Well, finally, after 3 weeks of postponments, delays, screw ups, dissappointments and other BS, its in. Ground Control coilovers and KYB AGX shocks.

I dont have a garage, so I was doing it ghetto style, on the side of the street. Started at 10am, and had a friend helping me. I bought used GC coilovers (bad idea), the little allen key screw wouldnt budge at all and I barely got the colars to spin. So next weekend, I will be using JB Weld on the collars to prevent them from moving. Got the fronts in with no problems. So we started on the rears. I was doing one side, and my friend the other. Him thinking he's an expert, starts undoing the rear shock connection to the lower control arm. But, as anyone thats done their suspension knows, one side is for the bolt, and on the other side, there is a welded nut which is not meant to be taken off.

"AARRRGGH!!!!"
"Dude, what happened?"
"Almost broke your breaker bar, then my shoulder!"
"How'd you manage that?"
"Took of this nut"
"Uh...that nut was welded on, its not supposed to come off"
"Oh chit"

Crazy kid.

After we put everything back together, he says: "Hey, whats this washer for?"

So, we got everything together and I went for a ride. About 15 minutes into it, there is a loud banging noise from the left rear like the shock was just hanging loose. And guess what? It was. So we took it all apart again and put that washer in. Finished at 6pm. So everything is ok, the ride isnt too stiff, but I am way more carefull on bumps. On big bumps, there is a thud from the right right. And, when I bounce the car up and down, there is a 'PSSSSST' sound coming from the shock. Anyone want to guess what that is from? I still need an alignment, and to play with the stiffness settings and air pressure.

Cliff notes: iT bEEz iN y0!

 

bizzlown shock yo.

 

Did you remove the bumpstops?

 

oo! nice catch brandon! why no aim love anymore?

 

Remember there were some papers with the KYB about installatin and how you need bumpstops, well if you fogot to put them on, you will blow a shock.

 

did the loud clanking due to the missing washer and the **** sound come from the same corner?

bumpstops are for losers

cash - who has bumpstops on his Tein's

 

Nope.

I used 1/3 of the bumpstop. I dont know why they would blow in 10 miles!!!

Should I contact TireRack or KYB?

 

doesnt matter. You voided the warrently by coupling them with coilovers. Most aftermarket shock manufacters only warrenty thier shocks for at most a 1.75" drop.

 

You needed a little bit more rubber because that little amount of rubber won't protect a shock.

 

I dropped it about an inch.

 

coilovers yo. i went through this hell with my tokreakos.

 

So is it definetly blown?

 

is it bouncy like a muggafucka?

 

Its firm not bouncy. Ill go out later tonight and bounce it around a alittle.

 

start with tirerack.com then go to KYB.

 

hahah...man i just blew my stock shocks yesterday (sunday) at autoX...and man doesn't it suck...the trip home was horrible...the rear end was literally off the ground over minor bumps...anyways...i am getting kyb's for my ride and i as well have the ground controls on right now...anyways...i think it is hilarious that it only took me a week and a half to blow the stocky shockies...oh well...damn autoX...it's so ******* fun but if i keep blowing shocks it's gonna get expensive...sorry gennady for posting a story in your thread...but i just didn't feel like starting a new one about the same thing...anyways...your shock most likely isn't blown...i have a feeling that it is just like that due to the shock moving in different positions...as long as your *** end isn't bouncing around don't worry about it...hehe...i need someone to video tape my *** going over a bump so you guys can see what i mean when i say that the wheels are off the ground...anyways...that's that...lata

 

I went out to my car and both the rear shocks are making that PSSSSST sound upon compression but they are stiff as ***** with absolutely no bounce at 4 stiffness. I will try to decrease rear tire pressure to 34psi cold and set the rears to 3. All im concerned about is that thump sound on medium and large bumps.

 

i think you are probable ok since it is not air inside your shock...and only air can make a psshhhhh sound...not oil coming from a shock...it might be a tire ....i'm not sure though...

 

Ok well I go to an alignment shop this morning, and what do they tell me? That they cant do it because its not factory and that I would need to go to a speed shop. Whats up with that?

Also, I didnt notice that thumping noise anymore.

 

boooo... sounds like they need a brick through the window.

 

I'm not going there ago. This dude could barely speak english.

 

some shops are afraid of modified cars. this one shop was scared to smog my car. they even offered to convert it to stock for free so they could smog it (if i were to provide my old parts). I just took it elsewhere, and the guy smogged it with no problems

although some alignment shops can't handle lowered cars. Their equipment just isn't right. Just like when i took my car to sears to have them change my tires...the arms that lift the car up were too high, and my car ended up being stuck there...i had to damage my car's underbody just to get my car out...grr!!

 

Have they ever heard of a rolling jack?

 

in ground lifts are the only way to go.