The average damper is shot after about 15K miles,if that. The high-end stuff will last over 100K before needing rebuilding. The cheaper stuff is non-rebuildable. The high-end stuff can be taken apart and revalved for different compression & rebound dampening rates or have external adjustment such as knobs,etc. With the cheaper stuff,what you get,,,is what you get. Would Bilsteins or Konis make your car ride stiffer? Yes or they can make it ride a lot better,depending on the dampening rates. The coilovers on my El Camino are what's known as single-adjustable. What that means is that when you turn one of the knobs to adjust the compression dampening,you're also adjusting the rebound dampening also. Better than a fixed rate but still not as good as a double adjustable shock which allows you to adjust rebound & compression rates,separately. Starting to sound like this stuff could get pretty complicated and expensive? Yes,it can. Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Studly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Ok, I'll bite here -- what makes a shock good or bad? It's one area I feel very uninformed about. I guess more directly, what would I feel differently from the driver's seat if I swap out my cheapy parts store shocks for Koni or Bilsteins? I have Hotchkis springs all the way. While I love the performance, the ride is a little on the stiff side. Would Bilstein/Koni's make the ride even stiffer? -Dave -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Clint Hooper Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 7:19 PM To: The Chevelle Mailing List Subject: Re: [Chevelle-list] Bilsteins I don't know anyone running them on an A-Body. Bilstein and Koni are comparable with QA1's being maybe a notch below. Penske's are probably better than any of the above. Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Mascheck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Thanks Clint...pretty impressive web sight...I'll look at it in the morning!! Do you know anyone running them on a Chevelle? Are they that much better than QA1 or KONI? Dan Mascheck -----Original Message----- From: Clint Hooper [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.bilstein.com/ Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Mascheck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Can you find them locally? I do have a German cousin living in Shwedt...??? -----Original Message----- From: Clint Hooper [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ZR-1 Corvettes came standard with Bilsteins,Dan. It's hard to find a better shock than a Bilstein, Koni,or Penske. Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Mascheck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Clint are you saying the Bilsteins are better than QA1? Why? Have you used them? Interesting! Dan -----Original Message----- From: Clint Hooper [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] QA1 Proma Stars would probably work very well,Andre. Bilsteins won't cost that much more,if any,and they would be easier for you to get since the factory is in Germany. Bilstein has oulets in many countries,too. http://www.bilstein.de/ Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "André-Tigergutt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi, I have checked doug rippie but its out of my budget and I don't know who sells the bilsteins. Now I am more like going in the qa1 proma star direction, any ideas if they are good. Have Fun! André - Tigergutt -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Clint Hooper Sent: 24. februar 2005 19:18 To: The Chevelle Mailing List Subject: Re: [Chevelle-list] Coil over shocks ?? On my 91 Callaway ZR-1,I had their Bilstein shocks converted to coilovers by Guldstrand. Doug Rippie Motorsports did the coilover conversion on my 90 ZR-1. We kept the FX3 adjustable suspension system active on both cars and added a Bilstein controller. The different controller allowed me to change damping rates with just a cartridge swap. Nice set-up. I would stay with Bilstein for your particular application,Andre. Whatever you do,stay away from Aldan coilovers. Their stuff is found on a lot of pretty streetrods but FWIW,Aldan doesn't even own a shock dyno so that ought to tell you something. Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hey clint, which coilovers did you use on your vettes. I need to decide which to go for with the C4 suspension on my velle. Ciao André > My 69 El Camino has QA1 coilovers on the front and Strange Engineering > coilovers on the rear. Do I like them? Yes,I've run coilovers on my > streetrods,ZR-1 Corvettes,and now musclecars. They are kinda expensive > and probably overkill but that hasn't stopped me,yet. However,I'm > seriously considering the idea of converting my Elky to a four corner > Air Ride system. Clint Hooper > H&H Custom,owner > 1969 El Camino ProTourer > 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger > http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Mascheck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <Chevelle-list@chevelles.net> > Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 7:17 PM > Subject: [Chevelle-list] Coil over shocks & digital dash?? > > >> Has anyone installed a coil over shock system front and back on there car? >> Are they worth the cost?...Can you tell the difference? >> >> Second question...I'm planning on having Dakota repair my dash and install >> all digital gauges in my old speedometer case...anyone done the >> same...Good.. Bad? >> >> Dan >> >> >> >> > > > >
