Quality shocker

[forddeliveryboy]

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.

[Station]

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.

[Kiltox]

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 like

Stupidly cheap though - so if you need to only replace them as often as the more expensive ones you're chewing through.....

[Lacquer Peel]

I think Bilstein sold out their brand, some of the cheapest stuff on Mister-Auto is branded Febi Bilstein.

[Bren]

Koni are for winners.

[sierraman]

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.

[gordonbennet]

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.

[forddeliveryboy]

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.

[Barry Cade]

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.

[lisbon_road]

Had 80K out of KYBs on my Astra no issues so far anyway.

[DSdriver]

You know it makes sense

[forddeliveryboy]

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.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

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.

[forddeliveryboy]

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. 

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

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.

[SiC]

Sachs are OEM on my 2007 Civic. After 128k they're not as effective as fresh parts and rusty but still damping alright!

[Albert Ross]

I normally look for Armstrong for LRs, but Monroe are what I try to use on Road biased cars if replacing sets.

[Ghosty]

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.

[OwdChina]

I use Monroe over here........12 months of desert back road pounding before they're fucked..........but that's normal.