Shocks-maryosep! Need your help guys.

[IMm29]

Hi Guys,

Need your help. Have a problem with my '03 Camry's shocks. They've all failed, just yesterday. And this just after I had my H&R lowering springs re-installed (went back to stock for about 6 months). They were still ok when I drove out of my friend's shop, but about a km down Sucat road, I was beginning to feel all the bumps on the road. I had them inspected at another suspension shop nearby and there was no more play in them.

I asked around for shocks. Toyota OEMs would set me back about P32K for a set of 4. I was thinking, with that money, could I get aftermarket shocks with better performance, ride and durability? Any brand suggestions/shops I can contact? Also, any feedbacks/price range on Koni.

Would appreciate any inputs. Thanks.

[mbeige]

Bilstein. May be expensive, but better in all aspects. Some will suggest KYB, and I've tried KYB. They're stiffer than the Bilsteins and hence offer a harder ride. But as with all questions regarding opinions about suspension parts like shock absorbers and/or springs, they will most likely be biased. See if you have friends with the shocks you want for your car that are installed on theirs and see how it rides.

Lowering the car with lowering springs but keeping stock shocks will ruin the shocks because they're not rated for each other.

[wildthing]

KYB is a good cheap OEM type brand.

[orly_andico]

well i just got quoted 45K for bilsteins for the 626. i would suspect the camry is in the same price range.

kung 32K vs 45K for bilsteins, i'd go with the damn Germans

OTOH, KYB shocks for that would only cost perhaps 15K tops. but.. according to the Speedlab person, stock or replacement shocks will suffer shortened life when coupled with lowering springs.

[wildthing]

definitely yes, kasi the load is actually controlled by springs and not the shocks... the shocks actually dampens the return para hindi maging bouncy ung spring actions.

I don't think the KYB is that poor-a-brand... if you can get ones that fit your car and are actually designed for pick-ups maybe mas tatagal din yung kahit na lowered.

Further, isn't lowering springs have the same tensile strength than the normal ones except that it was designed to be shorter (unless of course your lowering springs were actually "CUT" springs)?!?

[niky]

Lowering springs usually have stiffer rates to keep the car from bottoming out. Since there's less travel distance, if they were of stock stiffness, they'd bottom out more easily.

I think your lowering springs have well and truly killed your shocks... that's happened to me, too, on previous vehicles. Some vehicles have very stiff shocks, and can withstand lowering springs (the Focus springs to mind), but Toyota cars often have soft shocks, for comfort, and the Camry's shocks, in particular, feel pretty buttery.

Don't go for OEM replacement, anymore... KYBs aren't bad shocks, but if they're OEM replacement, they're too soft to pair with lowering springs. Get a good set, like Bilsteins or whatever other "sports" shocks are available for your ride.

[IMm29]

Bilstein. May be expensive, but better in all aspects. Some will suggest KYB, and I've tried KYB. They're stiffer than the Bilsteins and hence offer a harder ride. But as with all questions regarding opinions about suspension parts like shock absorbers and/or springs, they will most likely be biased. See if you have friends with the shocks you want for your car that are installed on theirs and see how it rides.

Lowering the car with lowering springs but keeping stock shocks will ruin the shocks because they're not rated for each other.

Well that's the thing, most of my friends are riding on OEM everything so, from them, I really can't get any references. But thanks for the inputs, I'll do more research, and get a second opinion from another shop.

KYB is a good cheap OEM type brand.

Yep, that's what I hear. Would you have a contact shop for KYB? Thanks.

well i just got quoted 45K for bilsteins for the 626. i would suspect the camry is in the same price range.

kung 32K vs 45K for bilsteins, i'd go with the damn Germans

OTOH, KYB shocks for that would only cost perhaps 15K tops. but.. according to the Speedlab person, stock or replacement shocks will suffer shortened life when coupled with lowering springs.

Yep, I would go for the bilsteins in this case, thanks to much positive feedback. But then, it's still 45K argh!

definitely yes, kasi the load is actually controlled by springs and not the shocks... the shocks actually dampens the return para hindi maging bouncy ung spring actions.

I don't think the KYB is that poor-a-brand... if you can get ones that fit your car and are actually designed for pick-ups maybe mas tatagal din yung kahit na lowered.

Further, isn't lowering springs have the same tensile strength than the normal ones except that it was designed to be shorter (unless of course your lowering springs were actually "CUT" springs)?!?

Nope, lowering springs I have are H&R. Although with the way the shocks died out, I surely felt like I was riding on cut springs.

Lowering springs usually have stiffer rates to keep the car from bottoming out. Since there's less travel distance, if they were of stock stiffness, they'd bottom out more easily.

I think your lowering springs have well and truly killed your shocks... that's happened to me, too, on previous vehicles. Some vehicles have very stiff shocks, and can withstand lowering springs (the Focus springs to mind), but Toyota cars often have soft shocks, for comfort, and the Camry's shocks, in particular, feel pretty buttery.

Don't go for OEM replacement, anymore... KYBs aren't bad shocks, but if they're OEM replacement, they're too soft to pair with lowering springs. Get a good set, like Bilsteins or whatever other "sports" shocks are available for your ride.

Yeah, I knew they'd get killed sooner or later, I'm just surprised at the chronology: on new OEM shocks -> 1.5 years lowering springs, .5 year stock springs, .5 hr back with lowering springs = failure.

[mazdamazda]

Bro... mahal nga ang OEM Toyota Shock Absorber... I was quoted 10+K per piece for my Rav4 a few months ago. :shocked2:

Speedyfix came to the rescue by sourcing KYB replacements for the Rav4! The KYBs are a bit stiffer than the OEMs, but hey - it's cheaper by more than 50%!

[IMm29]

Bro... mahal nga ang OEM Toyota Shock Absorber... I was quoted 10+K per piece for my Rav4 a few months ago. :shocked2:

Speedyfix came to the rescue by sourcing KYB replacements for the Rav4! The KYBs are a bit stiffer than the OEMs, but hey - it's cheaper by more than 50%!

Thanks for the inputs. Yeah, that's the quote I got for my rear shocks, P10++. Tapos left and right front, P8K ++. What's weird is that the front left and front right shocks have different prices pa. Perhaps coz they're shared with other vehicles?

I'll give Speedyfix a ring about those KYBs. If there are half-the-price-of-OEM shocks for my ride, and they're gonna end up being too stiff on my H&Rs, then I might just abandon the H&Rs altogether. Gloomy day for the "stock is evil" movement.

Btw, isn't Tokico more of a Honda-OEM brand? Those are what are installed on my ride now. I asked Toyota, and they said it's usually KYB (made in Thailand) that they install as OEM. Hmmm....

[mazdamazda]

You can try googling for the KYB shock absorber line-up PDF (from their site). You'll get an idea of whether your car is sharing parts with other Toyotas.

As for the ride getting stiff, maybe the Camry's overall suspension design can handle the stiffer KYBs & H&Rs. The Rav4's OEM setup is already stiff that's why ramdam na ramdan ko ang difference - hehe.

Tokico does cater to other brands too... you can try asking Speedyfix if they can source out Toxico shocks for you though.

Edit:

Here's KYB AU's website, the parts available there are also the ones here in the PH:

http://kyb.com.au/part.htm?http://ky...der/shocks.php

I tried looking for your Camry, but wala for your model...

For the US available KYB... here are the part numbers:

SM5423 (front) & SM5175 (rear)

[IMm29]

You can try googling for the KYB shock absorber line-up PDF (from their site). You'll get an idea of whether your car is sharing parts with other Toyotas.

As for the ride getting stiff, maybe the Camry's overall suspension design can handle the stiffer KYBs & H&Rs. The Rav4's OEM setup is already stiff that's why ramdam na ramdan ko ang difference - hehe.

Tokico does cater to other brands too... you can try asking Speedyfix if they can source out Toxico shocks for you though.

Edit:

Here's KYB AU's website, the parts available there are also the ones here in the PH:

http://kyb.com.au/part.htm?http://ky...der/shocks.php

I tried looking for your Camry, but wala for your model...

For the US available KYB... here are the part numbers:

SM5423 (front) & SM5175 (rear)

Thanks Bro. I contacted Speedyfix and he's getting me KYBs. I just have to tell him when I can drop by to have them installed so he can pre-order them. But yeah, my shocks aren't listed in the AU website. I wonder what Speedy's fixing me up with. Hehehe!

[shampooking]

Distributor ng KYB shocks dito:
Chuan Lam Auto Supply

http://www.chuanlam.com/contact.php

[speedyfix]

i don't like the tokicos as much as kyb's... they tend to break sooner. the only tokicos i like installing are the illuminas. hehe!

[IMm29]

The Tokico's? Break they did. Right front shock was dead. Right rear shock was dying (slow to rebound). Left shocks were still rebounding, but not as quickly as the new ones. Ironic, I drive alone most of the time, and we're a left-hand driving country! This after 2 years. (1.5 on lowering springs and .5 on stock springs) Tsk Tsk! The original Tokico set before this one lasted 2.5 years on stock springs. Ganun na lang ba katibay ang gawang Thailand?

Got KYBs now. Excel-G, made in Japan. Unfortunately, not from speedyfix (sorry speedy, i appreciate your quick reply and accommodation. Wasn't quick enough to react to my Dad's move to source them out for me tho.) I wonder how long these will last. And like what some posters mentioned, medyo matagtag sila, especially now that I'm re-learning on how to drive with lowering springs, having been on stock ones the past half year. Based on my re-learning experience yesterday tho, nabawasan na ng konti yung tagtag. Ah, how your tolerances get recalibrated in favor of better looks and handling. Hehe!

Thanks for all the help guys!

[speedyfix]

don't worry about it