Kyb Gr-2 Gas Shocks

[Blue07]

Let me preface my opinion with the fact that I like harder, sporty suspensions. Having said that, the KYB shocks are much firmer than OEM, but are absolutely not race hard. The KYBs are road shocks, not track shocks. With my Eibach-ProKit and KYBs, the Sonata suspension feels about the same as my 2007 Honda Accord V6 Sedan (manual transmission) or something like a Nissan Altima SE-R. Obviously that is much firmer than the Sonata but still far from harsh. In fact after spending all this money, I had hoped it was a little firmer. But I have no illusions to turn my Sonata into a BMW M3.

The manual transmission shifts are now rock solid. The OEM suspension promoted excessive front-to-back-to-front-to-back weight transfer during quick shifts. No more. Even under hard shifts, the car has practically zero nose dive or squat. It just stays planted. Body roll is also much less. For a larger car, it has a playful nature now. The KYBs and Eibach Pro-kit complement each other well. I am extremely happy with the change. For those who may consider this modification, if you want to drive to my neck of woods, I will let you drive the car.

[Insaneone]

How does it handle the road? I mean going over bumps and potholes and such? Does it throw you a bit to the sides, bounce like a po-go stick? I am asking these question because I want to have a nice smooth ride with an aggressive stand and handling. I dont want to get on a highway and be bounced around with every link or pothole I drive over. After your input, I will be going with the set up you have if its not to crazy of a ride down a highway at 70mph.

[delhiboy3732]

Makes me wonder about stock springs and kyb.

[Blue07]

I am so reluctant to speak in concrete terms on such a subjective matter. Let me start by saying the mechanic who installed the struts said "the car rides hard now." On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being soft and 10 being hard, I would put my OEM I4 sonata at a 3 and my current Sonata at a 7. As a benchmark, I would put a Porsche 911, Corvette Z06 or BMW M3 at an 8.5. My Sonata's suspension is still softer than many stock sport cars. Bear in mind, I am also on 17-inch rims which do not contribute to impact harshness like 18s or 19s. To me, the set up still comfortably absorbs small bumps, expansion joints, etc. The best comparison I can give is that my car now drives like a "sport-tuned" Altima SE-R. To some that is uncomfortable. To me it is not.

I was once a passenger in my neighbor's son's dropped Honda Civic. That car was punishing and would get a 9.5 on my scale. It had no compliance and pounded me over every bump. There was no way I could drive that car. If some of you are concerned about that kind of ride, my current Sonata isn't even close. Perhaps with Eibach Sportline springs it might be. But the Eibach Pro-kit is designed for road use. So are the GR-2s.

Having said that, the Eibachs (or equivalent) might create a problem if you keep the stock struts. Let me rephrase that. I encountered a problem when I first installed my Eibachs but kept the OEM struts (there were no strut upgrades available yet.) The suspension "boinged." The firmer Eibach springs required more force to compress, which naturally controlled down motions. However once the springs compressed, they also rebounded, or pushed back up with greater force. That created the problem for me. The car would rapidly bounce back up after each bump. It felt firm on the way down and loose in the way up.

The problem was that the strut was no longer matched to the spring. The strut's job is to control both down and UP motions. Unfortunately the weak OEM struts could not control the Eibach's rebound. However, these firmer KYBs are a good match for the stronger springs. The rebound is well controlled now and the car feels great. Strong springs and weak shocks generally do not work. By the way, the labor cost to replace just the springs or just the struts is the same as to replace both the springs and struts.

For those who may consider the GR-2s as a replacement strut for OEM, I think you should be fine. In fact, I bet they would be excellent. It is common for car manufacturers to go a little firmer on the struts and softer on the springs to achieve a "firm yet compliant" road feel. The GR-2s are not that hard to make the car feel like an off-road truck.

I hope this helped.

[gischpel]

I am really thinking about putting the KYB GR-2's on my 2009 GLS (40,000 miles). It rides great on the highway (above 35mph), but I feel every nook and cranny when driving slowly around town.

I replaced the stock struts/shocks on my Infiniti FX with KYB GR-2's at the same time I added H&R lowering springs and different tires. The ride is so much better, but hard to tell which component made the biggest difference. It also had 95,000 miles on it, so it was due for a change.

[08SonataSE]

Great write up... I have 96k miles on my Sonta SE 5 spd, and my suspension is not the way it use to be. I think I will go with both the ProKit and the KYB GR-2. Can u post a link to where can buy your setup online? I can then take it to a shop to install the setup...

Thanks again for your well explained opinion...

[spandolfonj]

Hey Blue07

Where did you get your shock/springs installed? What was the install cost? Also where did you get the alignment done and cost? I have the H&R springs and am going to order the KYB shocks and struts but local garages I have asked around Woodbridge NJ don't want to deal with lowering springs or alignments with lowering springs. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Blue07]

I purchased my KYB GR-2 struts and shocks from the Tirerack. The front struts (#341476) were $170 for the pair and the rear shocks (#349060) were $118 for the pair. Shipping was $16 making the total cost $304. I purchased my Eibach Pro-kit (Part # 4240.140) about two years ago. I believe all four springs and shipping was about $250. If you Google "Eibach 4240.140" you will get several hits and prices.

Installation was $270 plus tax. That was for both struts, both shocks and a four-wheel alignment. I negotiated a lot over the phone. The first "tire place" I called told me $380. My response was "I already have a quote of $300." This first shop immediately said they would match it. The second place I called instantly quoted me $282.90. The third place quoted me $417. I told them they were really expensive, which started a conversation. The person said "the book quotes "X" number of hours." I told him "I already got a quote of $280. If you can do $270, you've got my business." His response was let me talk to my manager. When he came back to the phone he said yes. This was a local Midas place with experienced technicians. (Buy the way Sardouch, I had the springs installed two years ago at American Tire in Hamilton NJ. If your local garages are not willing to work for you, try some of your larger tire places. Heck, a local Midas may work too. They know suspensions. ) I know different cars require different amounts of labor. The cheapest price I heard on other forums for a full installation plus alignment was $250, and that was in the Mid West. So I figured $270 here in New Jersey was a very fair price.

Because the spring and shock are connected in a strut, I believe the labor to change the front struts should be the same if one changes just the strut, just the spring, or both the strut and spring. The shocks in the rear however may be different. To the best of my knowledge, they do not need to remove the rear spring to change the shock. So if someone intends to do springs and shocks, the total labor may be slightly higher because of the rear end. As I learned, all shops are willing to negotiate. If they have an empty bay, it is better to get something than nothing. I suspect anything less than $300 is an acceptable price, especially if you trust the mechanic.

[08SonataSE]

Thanks Blue... Great info... My next project on the Nata. The Springs & Shocks / struts...

[Blue07]

Just one last thought. Those who currently have a V6 will not feel as much of a difference as someone with the I4 if they only install the GR-2s. The OEM V6 shocks are significantly stiffer than the OEM I4 shocks. I would really hate for a V6 owner to pay $600 to upgrade their shocks and feel ripped off because the GR-2s are only marginally stiffer. If the shocks are worn, that's one thing. But if they are not worn and the Sonata owner wants a significantly sportier feel, it is possible they may be disappointed.

According to KYB, the GR-2 is an OEM replacement. Their next model up is called Gas-a-Just and is "designed to increase vehicle performance and stability." Then KYB has their AGX line, which is an adjustable shock for track use. The GR-2 is KYB's softest strut. Although it is much firmer than OEM, it is not one of KYB's performance struts. (For those who may want a really hard suspension, KYB doesn't make the higher end struts for the Sonata.) Before anyone spends their money, I just wanted them to know that little fact. Although the GR-2 will improve the feel, the strut alone will not transform the car.