[Terry M. Hunt]

I installed GasAdjust shocks on my 65 Catalina 2+2 and my 65 GTO. I know things like ride quality/harshness are very subjective and hard to describe, but both cars(esp the GTO) seem to transmit every pebble they roll over into the interior. The ride just doesn’t seem smooth, quiet, not harsh, etc. The KYB web site describes two different classes of shocks that they make. Excel G is described as OEM and GasAdjust is described as an upgrade. Interesting that our host doesn’t offer the Excel G. I’ve read a lot on line about the GasAdjust being 10% stiffer than OEM and various people’s comments on how they ride., etc. , etc. In the near future I will be selecting shocks for my 66 GTO convertible. I’m thinking of picking the Excel G this time to wind up with a smoother ride. Have any of you guys used these and how would you describe the ride? The convertible is undergoing a frame off restoration, so everything on the suspension will be new and stock.

[The Champ]

If you don't like what KYB considers their "upgraded" shocks, why would you want to go with their lower end units?

Plenty of folks here have put Koni's (I have Koni's on the GTO) or Bilstein's on and like them. I haven't heard of many that are happy with their KYB's.

Just a thought.

[78w72]

i dont have kyb on a classic car but do run the excel g on a 4th gen 4runner & they have a very good OEM type ride, firm & stable on the bouncy dips but soft on the pot holes & hard bumps.

the excel g are 10% stiffer than stock according to kyb tech dept i spoke to when i asked about the gas adjust vs the excel g, they didnt mention a % for the gas a just, just that they were a beefier shock than stock or the excel g & would have a stiffer ride. the front shocks on a 4runner are a coil over design & the spring is 10% stiffer than stock as well as the valving in the shock. after 2+years with the excel g i am very happy with the ride quality, not overly firm or harsh at all & with a lifetime warranty they are hard to beat at their lower price point.

if you just want a smooth ride & dont care too much about performance, maybe try a OEM type gabriel or monroe, they are priced low & i have them on 2 of my 2nd gen trans ams for 10+ years that are only street cars & they have a nice comfortable ride, but the more expensive koni or bilstein are great for performance with a little harsher ride & are expensive. so really comes down to what your goals are for the car, if just street driven or highway cruiser id try the excel g or other brands of OEM type shocks. i also have a set of summit adjustable shocks on another 2nd gen street/strip/road car, they work great on the street & decent at the drag strip on the soft setting but handle/corner very well on the medium to firm settings. also priced very good & gives you a range of adjustment to see what you like best.

as for why he would want the lower end units, sounds like he wants a softer & less harsh ride than the gas adjust & the excel g are "softer" from what ive read for most other vehicles, cant comment on how they compare for classic cars but should be the same as suv/trucks.

[chrisp]

KYB ride is very stiff , go with a stock shock.

[1965gp]

I went with what Ames sells (not KYB- had those on my 65 and was not happy) which I think are Koni? I put them on my 66 GTO post and love the ride they provide

[Tim john]

I had KYB Gas-Adjust's on my 67 GTO and also found them to be too stiff.

Tim john---

[Tim john]

I have Koni (Red) on the front and JRI in the rear. Both purchased through DSE (Detroit Speed and Engineering). DSE has specific valving in the two mentioned. Very pleased with the ride and handling. Give DSE a call to discuss your needs.

Tim john---

[David Jones]

I swapped from KYB's to Bilstein's and found the ride to be smoother with the Bilstein's

[Goatracer1]

KYB states that their Gas Adj shocks ARE X firm

[Cardo]

Very subjective... I like them a lot. I know that i prefer a little bit tighter ride than stock though. Interesting.

[78w72]

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

KYB states that their Gas Adj shocks ARE X firm

what exactly is "X" firm?

[roger1]

I have the Gas-A-Just shocks on my El Camino and I really like them. Best ride I've ever had with the car and I've owned it over 25 years. Stock front and rear springs with Air Lift air bags installed in the rear.
I am going to go with the same setup in my '69 GTO project.

[389]

I always buy Bilstines but I may try some of the new offerings out there...

[Goatracer1]

Extra firm. Don’t be a wise guy

[NeighborsComplaint]

KYB Excel G's on mine. Mine rides comfortably with none of that jarring "track car" feel. I wanted a firm, comfortable ride with good stability but supple over uneven payment and potholes. I have tubular control arms all the way around with poly bushings out back and Del-a-lum's up front and upsized sway bars front and rear so directional stability is improved and the shocks just soak up the bumps without being too soft. I probably could have been happy with the KYB Gas Adjust too but I really do like the ride in mine.

[78w72]

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

Extra firm. Don’t be a wise guy

wasnt being a wise guy at all, was a legitimate question. usually "X" is followed by a number like X2 or X3. didnt know what X firm meant, so i asked.

when i talked to KYB about their shocks i was given a specific percentage, they stated the excel g shocks were 10% firmer than stock valving & on their coil over shocks i bought for an SUV they say 10% stiffer springs.

[jreynolds]

I just did the excel-g all around on a 69 GTO. Kinda wish I would have gone with the gas-a-just. Pretty floaty, OEM-like ride. I thought it would be firmer coming from worn out Monroes.

Not unhappy, just thought it would tighten it up a bit more.

[JLMounce]

One of the inherent idea flaws with shocks is that they should be used to add stiffness or reduce stiffness anywhere in the car. If the shock is creating stiffness it's simply the wrong shock for the application. Instead the shock should be designed to allow the spring and suspension package to articulate properly while damping its compression and rebound from oscillation.

As an example, the shock should not be used to try and keep a car off it's bump stops through excessive compression damping. That's the spring's job and a car that bottoms out often, needs more spring rate, not more compression damping. On the opposite side of that a car that "floats" typically does not have enough rebound damping. Ideally you want a shock that under most driving conditions will allow the car to compress, take a set and return to it's ride height in one cycle. That's not practically possible unless you're on perfectly flat pavement and there's only ever a single bump, but it's the goal.

Modern valving philosophy places more emphasis on rebound damping than it does on compression damping. As I mentioned before, you use spring rate to slow the compression of the suspension in bump, and rebounding damping to allow the suspension to relax back to it's static ride height without slowing it too quickly to cause jitter and a compression stack, or too slowly which creates floatiness as the car hits is droop stops and is forced in to compression.

Here's a look at the double adjustable Verishock dyno graph. You can plainly see that this modern valved shock places much of it's emphasis on rebound damping compared to compression damping.


Additionally, modern cars have replaced bump and droop stops with progressive rate jounce bumpers. These are cellulose foam that compress and add wheel rate as it's compressed, but does not "spring" the suspension in the opposite direction. SPC makes these that will fit stock or aftermarket control arms for most GM vehicles and they are about 15 bucks a piece. OEM's have NEVER used polyurethane in bumps stops for this very reason. They literally make bouncy balls out of that stuff. The only reason you find it in aftermarket suspension components is because in large enough quantities it's almost free. Don't put poly bump stops anywhere in your car.

All that said, how do you know what shock to buy then? If your car has a factory suspension and spring package, pick shocks that are designed to match the valving of the factory shocks. "Performance" oem based shocks are kind of designed around drag racing and so they'll lack rebound damping to help with weight transfer. Great if you're a drag racer, not so great for confidence inspiring handling on the street.

If you have or are considering going to an aftermarket spring package, I highly recommend buying a matched set of springs front and rear and when available, purchase the shocks that the company sells along with them. They are typically valved for the spring rate and a common care of that application. As an example if you purchase hotchkis springs front and rear, get their specifically valved bilstein shocks to go with it.

If you're already riding around on an aftermarket spring package and just need shocks, I like the Koni Classic (red) because it does offer some adjustment which can help tailor itself to your specific vehicle and it's characteristic. The bilstein HD is also a good choice in this application.

[roger1]

When it comes to shocks, My opinion is that there is a difference between firm and harsh. To me harsh comes from springs that are more stiff and not from shocks. Harsh causes rattles that makes a car seem even more harsh. You can ride in a car that rattles and perceive that it rides rough. Ride in that same car with all the rattles fixed and it will seem like it rides smooth.

It is a fact that a mono-tube shock dampens better than a twin-tube design does. The only relatively inexpensive mono-tube shock on the market is the KYB gas-a-just.
https://www.strutmasters.com/the-dif...notube-shocks/

[RocktimusPryme]

You can add me to the list of people who arent happy with KYBs. If you have wiped 40 year old shocks and just want something cheap? Sure. But they ride like a log truck.

I had cheap KYBs all around. Switched to Bilsteins in the front and its a night and day difference. Need to put some better shocks in the back too.