Shocks

[BZG Wagon]

Best Rear Shocks for an AE101 Corolla (BZ Touring) Wagon?

Koni
KYB
Munroe
Bilstein (On a budget; are these quite expensive?)

Can anyone recommend a pair of shocks from personal experience?

Im wanting to pay around the $300 mark for a pair of rear shocks.

[AE82 FXGT]

cross munroe off your list, munroe = crap. Other than that not sure

[Emperor]

I had Monroe's put in my BMW, were great, not too stiff.

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

genuine toyota?

[bad20v]

It really depends on what you want to achieve by replacing the rear shocks:

* Stiffen up the rear end for better handling?
* Stiffen it up for better load carrying ability (seeing that it a wagon)?
* Your existing ones are stuffed and you just want to get new shocks?

If you could give a bit more info about your reasons for changing just your rear shocks and not the fronts as well, and maybe the springs, I could give you a more specific answer.

[AJz]

cross munroe off your list, munroe = crap. Other than that not sure

can i ask why you say this, i know many people with munroes in, i havnt heard any complaints

[Helious]

I've had 3 FXGT's with Munroes in them and they blew within 6months, some earlier. Such a shit brand. I'd never go near them again.

Could've been a combination of the spring aswell though. But yeah, i'm not recommending Munroe to anyone I know.

[Helious]

I had 3 FXGT's with Munroe GT Gas shocks + King(1) and Super low Kings(2) springs and that application for an AE82 FXGT was just not happy.

I'm trying Whiteline Springs + KYB shocks next. Will see how that goes - I've heard good things though.

[fangsport]

i used a combination of Monroe and H/Duty Dobinsons in the Commonwhoe wagon and they were good for 7-10,000km, and now it's back to being an ill-mannered sloppy pile of poo.
wouldn't use or recommend either products again

[bad20v]

i used a combination of Monroe and H/Duty Dobinsons in the Commonwhoe wagon and they were good for 7-10,000km, and now it's back to being an ill-mannered sloppy pile of poo.
wouldn't use or recommend either products again

You should have put Whiteline springs and Gabriel shocks into it. I did a cop wagon a while back, it was one of the SCU (Serious Crime Unit) wagons which is on the road all the time and carries around 650kgs of gear in the boot all the time. It was seriously sagging in the back and they had taken it to several suspension shops, and every one of their setups just couldn't cope with the load. I ended up putting 'raised' Whiteline springs and Gabriel shocks in it and it was finally level with the front and handled reasonably well. To this day they haven't come back yet and needed to change anything... and that was three years ago.
For your commodore, Fangsport, I would go with the Whiteline springs... not the 'raised' ones though!

[fangsport]

For your commodore, Fangsport, I would go with the Whiteline springs... not the 'raised' ones though!

thanks for the tip, what do you recommend for rear bushes? i have already done the front sway bar conversion/modification.

FYI it's a towing barge/workhorse and very rarely seen with a usable rear seat.

[bad20v]

For your commodore, Fangsport, I would go with the Whiteline springs... not the 'raised' ones though!

thanks for the tip, what do you recommend for rear bushes? i have already done the front sway bar conversion/modification.

FYI it's a towing barge/workhorse and very rarely seen with a usable rear seat.

Either go with some SuperPro or a Nolathane Rear Bush Kit. If it used for towing and has a load on it all the time, Whiteline also do an Adjustable Rear Panhard Rod that helps with stiffening up the rear and providing more control over the standard item. I think its about 60% stiffer than standard and being adjustable its better for lowered vehicles. They are a pretty good price too. Contact Shock and Suspension Services in CHCH, as they are the suppliers of all these items in your area.

[Fraud]

Bilstein, altough you are correct in assuming they are pricey

[BZG Wagon]

It really depends on what you want to achieve by replacing the rear shocks:

* Stiffen up the rear end for better handling?
* Stiffen it up for better load carrying ability (seeing that it a wagon)?
* Your existing ones are stuffed and you just want to get new shocks?

If you could give a bit more info about your reasons for changing just your rear shocks and not the fronts as well, and maybe the springs, I could give you a more specific answer.

Better Handling. I dont really carry loads (when I do, I get aweful understeer). The front suspension is very hard, but the rear is all over the place. I want to make the back as stiff as possible without doing the springs.

Passengers in the back seats, infront of the rear wheels tend to make the handling feel a little bit better, weight in the boot, behind the rear wheels tend to make the car sway all over the place (I guess thats centrifugal force in a nut shell).

I currently have standard springs, apparently the front shocks are quite recent and heavy duty.

[bad20v]

We'll seeing as you are on a budget, I would recommend going for the KYB's as they are a good shock at a reasonable price range.

Personally if it's a poor handling problem, I would look into getting the whole suspension sorted not just the rear shocks. You maybe getting poor handling from worn suspension bushes as well as worn rear shocks. What you may think is one thing, maybe another. I would proberly recommend checking your car into a suspension shop for a good looking over and assessment. It shouldn't cost you anything, and just get them to give you their opinion on what needs to be done. But go to a reputable shop not some backyard cowboy.
An example of this was a customer I had that came in to get 2 new front shocks, as his WOF guy said they were stuffed as they were creaking. He was prepared to fork over $400 to get these replaced, but only ended up paying $25. Why because when I got his car up on the hoist, the shocks were fine, it was just a worn sway bar link making the noise. I replaced it and sent him on his way with a smile on his face and a few nice words for the WOF guy.

Good luck.

[BZG Wagon]

We'll seeing as you are on a budget, I would recommend going for the KYB's as they are a good shock at a reasonable price range.

Personally if it's a poor handling problem, I would look into getting the whole suspension sorted not just the rear shocks. You maybe getting poor handling from worn suspension bushes as well as worn rear shocks. What you may think is one thing, maybe another. I would proberly recommend checking your car into a suspension shop for a good looking over and assessment. It shouldn't cost you anything, and just get them to give you their opinion on what needs to be done. But go to a reputable shop not some backyard cowboy.
An example of this was a customer I had that came in to get 2 new front shocks, as his WOF guy said they were stuffed as they were creaking. He was prepared to fork over $400 to get these replaced, but only ended up paying $25. Why because when I got his car up on the hoist, the shocks were fine, it was just a worn sway bar link making the noise. I replaced it and sent him on his way with a smile on his face and a few nice words for the WOF guy.

Good luck.

And you work at....

[bad20v]

Thankfully I'm not in that line of work anymore, I've got a nice cushy office/lab job now. I used to work for SAS (Shock Absorber Services), have done some fabrication work for Autolign and a few other suspension shops and mechanical workshops around Auckland. I mainly help my mates out with their race vehicles now, building custom racing setups etc.

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

better make some suggestions for my racecar then

[Mr Revhead]

i will!

get one

[bad20v]

better make some suggestions for my racecar then

Sweet as dude, just get the car first!