Adjustible.

Orange Stang · Feb 11, 2011

Im looking at new shocks and struts. Im looking at the Tokiko Blues that are no adjustible, and these.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/tokico-dspec-shockstrut-9404.html

now, how does this work? How easy is it to adjust these? Im leaning towards getting them

Shifty Powers · Feb 11, 2011

someone else would chime in. but blues are not all that amazing.. might wanna go at leeast the next level up.. which i think would be illuminas..

OnyxCobra · Feb 13, 2011

looks like they come with a special tool to adjust them. I have the Illuminas, they just adjust at the top with a small flat head screw driver.

duff daddy · Feb 13, 2011

I had the Illuminas ditched them for the stranges...

Javi · Feb 13, 2011

A D J U S T A B L E !

Win · Feb 13, 2011

^ I agree the Strange are better for DR but i think he wants them more for street.

I gave a link a few weeks ago that i think was cheaper then that. i just did a search and came up with this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310235164067&viewitem=#vi-content

( $515 Shipped )

http://www.partstrain.com/store/det...fordmustang19682007tokicot38dsp4195shabanstas

( $518+ shipping )

and so on.

ReplicaR · Feb 13, 2011

or, since you are spending that much anyway, might as well do this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KONI...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Koni in my opinion are a lot more serious of a damper, and they are easy as hell to adjust as well. They have a dial that can be adjusted from the top using provided knobs. I've been using mine for over 3 years for daily driving and road racing, and I have no complaints about them at all. They also come with lifetime warranty.

Slykin · Feb 13, 2011

ReplicaR said:
or, since you are spending that much anyway, might as well do this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KONI...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Koni in my opinion are a lot more serious of a damper, and they are easy as hell to adjust as well. They have a dial that can be adjusted from the top using provided knobs. I've been using mine for over 3 years for daily driving and road racing, and I have no complaints about them at all. They also come with lifetime warranty.

How would you compare these to Bilstein HD's if you want to change over to coil-overs? As far as I know the Bilsteins are not adjustable, but i've heard some good things about them. They are more expensive though.

Matt94GT · Feb 13, 2011

I have tokico illumias, have never adjusted them besides when they were first put on. I also have coilovers and love the setup and feel, they made a big difference IMO.

When looking at shocks/struts I would look to see if they are coil over compatible with MM's coil over kits (the best ones at an affordable price) and go with those. I wish MM made a rear coilover kit for the Illumias but they dont.

ReplicaR · Feb 13, 2011

Slykin said:
How would you compare these to Bilstein HD's if you want to change over to coil-overs? As far as I know the Bilsteins are not adjustable, but i've heard some good things about them. They are more expensive though.

Bilsteins are about on par with the Konis off the shelf. You don't get the adjustability, so they are just still all the time, which is cool for tracking and stuff, but getting annoying quick on the street. The other thing you've mentioned is that Bilsteins are more expensive upfront, but once it's time to revalve for more aggressive spring rates, that's where Bilsteins pay off big time. There are thousands of places that can revalve Bilstein shocks, but Koni has only 3 authorized centers in US. Then there is a price of service. To revalve Koni for more aggressive valving, with a hook up it is 140 dollars a shock. Bilstein is 60 dollars for the same deal pretty much everywhere. I'm thinking that once I go stiffer on my spring from where I am right now, I'll probably sell the Konis and get MM Race valved Bilsteins.

Slykin · Feb 13, 2011

ReplicaR said:
Slykin said:

How would you compare these to Bilstein HD's if you want to change over to coil-overs? As far as I know the Bilsteins are not adjustable, but i've heard some good things about them. They are more expensive though.

Click to expand...

Bilsteins are about on par with the Konis off the shelf. You don't get the adjustability, so they are just still all the time, which is cool for tracking and stuff, but getting annoying quick on the street. The other thing you've mentioned is that Bilsteins are more expensive upfront, but once it's time to revalve for more aggressive spring rates, that's where Bilsteins pay off big time. There are thousands of places that can revalve Bilstein shocks, but Koni has only 3 authorized centers in US. Then there is a price of service. To revalve Koni for more aggressive valving, with a hook up it is 140 dollars a shock. Bilstein is 60 dollars for the same deal pretty much everywhere. I'm thinking that once I go stiffer on my spring from where I am right now, I'll probably sell the Konis and get MM Race valved Bilsteins.

Sorry if i'm getting a little off topic here everyone, but I figure this is good information to know if the OP doesn't mind... But exactly is revalving for? I would assume the adjustable struts wouldn't need revalving since they're.. well, adjustable. It seems i'm wrong though. If you could expand on this a little bit? Thanks, this is good info.

ReplicaR · Feb 13, 2011

Well, shock is there to control and dampen the movement of the spring. If the shock was not there, the spring would be bouncing uncontrollably, and your wheels would just dribble down the road like a basketball. Now, reason for more aggressive valving is simple. The stiffer the spring, the more force it produces when it moves around. The more force the spring produces, the more aggressive valving is required to control that movement (stiffer shocks). Most off the shelf shocks, even the adjustables are only good for so much force they can control, until they are unable to keep up with the spring, and you end up with wheel hop in the corner. Some are better than others, but you still need something serious once you are getting close to race car spring rates, and off shelf stuff is not cutting it any longer.

Slykin · Feb 13, 2011

ReplicaR said:
Well, shock is there to control and dampen the movement of the spring. If the shock was not there, the spring would be bouncing uncontrollably, and your wheels would just dribble down the road like a basketball. Now, reason for more aggressive valving is simple. The stiffer the spring, the more force it produces when it moves around. The more force the spring produces, the more aggressive valving is required to control that movement (stiffer shocks). Most off the shelf shocks, even the adjustables are only good for so much force they can control, until they are unable to keep up with the spring, and you end up with wheel hop in the corner. Some are better than others, but you still need something serious once you are getting close to race car spring rates, and off shelf stuff is not cutting it any longer.

So you should be fine as long as you aren't going into really stiff spring rates on an adjustable strut? I just haven't figured out if Koni's or Bilstein's the way to go on a daily/auto-xer.

Win · Feb 13, 2011

If it were me. I would do a Bilstein HD with a Coilover up front. Koni Yellow rear with H&R super race in the rear with a Aftermarket rear LCA.

that's what i plan on going with in the very near future!

ReplicaR · Feb 13, 2011

Mismatching shocks is never a good idea. They have different valving systems (Koni is twin tube / Bilstein is mono tube), and they will react differently to force applied. I would not do that, as it just seems counterproductive, unless you can obtain dyno graphs for both of the manufacturers, and verify that they dyno about the same at optimum valving.

I actually ran Super Race spring in the back combined with 275 coil over spring in the front, and it was fairly compliant still. Not bad of a setup honestly.

Win · Feb 13, 2011

ReplicaR said:
Mismatching shocks is never a good idea. They have different valving systems (Koni is twin tube / Bilstein is mono tube), and they will react differently to force applied. I would not do that, as it just seems counterproductive, unless you can obtain dyno graphs for both of the manufacturers, and verify that they dyno about the same at optimum valving.

I actually ran Super Race spring in the back combined with 275 coil over spring in the front, and it was fairly compliant still. Not bad of a setup honestly.

Very true but did you run koni's all around. i am going off everything i have read for a year of researching.

ReplicaR · Feb 13, 2011

Koni front and back. Why did you decide on running Bilstein up front? 03 Cobra take offs?

Win · Feb 13, 2011

03 Cobra take offs and just what i have seen over a year it meshed well with everything. Ya know i could get it on my car and hate it but it's worth a shot.

ReplicaR · Feb 13, 2011

Why not use Bilstein the back then?

duh09 · Feb 13, 2011

ReplicaR said:
or, since you are spending that much anyway, might as well do this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KONI...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Koni in my opinion are a lot more serious of a damper, and they are easy as hell to adjust as well. They have a dial that can be adjusted from the top using provided knobs. I've been using mine for over 3 years for daily driving and road racing, and I have no complaints about them at all. They also come with lifetime warranty.

Jeez, $100 less than Maximum Motorsports.