How to choose Shock absorbers?

[blacktop]

do it yourself the rears should not take any longer than half an hour to fit and that includes jacking the car up and opening the box the shox came in.

[pisso001]

I have a mate with some brand new KYB Exel G's for sale. They are short stroke.. Tried to fit them on my Corona but where too short as my springs arent low enough.. Havent decided to lower the car more or not buy the shocks...

Thanks,

Pisso.

[li21]

Thanks for that.
Ive considered doing it myself, only I dont know how of If I even have the right tools.
I dont need to do a wheel balance after do I?

Also will excel G's make my ride height taller? I like it as it is atm.. nice and low

[Jonny Rochester]

Shocks do not effect the ride height at all.

If you wanted to get the better KYB AGX adjustables, it does not matter that they may not list them for AE86. You order the front ones to suit a ST185 Celica or similar. These turn out to be short stroke for AE86, and work well if you use a spacer in the strut. For the rear I use shocks to suit XT130 or Commodore wagon or similar, as they arre a perfect fit but shorter to hold a lowered spring captive.

[li21]

Thanks Johnny. I think the AGX's are bit much for me atm.
Even with the Excel Gs, I wouldnt have enough spare change to put them in.

Anyone here wanna help me put them in in exchange for some booze?

[blacktop]

Mate just do it yourself it doesnt take long, you could pretty much pull the whole car apart with the following tool
10mm socket and spanner
12mm socket and spanner
14mm socket and spanner
16mm socket and spanner
17mm socket and spanner
phillips head screw driver
flat head screw driver

for the rear shox you will only need 12 or 14mm socket and a wheel brace to get the wheel out of your way.
Undo top of shocker (in the back of the cabin), compres down and undo bottom of shocker (behind rear wheel) and pull shocker out,
and to put new shox in just follow the same instruction above in revers.

[MR04AG]

It's true that the rears are insanely easy to put in... I think it only took me about 25 minutes... and the fronts aren't difficult either, but definately more involved than the rears... The fronts you'll need to remove the strut assembly- pull your wheel off, undo the 2 bolts that hold on your brake caliper (they're at the back) and sit it on the control arm or something (out of your way), then there's 2 17mm bolts go up through the steering joint into the bottom of the strut assembly you'll need to remove, and 3 12mm (I think) nuts at the top of the strut in the engine bay at the top of the strut tower you'll need to remove (leave one on there loose for the next step ).
You should now be able to push the control arm down and lift the strut assembly (providing you've got lowered springs) free of the steering joint, kind of push the strut up, and pull the bottom out from the car and it should come free. Then undo the nut you left loose on top and the strut will come out in your hand.
To actually change the shocker, you'll need to get some ideas from the the backyard guys that are a bit more backyard than me haha, My old man has a mechanic shop and i'd use a rattle gun to remove the top shocker nut (and i'm assuming you don't have one cos you weren't sure if you had the tools, maybe you can loosen the top shocker before you even jack up the car? perhaps the weight of the car on the shock stops the shaft from turning???), but once the top nut is off you'll need to remove the top spring plate and the spring and then hold the assembly in a vice or something to undo the shocker nut (around the base of the shocker shaft). Finally, your old shocker will come out! then reverse all the steps! haha It sounds like a big job, but if you're willing to "have a go" you'll prolly find it's achievable for you Good luck!

[mikie_121]

Shocks won't change the ride height of the car. Unless you use shocks that are so long that the shaft bottoms out.
Rear shocks are so easy to change on your car, you could probably do it without even taking the wheels off. It's one bolt in the boot and one at the bottom of the shock. Don't waste money paying someone. put the money into a decent brand.

which city are you in? i could give you a hand if you want

[li21]

Shocks won't change the ride height of the car. Unless you use shocks that are so long that the shaft bottoms out.
Rear shocks are so easy to change on your car, you could probably do it without even taking the wheels off. It's one bolt in the boot and one at the bottom of the shock. Don't waste money paying someone. put the money into a decent brand.

which city are you in? i could give you a hand if you want

Unfortunately Im in Sydney.
I'd like to give it a go myself, but would be great if I could get someone to watch me, give me some pointers etc

[blacktop]

Unfortunately Im in Sydney.
I'd like to give it a go myself, but would be great if I could get someone to watch me, give me some pointers etc

probebly a good idea for a begginer to have someone watch over you for the fronts, but the back you could do before you go to work or school or whatever.
if your car is low enough at the front you just have to undo the top 3 nuts and loosen you LCA (Lower Control Arm) and you might be able to get the stuts to basically fall out of the car (might need some gentle perswaysion).
i end that with I THINK

[blacktop]

if you prove to me you did it yourself i will rep you, but you have to earn it!

[pisso001]

Mate if you buy my mates shocks ill help you put them in when you pick them up.. Doesnt take long. Then you will learn how and have new shocks.. perfect.

Thanks,

Pisso.

[damo_00]

ae86:
shocks - KYB excel G's are fine, ive used

AJPS (6kg/mm) front spring with KYB 365100 (MR2 SW20 rear shocks)
lovell rear choped (~4kg/mm) to suit front height with KYB 343113 (rear vb-vr wagon lowered)

all bolt in easy and gives the car alot more control, still streetable, but remember CUT YOUR BUMPSTOPS!

any questions feel free to ask

damo

[li21]

ae86:
shocks - KYB excel G's are fine, ive used

AJPS (6kg/mm) front spring with KYB 365100 (MR2 SW20 rear shocks)
lovell rear choped (~4kg/mm) to suit front height with KYB 343113 (rear vb-vr wagon lowered)

all bolt in easy and gives the car alot more control, still streetable, but remember CUT YOUR BUMPSTOPS!

any questions feel free to ask

damo

Thank for that.
What is a bumpstop?

[chris davey]

I did the front on my rona the other day. The only real tricky part is getting the shock insert out of the strut. We had to use 2 pairs of my dad's Stilson's (like monster multigrips) and a rubber mallet. They were on tight but I suspect they may have been on there for about 28 years

Also, to get the top bolt off in the centre you can get someone to hold the plate underneath it as there is a grooved section where the shaft goes through. This will make sure the shaft doesn't turn. When putting the new shock back in, make sure that the notch lines up with the plate. You will see if it is wrong as the centre bolt will not do up all the way.

Took about 2 hours to do mine but every bolt in the car seemed to be siezed on! As well as that, I couldn't just hang the calipers on the control arms because of a bracket so had to take the calipers all the way off and then rebleed brakes.

Give it a go.