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Looking to replace shocks for a smoother ride if that's possible. If you have found shocks that help with a rough ride that are reasonably priced please forward the info !
Thanks,
J Mo
I guess it depends on what you consider affordable. I tryed cheaper shocks on my 77. Rough, bouncy ride. Now I run Bilstien's. Great ride quality.
Lots of threads on here in the past with this very question. Lots of good answers. The "cheap" shocks are never the good shocks.
Here’s one of the many threads about it. The general consensus is that the Bilsteins are worth the extra money because of their quality and longevity, even if they are “harsher”. I’m sure any new shock versus an original one will be miles better. A composite spring can help with the ride quality too. If that’s still too rough, buy a Cadillac.
Last edited by Piersonpie; Apr 20, 2026 at 08:00 PM.
I would do kyb oem ride excel g.
ac delcos i had were junk.
i run bilsteins but made in mx now and i didnt want soft ride over handling.
rockauto has great prices.
what year? Run your tire pressure lower too..
I am on my second set of KYB Gas-A-Just in about 30 years and I've been very happy with them. By all reports the Bilsteins are better but they are substantially more expensive and I've never been able to convince myself they are worth the money.
The single biggest improvement to ride and handling on my car was the composite rear spring. That's the place to spend your money if ride quality is what you're after.
Considering that I am poor. And everything I purchase for my car costs me triple what you guys in the states pay.
Bilstien's just are not that expensive. So they simply can not possibly be substantially more than any other option.
I do run a composite spring. Have since the early 90's. The Bilstien's are indeed worth the price.
Check Rock Auto for pricing.
Considering that I am poor. And everything I purchase for my car costs me triple what you guys in the states pay.
Bilstien's just are not that expensive. So they simply can not possibly be substantially more than any other option.
I do run a composite spring. Have since the early 90's. The Bilstien's are indeed worth the price.
Check Rock Auto for pricing.
I'm in Canada so I pay a premium on parts as well, but I can only imagine what you go through.
Rock Auto shows the KYBs at about $58 CDN. They only show the fronts for the Bilsteins and they are $133 CDN each! Everyone who has them seems to love them, but are they really worth $600?
I have run Koni oil shocks (back in the 80's) with the OEM steel Gymkhana rear spring, KYB Gas A just with both the OEM 7 leaf Gymkhana Sport spring AND the new in 1985 VBP 360 composite, bilstein HD's all around with the 360 Composite and eventually Bilstein HD's in front with Bilstein Sports in the rear only to better damper the 360 Composite spring. The front F41/sport coils are stiff enough with the Bilstein HD's.
The OEM delcos from the factory made the car ride like a truck. The koni oils were too stiff as well with the OEM Gymkhana suspension. The KYB Gas A Just dramatically improved the ride on the OEM suspension but did not provide enough damping for the 360 monospring and the rear would bounce down the highway with any undulations. It was hugh leap to the Bilstein HD's in the early 2000's all around but I was still not happy with the damping in the rear with the 360 composite spring. I sold the rear Bilstein HD's with probably 1,000 miles on them for cheap to a forum member and bought 2 Bilstein Sports for the rear only. The ride and handling today is superb, firm but not stiff or anyway harsh. Probably the best riding and handling late model C3 I have been in. I often here from non corvette folks who have been in my car that the most impressive surprising aspect of the car is not the ultra HP summer only tires, not the Borla C4 Type S mufflers, not the 355 L-82 HP/TQ but how good the ride is for a C3 corvette with my suspension combo. It is that good and Bilstein are worth every dollar, IMO.
Every car that I own that has Bilsteins that I have replaced the OEM or other Struts/Shocks has been noticeable improved: 2008 Chrysler 300, 1994 Mustang GT, 2016 Audi Q3, 2010 C6Z06.
I once had the KYB GR-2's on a 2001 Grand Prix and was very dissaappointed in them-Soft Mushy and zero handling enhancement. I removed them for GM Police Taxi struts/shocks...so much better
Are the Bilstien's worth the price? Depends on how badly you want a smooth ride and good handling at the same time.
We have a stretch of highway near me that I call the bumpy road. Speed limit 110K's per hour. About 70 MPH. I can honestly say my C3 rides smoother over the constant bumps than my late model sports car does. And it's a nice riding car mind you. But on that concrete road that's years over due for a resurface. I can really tell the difference.
Yepper over the years I've have all manner and makes of shocks for my 78 and for an end run fix I went back to Bilsteins and well it still rides like muscle car but hey that's what Vettes are all about................JMO........
Replacing shocks
