I'm glad I switched them out because they ended up cracking the top shock mount area. Around that time I also watched a video from Eaton explaining how our cars were designed to use regular hydraulic shocks and should only use these. I switched to QA1 non adjustable front and back along with new springs (1 inch drop front, 5 leaf rear) and the car handled amazing. At least until I started tracking it (road track) and wanted adjustability. I bit the bullet and bought double adjustable Viking front and back. That was one of the best things I've done. If you just want superior but comfortable handling for the street, I would recommend the QA1 non adjustable. They really are great shocks. Plus, if you don't need the adjustability, why pay extra for it.

 

[detritusmaximus]

I originally used KYB gas charged shocks. I'm glad I switched them out because they ended up cracking the top shock mount area. Around that time I also watched a video from Eaton explaining how our cars were designed to use regular hydraulic shocks and should only use these. I switched to QA1 non adjustable front and back along with new springs (1 inch drop front, 5 leaf rear) and the car handled amazing. At least until I started tracking it (road track) and wanted adjustability. I bit the bullet and bought double adjustable Viking front and back. That was one of the best things I've done. If you just want superior but comfortable handling for the street, I would recommend the QA1 non adjustable. They really are great shocks. Plus, if you don't need the adjustability, why pay extra for it.

KYB gas charged or KYB Gas-Adjust? Was it in back or front that it cracked the mount? What color were they?

I had heard a long time ago that some owners liked the stiffer KYB Gas-Adjust up front and the softer KYB GR2 (now Excel-G) in the rear.

 

[Otto]

I don't remember the exact name. The KYB shocks I used were charged with nitrogen gas to reduce aeration and were white with orange decals at the time I bought them. These are the kind of shocks that extend on their own, and they have to be compressed to install. Regular hydraulic shocks don't extend on their own. After my experience with both types, I prefer hydraulic, especially when it comes to handling.