forddeliveryboy Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I'm about to buy more dampers for a car I look after in the family. KYB were the last set but they seemed to go rather soggy after a few months use. I fitted a pair of Bilstein's cheaper ones last year for a mate, they worked as well as expected from previous experience but one failed just within the year. Bilstein seem to be cheaper than ever - is this just too much competition or are they just a bit shitty nowadays? Perhaps I'd be better off with Boge/Sachs after all? Local roads aren't great and dampers are worked hard, what the combined Shiters' experience? Can't be spending Koni money, but they do seem to remain reassuringly pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Febi-Bilsteins?From experience anything bought from a motor factor doesn't last long. I only buy from dealer or genuine, got sick of buying shit quality every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I bought shitty cheap "GH" branded shocks for my old van on eBay, shipped from Poland, 1/3 of the price of Sachs and they seemed to be alright but I've no idea what their longevity would be likeStupidly cheap though - so if you need to only replace them as often as the more expensive ones you're chewing through..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I think Bilstein sold out their brand, some of the cheapest stuff on Mister-Auto is branded Febi Bilstein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Koni are for winners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Sachs are very good, depends what you want, their shockers will last a lot longer - probably 100,000 if you are careful, the cheaper ones less so but Shockers these days last for an awful long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonbennet Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Its the state of the effin roads, if its not bloody traffic calming humps its pot holes or the years old remnants of bodged cable/pipe laying by piece work gangs. Northants has got to the stage where you need a proper 4x4 just to drive to and back from work on tarmac. Honey Badger, barefoot, Barry Cade and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 I'm tempted to go for Boge/Sachs - I remember when Boge deteriorated a good bit years ago when they merged/were taken over but not having tried Sachs for yonks, maybe it's worth a go. At least most main brand damping actually works properly nowadays, I remember a few big names 20 years ago which were hilariously miles away from the OE spec. It's just a question of for how long they work. I agree roads (and low profile tyres) can't help, but imo dampers generally have a not-too-difficult time on most cars, where the springs are specced to be on the hard side, to give damping an easier time. I've seen some QH/GM ones where the chroming of the piston rod was so crap they'd be pitting/rusting after a couple of winters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Cade Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I still rate Monroe's. never had issues with them and fit like OE. New Bilstiens are crap- MX5's eat their factory fit ones. Albert Ross 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisbon_road Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Had 80K out of KYBs on my Astra no issues so far anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSdriver Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 You know it makes sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted July 4, 2016 Author Share Posted July 4, 2016 Oh, if only. Do people with cart-style suspension realise just how simple and easy to service the Citroën system is? I've changed all the spheres on a Hydractive car (was it 7 or 8, can't remember) in less time than it takes to replace a broken spring on a 406. I struggle to understand what the fetish is for great twists of steel supplemented by individual hydraulic dampers, wedged with all the finesse of a thug betwixt suspension and body. We're living in a world where engineering finesse is as relevant as the climate on Mars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Rustbucket Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 If the shock absorbers for the Jaguar XJ40 are anything to go by, Sachs/Boge shock absorbers are not as good quality as they used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted July 4, 2016 Author Share Posted July 4, 2016 Thanks for that MB, we'll see how they pan out - it's what I've ordered. Would have gone for KYBs but V70 suspension is wooden enough as it is, and that brand are towards the firm end of the prescription whereas S/B seem to be generally on the softer side. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Rustbucket Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I don't think people have trouble with them - at least not to my knowledge. They just feel much more made down to a price than they used to be - indeed noticeably so, when handled off the car. Jags are the only car I know anything about in any detail. The KYB shocks have a reputation online for lasting less well on the XJ40 than the Boge/Sachs - as do Monroe shock absorbers. I don't think they ride quite as well either. This could be specific to the XJ40 series Jags though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Sachs are OEM on my 2007 Civic. After 128k they're not as effective as fresh parts and rusty but still damping alright! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Ross Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I normally look for Armstrong for LRs, but Monroe are what I try to use on Road biased cars if replacing sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Had a choice of Audi main dealer, Bilstein, or overkill track-spec for shocks for the A4 (bloody quattro), went with Bilstein. Most places don't stock parts for early A4 quattros and ECP will mis-sell you FWD suspension parts. (We have better luck finding engine parts on 80s and Coupes as we have a 2.6 - legacy engine on first two years of A4s). Bilsteins are good initially - lot better than 20 year/80k old OE parts that had zero damping and didn't rebound, just stayed compressed.A4 doesn't get used all that much so they'll be good enough for that - no idea what longevity will be like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwdChina Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I use Monroe over here........12 months of desert back road pounding before they're fucked..........but that's normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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