Shock/coilover Reccomendations

[mr_squiggle_1]

Hey guys, my 4 Door Gts R32's front shocks have just about died on me, theres a fair bit of klunking etc coming from the front. Im looking at options to replace these, and whether its worth spending the extra money for coilovers or putting some pretty standard shocks in for now.

In the future i will definately be getting coilovers for the car (less than a year i guess), these seem to be the obvious choice but i havent found many sets of coilovers on the site. I have looked at Sydney Kid's bilstein and whiteline packages and wanted to know whether using these sort of shocks are better price and performance wise to say a set of tein coilovers for example.

What are your experiences with coilovers and shocks and what do you prefer/reccomend and what price do they go for approximately? oh yeah and where could i find them? Also wondering whether its worth buying all four or just the fronts for now, suggestions also welcome.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Steve.

[salad]

I think you will find the general consensus with everyone that has tried the Bilsteins is that they are quite good. If you read through the groupbuys for all the models, you will find a lot of people have gone from Teins and the like and are extremely happy with them, much more comfortable and better handling.

If I were you, I'd go the Bilsteins. I have them in my 32, but coilover kitted with race coils and revalved. I have never driven on anything like them, and I've had Tanabes, Teins, Cuscos and driven on HSDs once.

[mr_squiggle_1]

Thanks for your help. I have just seen that in the group buys theres only one set of bilsteins left and i wont be able to purchase anything until after new year so my chances of grabbing them isnt too good, is there similar brands that are just as good? or where could i find more bilsteins?

Has anyone got any more advise which would be of help?

Thanks,

Steve.

[LBR33]

maybe u can send your current shocks to these guys http://www.shockreco.com.au/

[mr_squiggle_1]

thanks for the suggestion but id rather put something a bit lower in anyway.

Steve.

[Sydneykid]

Thanks for your help. I have just seen that in the group buys theres only one set of bilsteins left and i wont be able to purchase anything until after new year so my chances of grabbing them isnt too good, is there similar brands that are just as good? or where could i find more bilsteins?

Has anyone got any more advise which would be of help?

Thanks,

Steve.

Hi Steve, contact me when you are ready to go, I have the guys searching for some more R32GTST rear shocks around the Bilstein worldwide network. There are a few sets of fronts in stock at Bilstein Australia, so it is only rears that we need to find. Plus Bilstein Germany haven't published their full production schedule for early next year. So you never know your luck.

cheers

[R32 GT-R]

I have recently put a set bilsteins very similar to the SK group buy ones and although I have litlle experience with suspension I am very happy with them. I was recently talking to one of the guys at fulcrum suspenion to and he commented that for the price and, bolt in and work, they are very very good. I also have a mate with them in a s14 and he is also very happy with there performance.

[dangerous_daveo]

maybe u can send your current shocks to these guys http://www.shockreco.com.au/

Id go the bilsteins Thats from 1st hand experiences

Bang for buck the bilsteins are the way to go. Just look at the valve pics in Sydney Kids shock 101. You cant seriously think of going any other way after seeing that.

[mr_squiggle_1]

Im hearing very good things about these bilsteins, but are they as stiff as a set of coilovers? i have the intentions to maybe drift the car or do sprints in it in the future and from my experience with a few different silvias ive found that coilovers were the best hands down. As far as the shocks are concerned how do they improve the cars handling and how stiff and low it is? i would have thought that the springs mainly dictate this. Can i get some info on why these shocks are better, taking into account that id probly still be running stock springs and everything else for a while, would i see any improvement from that?

[mr_squiggle_1]

Ok i just read Sydney Kids lessons on shock absorbers and have a better idea of what is what, what are the pros and cons of the bilsteins and the pros and cons of a midrange priced coilover? A comparison may fix up my problem. I would still like to know whether installing the bilstein shocks while running stock springs etc will or will not make much of a difference to the performance in the way of handling and how rigid the car is though.

Cheers, Steve

[salad]

It will make a big difference compared to stock springs as you can lower it on the shock itself and the shock is MUUUUUUUUUCH better than stock. To control roll (what I assume you mean by rigidity) you also need upgraded swaybars, as that is their job, controlling roll. The Bilsteins will have less roll than stock shocks though as they have more low speed bump than stock shocks.

Most mid priced coilovers (mostly japanese) have very simplistic valving and this leads to inferior damping with excess harshness. Most of that is covered in SKs thread. They also have spring rates that are far too stiff.

[WazR32GTSt]

i run the SK bilstein shocks with stock springs

..and boy is it different to stock!

the car handles completely differently, plus i've had it setup 24mm lower than stock so it changes the look also

but the best part?

the ride comfort is no different to stock, because you still have the soft stock springs in there!

awesome upgrade!

[mr_squiggle_1]

Thanks for your help guys, i think these bilsteins are the way to go.

Cheers, Steve