Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 02:16 pm, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
Used shocks are like used tyres - use em if you have to, but replace em when you can!
Just fitted a set of KYB Excel-G's to the front of my car today - $320 for the pair. I considered the Blisteins which would have been $368 delivered, but the left shock was leaking so I couldn't really wait for them to come from Wellington, and I already have KYB's on the back (OE spec)
Had a weird problem after fitting and settling, torqued everything up, then went for a test drive and something was clanging and banging away! Came straight back home and re-torqued everything including all the other bolts and nuts I could easily get at - nothing seemed to move much, but the clanging and banging has gone! Went for a good thrash out towards Raglan (fantastic piece of road just 10 minutes from home) and not a sound any more! Very strange.
The car's feeling much better on the road now, I hadn't realised how bad the old shocks were - clearly even though only one was leaking they were both rooted, even though the right one looked just fine. I guess the new shocks are probably technically superior also which might help.
Anyway, long story short, don't judge a shock by how it looks, it might be stuffed on the inside, and you really can't tell just by pushing and pulling on the piston.
