Just got my new KYB GR2 Gas filled Shocks!

[asdasc]

They just came in, I ordered them prior to the holiday. I am going to install them now and will let everyone know how well they work out!

I am excited! Gotta go!

[asdasc]

Had to take a mental break and regroup. The nuts I thought would be hard, outside underneath, were a piece of cake! The nuts I thought would be easy, inside, are tough! I got the one on the drivers side with only a little work, but the passenger side is proving to be a bear. I am afraid to use any heat being that close to the gas tank, so i decided to use a little more Blaster and let it sit a minute while I rested!
I think they are original shocks! The grommets have the Opel logo on them!
Well, back at it!

[markandson]

Please post part numbers that you bought Front/Rear.

[soybean]

Jeff, they are listed in the parts review. http://www.opelgt.com/rp/showproduct.../page/2KG6413A

KG6413A for front, KG552 for rear. Really need two sets of hands to put the rears on, makes it a lot easier.
HTH, Jarrell

[asdasc]

I had the back end all torn apart to replace the fuel vent lines, so I have only done the rears. Here are the part numbers that work:

Front:
GR2 - 344098
Gas-A-Just - KG4613

Rear:
GR2 - 343039
Gas-A-Just - KG5552

I bought the GR2's, as that is all my local place could get. About $27 each. I will let you know how well they work as soon as I can. We got snow here yesterday, so I am not sure if I want to go out with the salt on the roads. Plus there are patches of ice as it has been really cold. Definately not good to have around while testing handling!

[markandson]

Jarrell, in your review you state that you had to drill out the bottom stock mount with a 17/32" drill. Is this true of all cars, or was yours a freak, my guess would be that it is true of all cars, if that is the case, what car were these shocks originally designed for?

[asdasc]

Originally Posted by soybean Really need two sets of hands to put the rears on, makes it a lot easier.

So far, I don't think 2 set of hands would help much. The old shocks have a soft stud on top, that I can't seem to get a good grip on. The open end wrench that fit on there just spun out, stripping it. The vice-grips are having a hard time holding it still also. I can't get in there with a hack saw to cut it. SO I am going to soak it more. Maybe just holding it from underneath with keep it from spinning enough.

[markandson]

We now have two different set of part numbers posted, one is transposed and one has an extra 5 in it. . A dremel tool with a small cutting wheel might be the answer to your problem, I don't have a car at my house at the moment to know if there is enough room to reach in with it, just a thought.

[markandson]

Just typed them into Google, the correct part numbers appear to be KG4613 and KG5552

[soybean]

Jeff, I think this true on the Gts. To be honest they were the only ones listed for the GT, so they could cross with other cars, I'm not sure. When I spoke to Gil at OGTS, he said to space them out with a washer and use a bigger bolt. Which I did. They are good shocks, my only complaint (petty I am sure), is you feel every bump in the road. The "Red" Gt, I'm going to use the Koni Reds. Jarrell

When I posted my first reply I caught the part nos in it. Sorry about that.

[soybean]

Here's a picture I took of the Frt end while I was rebuilding it. If you look closely, you can see the washer. I painted it Chassis Blk as well. Hth, Jarrell

[markandson]

I have a set of Koni's (4) but they need to be rebuilt. I contacted Koni and they will cost $160.00 each to rebuild. Is it worth it?

[asdasc]

The kids have all gone to spend the night at friends houses, so my wife felt I needed to take her to dinner. While we were out I picked up a nut splitter that should do the trick. Tell me more about drilling a hole? I am only doing the rear shocks for now.
Thanks,

[bq97]

The hole Jarrell is referring to is the shock mounting hole(s) on the lower control arm. The KYB front shocks use a 17/32" ID bushing on the bottom, the original front shocks use a smaller ID bushing, so you either have to open up the holes in the LCA and use a larger OD mounting bolt or use the original shock mounting bolt which will allow the shock to move up and down on the mounting bolt. This is not good as the shock is free floating at the bottom and causes an audible clunk. The KYB shock lower bushing is also slimmer then the originals so a spacer or two is also needed. KYB sold a adapter kit at one time but it is no longer available.

When I put the KYB shocks on I milled out the bushing in the shock a little bit and press fit another bushing inside of it. That way I didn't have to drill the LCA mounting holes any bigger to accommodate a larger diameter mounting bolt. So in the future I can upgrade to Konis and not have oversized mounting holes in the LCA.

All this is referring to the lower mount on for the front KYB shocks on a GT only.

hth
Brian

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by markandson I have a set of Koni's (4) but they need to be rebuilt. I contacted Koni and they will cost $160.00 each to rebuild. Is it worth it?

I *think* you can still get a new set of red Konis from Gil for about $500, making the cost per shock about $125 each. $160 a pop sounds a bit pricey, unless you're looking at doing some custom valving.

Bob

[asdasc]

Well, after doing the rears, it seems like I could do it again in about 10 minutes! This is an easy job, assuming you can get the old nuts off! When complete, I was going to take it for a test drive, opened the garage door and found that while I was working it snowed about 3". I did take it for a spin around the block for fun, but have no idea how it will handle on dry pavement.

Attached are some pictures:
1. The new shock and what comes in the kit
2. The easy side to remove and the hard side to remove. The new nut splitter works GREAT!
3. The finished shock installed. By the looks of this picture, I have more work to do underneath! It looks terrible in the photos.

While down there I noticed that I have a bent panhard rod, so I will probably be looking for one of those. One other temperary option would be to flip it over and jack it up again to straighten it. Anybody think this might work?

[yellaopelgt]

okay..... so is it safe to say that the konis are the best shock for street application??? And the KYB's are decent in comparision?? I'm in the market for new shocks but dont feel like installing them twice so if the Koni's are the best way to go I'd opt for saving up for them instead. Anyone tried both KYB's AND Koni's and can give a verbal confirmation of the pros and cons of both???? Sorry to get off topic(shoot me now)
Joe

[yellaopelgt]

BTW, couldnt you just remove the panhard rod and put it in a vice and bend it back??? How'd it get bent.....you catch it with the jack???

[markandson]

Once the rod is bent it will never be the same again! The material has been stressed past its elastic limit and therefore made thinner at some location within the tube. It will act fine in tension, but it will be weak in compression. It sort of depends on how hard you are going to drive the car as to whether or not it needs replacing, personally, since if it fails things could get real nasty, I would find or make another one.

[asdasc]

Thanks Mark. Is it a tube or a bar? I was thinking it was solid, but have never taken one off to feel the heft. The previous owner must have used it as a jacking point to bend it. I will do some searches on the subject. I remember some posts about making an adjustable one that might be fun. I may also put an add in for a straight used one. I don't plan on cutting down the springs or anything, so I don't think I have a need to make it adjustable.
Thanks again.

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by yellaopelgt okay..... so is it safe to say that the konis are the best shock for street application??? And the KYB's are decent in comparision?? I'm in the market for new shocks but dont feel like installing them twice so if the Koni's are the best way to go I'd opt for saving up for them instead. Anyone tried both KYB's AND Koni's and can give a verbal confirmation of the pros and cons of both???? Sorry to get off topic(shoot me now) Joe

Konis definitely have the best ride quality, hands-down. In the case of the Opel GT application, they are pure hydraulic shocks (no gas), with soft compression damping to allow the spring to move with road irregularities, yet with firm rebound damping to control oscillations. Konis also tend to last a long time, and they can be adjusted for wear over time.

Gas shocks are more fade resistant in general, but unless you are driving over rough rough roads at high speeds for sustained periods of time, you probably won't notice a difference in day to day driving. Gas pressure shocks generally ride a bit rougher, since you are artificially adding more spring rate to the suspension. For comparison, the KYB GR-2 shocks have around 80 psi nitrogen gas pressure, while the KYB Gas-A-Just shocks have about 280 psi. Bilsteins are typically on the order of 360-380 psi.

HTH,
Bob

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by asdasc Thanks Mark. Is it a tube or a bar? I was thinking it was solid, but have never taken one off to feel the heft.

It is definitely tubular, and rather thin-walled at that. They are very prone to bending, whether it's from accidentally jacking the car by the panhard bar, or from sliding sideways into a curb in the winter. It's one of the first things I replace on a performance Opel suspension!

Added link showing thin-wall tubing: http://www.opelgt.com/forums/attachm...3&d=1105286841

[asdasc]

Replace with what?

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by asdasc Replace with what?

Something like this: http://www.opelgt.com/forums/showthr...ht=panhard+bar

[asdasc]

You sent it faster than I could search and find it! Thanks.

I was just reading all the thread about the Turd suspension upgrades and saw where you were going to write an article on how to build a new Panhard. As I went to find it, you sent me the link!
More research for me to do! This has become a snowball project. I pulled the rear shelf to replace the vent lines, thought it was a good time to replace the rear shocks, and now am looking at the Panhard. Anybody got any guesses as to what replacing the panhard will prompt?
I am guessing that I will have to get some new bushings from OGTS, then make an adjustable panhard, then start thinking about those silly trailing arms....