FAQ: Shocks & Struts Options

Not me, I understand that most people with the 'adjustables' don't adjust them anyway.

Albertj

I don't even think that those struts will fit on a riv without very intense custom work

Sway bars and a strut brace, with Gabriel struts, will get you 'there' no problem. Carquest or AutoZone can get you the struts. NAPA can get you replacement springs (Moog I think...)

Albertj

Yeah, I'm not aware that there is an AGX spec'd for the Riv.

Just had new struts (OEM replacements) and some Kumho all seasons put on my ride (aftermarket 17's)....OMG...it's like a new car!

A little over a year ago I put on some American Racing rims with some tires I got off ebay (Falkens)...they were always loud.

These new Kumho's and struts have totally changed the ride and sound. So quite you can hear everything!

I'm loving this Riv!!!

GM, you want to get out of near bankruptcy? Build the Riv again!!!!

Just wanted to share!

my tires are good... but i will be takin on a couple jobs in about three weeks struts will b on that list. im anxious t get them on and know exactly what ur talkin about.

well, imagine this..

he took the old struts off and I could push the piston all the way down relatively easily, and it stayed down.... new ones should push back up! So I've been riding on springs with worn out struts this whole time????

It's almost eerie how quiet it is.... I think part of the reason for the old tires whine was the alignment...this new setup is SO much more quieter... I keep wondering where the road noise is!

The youngest riv here is 11 years old...so I think a lot of us have forgotten what a brand new set of struts and tires can do!!!

I'm loving it!

Great news!

How many miles were on the old struts?

if they were original, 104k.....yikes!

I'm planning on redoing my suspension pretty soon , peobably the rear first and i was wondering if anyone had tried Sachs shocks listed on rockauto.com. I read reviews for some other cars and they seemed mostly positive, but i'd like to know if anyone has tried them on our cars and if they're better than the monroes which most seem to go with. They look pretty beefy from the pic i saw on partsgeek.com.

i went with the monroes b/c they were affordable, adjustable, and stiff! (when filled up).

also, i see the monroes say "(sold in pairs)" where the sach doesnt mention that. i would certainly ask before placing an order and receiving only 1 shock
i honestly dont think you would notice a differecne in quality between the 2.

are you going the self fill route or are you keeping the air ride?
oh, and if you want help installing them, i'd be happy to lend a hand.

Are they air shocks? Price per pair? I personally don't think you can go wrong with the Monroes.

yes they are air shocks, and they look exactly the same as the monroes. i'm not sure if they are prices as a pair or a a singe side. rockauto doesnt say on the sachs, but the monroes specifically say priced per pair.

monroes-$60
sachs -$82
that would make my decision right there...

I think i can handle the rears but if you wanna help with installing your KYBs that would be aprecciated.

I'll ask and see if they are sold in pairs , i might try them just for kicks.

So the sachs are sold individually. The monroes are sold as pairs , meaning that one pair of monroes is only 60 bucks?? Is that right?

TonySmooth89 wrote:

So the sachs are sold individually.

is that what rockauto said when you emailed them?


if so, then yes. the monroes will cost you $60 and the sachs will run you $160.

Yeah that's what rockauto said. For 3x the price how much better could they be? I think i'm gonna stick to monroes...

Forget the Sachs, not worth it. Anyone even heard of them before?

Well the way i figure it , i could get the monroes and an STS rear sway bar for the same price as the Sachs. Still curious to hear input on them though.

So doing some searching , They're fairly popular on Mercedes benz , and they actually produce OEM AMG shocks , so they probably are good stuff. However at that price , how good could they be?


Some more interesting findings...


"With this kind of reputation, it's no surprise that the Chevrolet
Division of General Motors relied on SACHS to develop the shock absorber
system for it's innovative and exciting new C5 Corvette. The same SACHS
technology used in shock absorbers for the Ferrari F1, McLaren F1,
leading European Touring Car and International Rally teams, is
incorporated into the shock absorbers of the new Corvette."


I think i may try them just for kicks....

I used Sachs/Boge shoskc on a Volvo I used to own. They are fine.

They also made a shock called a Niv-o-Mat which was self-levelling (did not require the air compressor). Some Volvos came with tehm. Typically thy'd last around 100,000 miles and quit by 150,000. Typically people replaced them with conventional shocks and stiffer springs because they are REAL expensive. GM is using Niv-o-Mats on some cars and trucks, don't remember which but a Google search on "GM Nivomat" will uncover them I bet.

Albertj

Apparently KYB makes one and has them for the Riv and are available through tirerack.com

Link

Kinda pricey but interesting nonetheless.

That's not that pricey, if you add up the costs of all the individual parts needed to make an assembly it would be more $.
If i knew these existed when I did mine i would have bought these. Instead i purchased all the individual parts necessary to make a completely new strut assembly. I spent that much and more doing it the way i did.

Edit: Just did a search on that site for a 1998 and they are not available for my year.

Rickw wrote:

That's not that pricey, if you add up the costs of all the individual parts needed to make an assembly it would be more $.
If i knew these existed when I did mine i would have bought these. Instead i purchased all the individual parts necessary to make a completely new strut assembly. I spent that much and more doing it the way i did.

Edit: Just did a search on that site for a 1998 and they are not available for my year.

Yeah i'm debating on going this route instead since i'd imagine this would save a ton of time. I was going to purchase Mr. Rivieras 20k mile KYBs but it would be nice to have everything fresh up front.


As for availability for the 98s , it is listed as a new Item for the 96s , so perhaps there is one in development for the 98s? Maybe someone could email KYB and ask.

I wouldn't hesitate in going that route if you want new struts with springs, mounts, bearings, cushions, bump stops, etc.
I did the math on what I spent and these are considerably cheaper, especially since i paid someone to compress the springs and assemble everything i had bought.