Nothing serious should go wrong, they will just wear out faster than if you were running stock springs.

My stock shocks were so bad at 125k miles that the car would sometimes rock back and forth after hitting left or right side bumps.

If you don't want to go all out on the Konis, you could try KYB Adjustables, about $400 for a set.

 

These x2 and These x2 are what I would need if I went Koni, correct? Those are $800 on that site, not exactly as bad but still expensive.

What is wrong with the KYB shocks below them? -- Are the Konis just better quality?


I can get the KYB AGX Adjustables for $358 before shipping+taxes...seems way better than $800 to my wallet.

 

I purchased SLP Bilsteins from WS6store.com, and my car is lowered about 1.5". I'm pretty satisfied with what I have so far. Just remember that if you do lower your car, you will need an adjustable panhard bar and LCA relocation brackets.

 

How do they ride? Day and night compared to stock or just alright? Was your car lowered before or after?

See, mine was already lowered, so I'm not sure what it has besides the stuff in the records like the weld-in subframe connectors.

 

The Konis will be better build quality, and adjustable compression and rebound independently; the KYB AGX only have one dial for both together.

Whatever you get you should notice a significant improvement over the stock shocks.

If I had an SS, I would put Konis on it.

 

Grand Total:

$834.44


You ***holes are going to make me spend $850! I've got it, but damn that is a lot of cash to spend for this. Plus I don't even know if I'll be able to install them myself! Come on Tirerack, you could at least give free shipping for Memorial Day.

 

I think that ride quality perhaps decreased somewhat, but not a lot after installing my Bilsteins. It's hard for me to say, because I wasn't driving my car a lot before the install.

And you shouldn't have to spend $850:

WS6 Store - Your #1 Source for F-body Performance Parts and Accessories $387.95

1982 - 2002 GM F-Body On-Car Adjustable Panhard Bar with Poly Bushings - Founders Performance LLC $72.65

1982-2002 Chevrolet Camaro Firebird Lower Control Arms - Founders Performance LLC $59

Lower Control Arms Relocation Brackets - Founders Performance LLC $47.25

And you said your car is already lowered? Just use the springs you have now.

 

Since you have lowering springs, you really need to go with adjustable shocks -- Koni SAs. You can go with the SLP Bilsteins, but they are not valved to handle any other non-SLP-Eibach set of springs, and they will wear prematurely. So depending on how long you keep the car, you may have to replace them again.

Best bet, phone Strano at stranoparts.com tell him what you have and your goals and listen to his advice.

Bottom line -- get rid of your stock shocks no matter what you do! They are the weakest part of 4th Gen suspension! How many miles on your car? All those problems you complained about with passengers and bumps are due to you worn shocks and lowering springs. A Koni can properly control a lowering spring and you can dial it in to the desired setting -- this is what you want. It is worth the $.

 

I asked Sam Strano, and he said that Koni's are the best bet yes, but if you don't want to dish out that much money, SLP Bilsteins are the 2nd best choice. The other potential problem with adjustable shocks comes from the rear. In order to actually get at the top of the shocks to adjust them, you will either have to rip apart your interior whenever you want to adjust, or you will have to cut holes in your upholstery.

 

Why would you buy an SS and then put lackluster KYBs on it? These are what you want Koni 8241 Single Adjustable Sport Shocks:

Strano Performance Parts - Part Details

Also be sure your lowering springs are not sagging, since if they are you want to replace them at the time you do your shocks. If you want to stay with lowering springs, I would look into Stranos:

http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=113&ModelID=7