Should be "set me" I've read a lot out on the forums re: shocks....some have said the S197's come from the factory with Konis, some say Tokicos, I doubt either is true. I would like to upgrade my shocks without going to Tokico D-specs. What about the non-adjustable Tokico HP's?? My car is a daily driver, so do I need adjustable shocks?? Bilsteins are way to expensive. Konis??

 

When folks say that the shocks on the Mustang are tokicos, they mean that they are manufactured by tokico. Whether they are the same, better, or worse than the commercially available, non-adjustable tokico HPs is subject to further conjecture.

 

I put the tokicos non adjustable on my car and liked them over the stockers a lot. I am lowered 1.4 rear and 1.3 front. Tried the stockers for a month or two with the lowered springs and did not like it. I put the stock springs back on untill I got the new struts and shocks. They are valved differently than the stock units

 

is your car lowered Bill?

 

No Glenn...I am going for heftier (FRPP(Eibach)) sway bars (I picked up the rear off a crashed Hetz Shelby for 25.00, so am buying the Eibach for the front because FRPP won't sell just the front sway bar. I am not planning to lower the car.

 

To be honest. If I were ford, I would have revalved the stock shocks a bit for more comfort and less hopping and bouncing. The nose dive, etc was a bit excessive.

Then..... Ford should have offered a sport package (a la BMW, mercedes, corvette Z51 pkg, etc). Which would include 18" wheels and true summer tires, nice HD shocks similar to how the Bilsteins feel. A 3/4" drop in ride height with stiffer springs, Brembo brakes up front with the better pads out back, stiffer sway bars, strut brace, GTA muffs, etc. Charge something like 4-5K dollars for that.

Something like that would sell IMO. But the problem with it is ford would rather do less and market it as more with special models that are overpriced.

Call me nuts, but the V6 I rented with 16 inch wheels has better valving than my GT did stock.

 

Bill... Tokico HP's or any other aftermarket shock made as a direct replacement would probably be an improvement over the OEM dampers. I think Koni's would be a little expensive too.

I have the FRPP Stg 3 kit, but my ride is lowered. The FRPP catalog says that they can be used with OEM ride height or with lowered vehicles. You can get them for $349.00 from Livernois Motorsports. I like them much better than the OEM's.

Bobby M.

 

Bilsteins are worth every penny. I only went to the Spec D's because I got tired of waiting for Koni or Bilstein to release the product for the S197. I might be wrong about the Koni for S197, but usually Koni's are adjustable. I would also not think they are inexpensive.

 

Thanks all for the input......I've just learned that Koni will be introducing a non-adjustable shock in a few months to compete with KYB, Kotico HP's etc....so I'll wait and see.