Installed new shocks in rear

[SteveH95Formula]

I ordered the KYB AGX adjustable shocks and put the rear ones on as they are the easyest. I'll leave the fronts for the shop.
Anyway they are adjustable and have a setting 1 through 8. I have them on 8, the firmest I believe and my ride is great but the handling seems pretty bad. The rear seems to move around too much compared to the stock DeCarbons. I have aftermarket LCAs and panhard rod (adj. length.) and a thicker 21mm swaybar. and wider 17" wheels, 275/40 tires all around.

Maybe I should have ordered the Bilsteins.

In the mean time I'll just play around with the settings. Hopefully they are on the softest but before I installed them I pushed the rod in and it didn't seem to make any differance. The gas pushed them out ok.

Anyway that was my first impressions on the KYB AGX shocks. If you want a better ride they are great but for handling I think they are laking in stiffness.

[Joe 1320]

In reality, you don't want really stiff. You already have a large rear swaybar, a stiff shock setting would likely make the back end break away quickly once the threshold is reached (oversteer). When I was doing some road course work, I found that a little softer setting helped keep the rear planted on less than perfect surfaces.

[ConElite]

I Did some research a while back and Joe's right. For road courses what you want is a softer rear and a firm front set up. With that what happens is that the front is stiff to keep the nose from diving into the outside of the corner and the softness of the rear to allow some "give" and get a little better grip to prevent oversteer. When a buddy of mine built a Drift set-up, for that its the complete opposite. You want a very stiff rear to allow for more slip/less grip to be able to slap your car around the Apex. Its amazing the difference when I try drifting my car and when he let me test his 240SX. Its not as easy as it seems, or I have been trying and can do it with my car that when I got into his, it was easy.

[SteveH95Formula]

tonight I backed off the firmness and set it to 4. Its what the shocks came with and is supposed to be a little stiffer than stock. I think the rear settled in a bit because its not too bad not. I took the off ramp at scary speeds and it seemed to handle at least as well as before the new shocks so I don't feel too bad now.
Its just amazes me that with a solid axle yu can have a good ride and good hanlding.

[SteveH95Formula]

OK now that I got new shock I think I'll get the LCA relocating brackets as after Installed my new shocks the rear does look lower now so I'm sure I could use the LCA lowering kit. I is supossed to reduce the wheel hop and loss of traction that the selling vendors describe.

They are only $65 or so, so I'll think i'll install them. I have a welder at work here so I can weld them myself.

Anyone have experanced the lowering LCA,s?

Just curious.

[Joe 1320]

OK now that I got new shock I think I'll get the LCA relocating brackets as after Installed my new shocks the rear does look lower now so I'm sure I could use the LCA lowering kit. I is supossed to reduce the wheel hop and loss of traction that the selling vendors describe.

They are only $65 or so, so I'll think i'll install them. I have a welder at work here so I can weld them myself.

Anyone have experanced the lowering LCA,s?

Just curious.

lower Control Arm relocation brackets on the rear will not lower the car. They move the attachment point to change the geometry and how the control arm applies force to the chassis. Either an adjustable spring perch or different springs are required to change ride height.

[SteveH95Formula]

I know my stock DeCarbon shocks have extra force pushing up on the rear. My new KBY's don't push up as much resulting in a lowering of about an inch or so.

A couple years ago I shaved offed an inch or so from the rubber upper spring perches. That lowered the rear end a bit as well.

I still think I might benefit from the brackets. The advertising said it would benefit non lower cars as well.

[Joe 1320]

I still think I might benefit from the brackets. The advertising said it would benefit non lower cars as well.

yes you will, just not as you think. The whole idea of the lower control arm relocation brackets is to move the leverage point so that as load is applied, the suspension makes the rear end plant harder plus also help to reduce or eliminate wheel hop. Ever see someone hit the gas and the rear of the car squats? That is not usually a good thing. When the rear of the arm is lowered the result is the differential gets forced downward (increasing traction) the rear of the chassis tries to lift (that's what causes the defferential to be forced downward) .

[ToplessFormula]

I know my stock DeCarbon shocks have extra force pushing up on the rear. My new KBY's don't push up as much resulting in a lowering of about an inch or so.

A couple years ago I shaved offed an inch or so from the rubber upper spring perches. That lowered the rear end a bit as well.

I still think I might benefit from the brackets. The advertising said it would benefit non lower cars as well.

Shocks do not support the weight of the vehicle, the springs do. Shocks are only dampers. The suspension height wasn't affected just by changing the shocks.

LCA relocation brackets work great for lowered and non lowered cars.

[SteveH95Formula]

What I ment was the stock shocks have more rebound force. I put them upside down on a scale and measured the force. I was suprised the stock shocks took about 50 lbs. to move the rod and my new KBY's only took about 22 lbs. to move the shock rod. It might not make much differance in ride height but it just seemed like it.

The only bad thing about shaving the top rubber spring perches is that they sqeek a bit now. I might have to put some silicone between the rubber and the body.

My rear suspension looks pretty good. All the componants are red wich matches my exterior and red leather seats. The CLA,s, the rear 'pan hard' or axle tie rod, and my new shocks. I'll have to take a pic some time.