[hottrodd]

I've started driving my Gto after just finishing it, but I really !!! Don't like the soft ride( have original spring, new sensa trac shocks) what should I do to stiffen the ride? Change springs? Or put stiffer shocks?

[1969GTO]

I like the KYB gas shocks on my 69 GTO

[chrisp]

Front 1 1/4" sway bar [1970-81 F-body direct bolt in ], add rear bar if not there . KYB are like rocks , Billstein is a better ride in my opinion .

[1969GTO]

Originally Posted by chrisp

Front 1 1/4" sway bar [1970-81 F-body direct bolt in ], add rear bar if not there . KYB are like rocks , Billstein is a better ride in my opinion .

remember...that's just your opinion......in mine-KYB are great on a heavy car

[geeteeohguy]

Since you have the original 46 year old springs, new springs would be a great place to start.

[GT182]

If you don't want to add a rear swaybar you could add airshocks and or airbags. I have both on my 66 and I like the ride. Plus I have a 1-1/4" swaybar on the front. The car handles great.

[Old Blue 66]

Monroe shocks are soft. Try the new springs and get the KYB's. If you have a lot of lift in the car, yo may need to go with the KYB's for big Ponticas. To make the ride perfect, if you have the cash, the suggestions about sway bars are the next step.

If you want a hard ride, I have a pretty new set of air shocks Ill give away.

[Mr_GTO]

New springs, Bilstein shocks. KYB are junk. They are just a cheap replacement shock. Horrible.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by hottrodd

I've started driving my Gto after just finishing it, but I really !!! Don't like the soft ride( have original spring, new sensa trac shocks) what should I do to stiffen the ride? Change springs? Or put stiffer shocks?

The springs control the ride height - if you like the stance the car has now - leave the springs alone. New OEM type replacement springs will most always raise the car higher than you want it .

Variable rate springs can change the "handling" in ways if you are going for auto-cross type handling. Sway bars are in the handling department too.

Sounds like you just need some firmer valved shocks.
Try and buy shocks from a company with an open return policy.
Try and buy from a local retailer so you don't have to pay shipping returns and can deal with them face to face.

Adjustable rate shocks would be best bet for tailored satisfaction - but they cost about double or triple of most common "one rate fits all" shocks.
Sensa-Trac is a soft shock in most all applications.

[Nicks67GTO]

-Make sure you have a nice block of time set aside and call Marc @ SC&C....

- http://scandc.com/new/

-Tell him what you have and what you want to accomplish
-Get out your credit card
-Buy the stuff and enjoy

He wont try to over sell you on anything, he is a wealth of suspension information and the guy will talk your ear off. I mean it when I say that you need to set aside some time. My first call was 1 hour 45 minutes.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Mr_GTO

New springs, Bilstein shocks. KYB are junk. They are just a cheap replacement shock. Horrible.

Im sure that the tons of people on the board here will disagree. Im one of them. They work very well.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

The springs control the ride height - if you like the stance the car has now - leave the springs alone. New OEM type replacement springs will most always raise the car higher than you want it .

Variable rate springs can change the "handling" in ways if you are going for auto-cross type handling. Sway bars are in the handling department too.

Sounds like you just need some firmer valved shocks.
Try and buy shocks from a company with an open return policy.
Try and buy from a local retailer so you don't have to pay shipping returns and can deal with them face to face.

Adjustable rate shocks would be best bet for tailored satisfaction - but they cost about double or triple of most common "one rate fits all" shocks.
Sensa-Trac is a soft shock in most all applications.

The fact that they are 46 years old might be part of the problem here. Springs don't just add right height. They work in unison with the shocks.

[Mr_GTO]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Im sure that the tons of people on the board here will disagree. Im one of them. They work very well.

And I would say that those of us that have used both KYB and Bilsteins on the same vehicle would take Bilsteins 10 out of 10 times.

[1969GTO]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Im sure that the tons of people on the board here will disagree. Im one of them. They work very well.

Add me to the TONS OF

[geeteeohguy]

I usually agree with Mr GTO, but not this time. Been running the same KYB's on my '67 since '84 and I love them. They are excellent shocks.

[67GTONUT]

Originally Posted by hottrodd

I've started driving my Gto after just finishing it, but I really !!! Don't like the soft ride( have original spring, new sensa trac shocks) what should I do to stiffen the ride? Change springs? Or put stiffer shocks?

I think all the above advice is good...... but I think we tend to overthink things also....

He said he "finished" the GTO, and also said the monroe's were "new", so I am gonna assume if it needed springs, that they are also good....

So I will just put my vote in for KYB's if on a budget, and Bilstein's if you want to cry once, pay once....

[arbys]

I put the KYB's on mine and am totally satisfied.

I'm kind of surprised that there haven't been any snide remarks yet.

[rohrt]

Originally Posted by Nicks67GTO

-Make sure you have a nice block of time set aside and call Marc @ SC&C....

- http://scandc.com/new/

-Tell him what you have and what you want to accomplish
-Get out your credit card
-Buy the stuff and enjoy

He wont try to over sell you on anything, he is a wealth of suspension information and the guy will talk your ear off. I mean it when I say that you need to set aside some time. My first call was 1 hour 45 minutes.

This is the plan I want to go with.

As for KYBs I think the differing opinion has to do with the matched spring application. I think if used with soft springs then they will improve the ride if more firmness is what your after. When used with stiff springs then it seems to much and rides like a hay rack.

[GT182]

KYBs are what I'm going with.

[1969GTO]

Originally Posted by rohrt

This is the plan I want to go with.

As for KYBs I think the differing opinion has to do with the matched spring application. I think if used with soft springs then they will improve the ride if more firmness is what your after. When used with stiff springs then it seems to much and rides like a hay rack.

I have the KYB's and the springs on my GTO are original [1969]