Which shocks to buy?

[martyrg]

I want to improve the handling for my street driven play car. I have a 1966 Type 1 with a balljoint front beam. It has been narrowed 4 inches and is adjustable for height. It also has dropped spindles.

I'm installing a 7/8 inch sway bar from Aircooled.net. I'm also installing urethane bushings from Bugpack in the beam. There is a sway away camber compensator going on the swing axle this weekend. The last items are shock absorbers. What do you recommend for front and rear?

[helowrench]

4-way shocks.









Sorry, it was a reference to a lively discussion a while ago.


On topic... I like the GR2 for the front and rear of a bug, but some think it makes the front a little s
too stiff.
Bilsteins are hands down the best but pricey

[Jadewombat]

Bilsteins hands-down. Took the plunge last year and got some for the rear of my bug, night and day difference and you'll see why they cost so much. Took the car auto- and rally-cross and it felt great.

[Steve Arndt]

I like Koni for the street and mild race.
I have a set of new T1 rear Bilsteins I will be selling soon. They are too stiff for the street.

[vwo60]

KYB gas adjusts are great value for money, i have tried a lot of shocks on both swing axel and irs, Koni's, bilstiens and a few others, they all have been replaced, with the narrowed beam you have lost a lot of handling potential and you have a large increase in spring rate so the front shocks will have to be chosen carefully or it will ride even worse, the urethane front bushes will make the car ride harshly as well, you cannot beat the needle bearings for low friction.

[JWP]

I agree on the KYB gas adjusts. I found them on Amazon for less than 40 per. Hint the ball joint lowered gas adjusts fit a late 80s Isuzu and Nissan truck.

If you really want to go nuts BAT (British American Transfer) can get spax externally adjustable shocks, or you could go to an Afco, QA1 or other externally adjustable shock. IMO if you are racing you may still not reach a point where you need more than a Koni or Bilstein, but everyone is different.

[buildabiggerboxer]

Spax were the control shock for the swing axle Beetle cup race series, they proved tough and durable with about 12 clicks of adjustment, i believe newer versions have more clicks, the beauty of adjustment is you can run soft for the street and use your selected race settings for events, bugs respond well to as few as 5 clicks on the adjuster screw making a noticeable change in handling trait or the traction off the start.

[JWP]

Yeah I really wanted Spax shocks but stateside they are well over 100 US$ per shock, with the Koni and Bilstein coming in around 85-90 per if you look hard enough.