JCheong04

I'm looking for some help in choosing the proper shock absorber to go with my ground control coilover conversion kit. I recently purchased a setup 2 years ago that included KYB AGX's paired with GC coilover sleeves (spring rate approx. 420/350) on a 1995 Nissan 200SX SE-R. After the initial setup by my local tuner garage, the drive was wonderful, it was very firm but still comfortable enough for my street driving. However, after only 40,000kms of daily street driving, always trying to avoid potholes etc... the KYB shocks have blown.

The car was lowered during the initial setup to 2.5 inches in the front and 1.6 in the rear. Were the KYB's not strong enough for the stiff spring rate I had? Is there a different shock like Koni or Bilstein that I should pair with the conversion kit that will last longer and stand up to the harsher than normal ride? Do I also require parts like new bump stops and top hats for a setup like this (my local garage said I didn't need any of it)? I'm just trying to get a professional opinion on why the AGX's that I purchased have blown so prematurely and if I want to replace them, what brand should I use?

Most likely I will send in the blown KYB's to see if they are covered under the limited lifetime warranty, but I will need to buy something new in the meantime while I ship those away.

Thanks for your help,

-Jason

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coors75

Your car was lowred= no warranty from kyb. Those rates are high for agx. Not sure what the max rates are but 350ish seems about the higher end. You are way too low in the front 1.5" drop max not only for bumpsteer and roll cemter but with stock le ght struts like the agx you would have had almost no susp travel in the front. This more than anything is why your susp blew so fast imho. Check out the csk threads to leqrn about koni inserts etc or get new agx and raise your ride height proper levels for a b14 chassis.

Dude just noticed you are from my hood. What shop are you gong too?

JCheong04

Hahaha nice, I went to Garage Five in Richmond. I'm pretty upset with them right now as they didn't tell me anything about lowering the car too much, or the high spring rates on the AGX's.

To me that doesn't make sense though with the warranty... a performance aftermarket shock can't handle a vehicle being lowered?? I just hate how the car sits extremely high like a monster truck on stock suspension heights...

What car do you have? Suspension set-up?

coors75

Garage Five is an excellent HONDA shop, some miata stuff too but they have, and know nothing, for our cars.

I have an NX2000 with agx with gc sleeves 350f/250/r. Lowered about an inch right now, though I will lower it another .5" in the summer.

The rule is no more than 1.5 lower than stock height unless you can do a buch of custom modification to the front suspension.

I still think (but I am not certain) your front rates are high for agx but if you raise the front 1" it may be fine. Your car will handle better too.

JCheong04

Hmmmm interesting to know. How long have you been going on your current setup? I think my front rates are also too high for the AGX's and might think about switching to Koni Yellow's for this coming spring/summer.

98sr20ve

You simply can not get AGX's to work properly with coilovers. ESPECIALLY, the standard coilover kit that GC sells. You need shortened struts. Read up on CSK and that long thread.

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Steve

06 G35 6MT

JCheong04

Okay, what is "CSK" ??

coors75

I had AGX/Road Magnets for about 2 years and have had the agx/GC coilover sleeves for 6 months.

Many people use Agx/gc combo. Steve (98sr20ve) has always been against it and frankly he knows WAY more about suspension than I do. I mean they are working but maybe not to their full potential? Or is it due to them not attaching to the strut mount properly? They guy that I bought mine off of (used) had JB welded them together.

Sorry steve I know you've gone over this a lot....

PS CSK is Custom (you or someone else does it) Shortened KONI.

Remove an inch from the housing to gain back suspension travel you lose when lowering the car. (much nicer handling/comfort)

RE-Spect

If you were on a budget go with the b15 rear koni yellows, have it on my b14....

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JCheong04

Yep, still on a budget So b15 yellows in the rear of a b14? Direct fit replacement without modification? ... and what are you running up front?

RE-Spect

You will need the adapter for GC for the coil sleeve to work on the koin, its like 15 bucks each. Its a black ring that slides ontop of the koni to secure the sleve from sliding up. For the fronts I have some custom housings with 8610's

Shawn B

You sir, need to peruse this little thread:

http://www.sr20forum.com/driveline-t...formation.html

That will get you up to speed in a hurry.

BTW, your dampers are called struts not shocks.

Shawn B

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JCheong04

Ahhh yes the suspension thread, so much information, it's hard to take it all in in 1 go. Very helpful and I see the direction I am now going.

Since my AGX's blew out with my ground control coilover springs I will aim straight for the "Koni with GC sleeves" that 98sr20ve Steve recommended as one of the the BEST dd/auto cross setups.

I don't think however I can afford the custom shortened Koni's Steve makes so I'd like to just buy some Koni reds/yellows (whichever fits my b14) and just use them with the GC sleeves. The car is not lowered a whole lot and the spring rate is quite stiff so bottoming out should be less.

What do you think of this plan? Am I reading/understanding the suspension thread properly?

JCheong04

I might have to sacrifice my performance suspension and return to stock/oem ride height for a short time while I try to get the warranty covered on my agx's... plus save money for the upgraded Koni's that I want.

Would it be better to try and strictly use brand new Nissan OEM shocks and struts, bumpstops, mounts, etc? Or would it be simply easier and cheaper to buy say GR2's and an aftermarket spring with koni bumpstops or something?