The most integral part of your suspension system is, surprisingly, your shock absorbers. They adapt to the roads and your vehicle's weight, as they must be able to absorb every last pothole and bump your vehicle comes in contact with. But, did you know that some performance shocks are adjustable?
Adjustable shocks allow for a certain level of fine-tuning, which brings the vehicle to the ride comfort and handling preferences of the driver. It also allows the driver to adjust dampening, and that compensates for wear. (
Read more.)
Tire Rack carries the following adjustable shocks:
•
Bilstein 5100 Series Adjustable Shock•
KYB AGX Adjustable Gas Shocks & Struts See all shocks.
KONI has been producing equipment for the transportation industry since 1857, but now they are primarily known for high performance and racing KONI shocks.
And those KONI shocks are known for producing superb performance and enhanced car control. KONI experts know that every vehicle has a different dampening system, which is why they custom build a wide variety of shock absorbers using three different technologies: twin-tube hydraulic, mono-tube high pressure gas, and twin-tube low pressure gas. The result is a shock absorber tweaked to perfection that lasts a lifetime—and often outlasts the vehicle itself.
Koni shocks are available in two different performance categories:
•
KONI Special shock absorbers Typically painted red, these KONI shocks please drivers seeking to improve general vehicle comfort and handling.
•
KONI Sport shock absorbers Typically painted yellow, these KONI shocks focus on exceptional road handling.
Search all of
Tire Rack's suspension products by vehicle.
When you start to feel every last imperfection in the road, odds are you need to replace shock absorbers. Shock absorbers play a very important role in the function of your suspension system. They force heat through a series of valves within the shock body, which controls unwanted suspension movement.
What does that mean? It means that a shock absorber helps your tires stay in contact with the road's surface. The slightest bit of wear can affect ride quality, handling and balance when the vehicle is in motion. Further translation: It gives you a bumpy ride and, quite possibly, a bruised tailbone. (
Suspension Basics)
So, if you need a replacement shock absorber, the
KYB GR-2 is designed to return your vehicle to it's original ride quality. Or, you can
search our suspension products to see a list of replacement shock absorbers—or consider a performance upgrade—to suit your vehicle specifically.
Give it an
"Altitude and Attitude Adjustment."
Start with
shock absorbers. They maximize the ability of your tires to perform. And, of course, they give you a comfortable ride whenever potholes or speed bumps come into play. If you've been feeling it in your tailbone as of late, you may need to seek out some new shock absorbers.
Next, consider the effect that lowering your WRX will have. You'll increase its spring rate and give it a more aggressive look with reduced fenderwell gap. You'll need properly engineered aftermarket sport
springs that are designed to fit your WRX suspension system. Take
a look at lowering to see the effect lowering springs have.
There are many products available for tweaking your WRX suspension system. Check out
Suspension Tech for the "low" down on suspension, then
shop by vehicle for our list of suitable WRX suspension products.
We do a lot of testing. And not just on the tires we sell.. We want to know all there is to know about the
suspension products we sell. By educating ourselves in this way, we can better serve you throughout your purchase. If we can't drive with it—we wouldn't suggest that you drive with it.
For example,
"KONI Sport Ride & Drive...An Absorbing Experience" takes a look at how KONI Sport Shock absorbers in soft and firm settings held up against Original Equipment Lexus IS300 shock absorbers. On the road, the "firm" KONI shock absorbers provided responsive handling, but supplied a "jiggly" ride. In other words, potholes were noticeable. We wouldn't recommend this setting for all drivers all of the time, but the "soft" setting might be the answer. (
Read More)
And, it never hurts to get a second opinion, which is why we post the shock absorber reviews that our consumers write. Here's what they're saying about the KONI Sport Suspension Kit:
" Wow, what a difference from stock! These struts really changed the character of the car; it doesn't seem quite so cheap anymore. The ride and handling are light years better. I highly recommend them." -- Nissan Sentra, Colorado
Shop by vehicle to discover the performance shock absorber that is perfect for your vehicle. Product pages will include links to all consumer reviews (when available).
Like clothes and computers, you can buy wheels online. And at
Tire Rack, we do our best to be your top choice for an online wheel shop. Our
shopping tools are designed to enhance your buying process, giving you expert fitment and performance advice at every opportunity. And that's all available to you because we've spent years training on and testing the various products we sell—from brake pads and wheels, to winter tires and shock absorbers.
Our extensive collection of
wheels features a number of high-quality
brands that are available exclusively at Tire Rack:
•
Kazera•
Kosei•
moda•
MSW•
O.Z. Racing•
Rial•
Sport Edition•
Sport Muscle•
Sport Tuning•
TRMotorsports•
ZinikSee our complete collection including
American Racing,
Breyton,
Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
Enkei Performance Series and
more.
Search by vehicle and enter our
Upgrade Garage, which will show you all of the products—including wheels (right on your vehicle, on the screen)—that we have for your vehicle.
At
Tire Rack, we'll do our best to end your exhaustive search for
shock absorbers online. We've developed our inventory by compiling some of the industry's best suspension products.
Search our stock by vehicle. It's easy! We'll generate a list of suitable suspension products, like shock absorbers, springs and strut boots—all of which are ready to ship from one of our distribution centers.
You can also search by brand:
•
Bilstein•
Eibach•
H&R•
Hotchkis•
KONI
•
KYBRegardless, you'll find the information you need to make an educated purchase. If not,
contact us. Our team of performance specialists would be happy to help you find shock absorbers.
At
Tire Rack—we love a good review. Even if it's bad. Our consumer survey results give you great product information. From shock absorber reviews to snow tire ratings, every comment our previous customers provide helps you, in turn, make an educated purchase. And it also helps us determine which products are right for you, too.
Search by vehicle. We'll recommend a few solid shock absorbers, affordable tires, brake components, even Wheels and Tire Packages. Then you can read the reviews. Here's an example:
"I'm a pretty aggressive driver. I've gone through several suspension setups and overall I am very satisfied with the sportline springs. I paired these up with some KONI yellow sport shocks and it's amazing."Not convinced by your peers? We've done some pretty extensive
tire and
suspension testing at Tire Rack. We go the extra mile on our test track—literally—to review the products we sell.
And if you still have questions,
contact our sales specialists. They're ready and willing to help you compare performance tires or find the right shock absorbers online or over the phone.
Once you do, don't forget to write
suspension and/or
tire reviews!
After hitting 60,000 miles on the my Mini Cooper S, I could tell it was time (and maybe a little late) for replacement shock absorbers. The car wasn't settling as quickly after dips in road and small bumps were becoming much more noticeable. I considered shocks from a few different ma
nufacturers like
KYB, KONI and Bilstein. But after reading the shock absorber reviews on
tirerack.com, I decided to go for the
KONI FSD Damper Set. I have had great experiences in the past with Koni shocks, so I had high hopes for the Damper Set.
The customer reviews were correct...the Koni FSD Damper Set was fantastic. The handling was improved with quicker response to steering inputs and less bounce after bumps or unsettling maneuvers. But true to the customer feedback, the ride quality actually improved absorbing bumps in a more subtle fashion than the stock shocks.
The Koni FSD Damper Set is a definite step up from standard shock absorbers, but there are also a huge step up in ride quality and performance.
