i just went to the mechanic to get a quote on how much it would cost to replace my back shocks. 350$. He came up with a different way though, and i just wanted to get your input, and an estimate on how much time it will take them to do it. As the springs are standard he recommended kings low springs, gt gas short stroke shocks and the control bushes were rooted as well. GT Gas shocks: $150 Kings Low Springs: $110 L/Control Bushes (Pair): $130 A total of $390 and that isn't including labour, which they charge at $66 an hour. Good or bad, just asking for your opinions.

That's good man ; some mechanics charge 90 an hour .As far as the parts go , they sound OK.

dont get GT gas shocks they are the worst

Why pay for the better rear shocks when u never sit in the back :mrgreen: My bro had GT gas in the rear (with super low king springs). Replaced the rear shocks with Sensatraks, didn't notice a single difference and now the rears scrub with full car load. Buy within ur budget and needs, you dont always have to get 'the best' Im my opinion. get your mechanic to order all the parts in for you and fit them yourself at home. U'll save bigtime... just depends if u have the time to do it yourself and if ur mechanically minded etc. Goodluck with it anyway dude Ollie

Go KYB, they are better than Monroe....especially "sensatracks" they are a big gimmick. still cheap too.

how good are bilsteins? and are Vn suspension same as vl?

My advice would be to do the job yourself too, but not the lower control arms. It can be a bugger to get the old bushes out, and even worse to get the new ones in PROPERLY. The trick is to go to a suspension shop (like Fulcrum suspension) and get an exchange set of lower control arms. They are not much dearer than the bushes by themselves, and you know it's been done right. If you have two car jacks with fairly good extension, you can have the whole lot done in an hour - it's really easy. As for the prices quoted - shocks & springs sound ok, bushes a bit expensive. I've got Pedders "big bore" Sports Riders in the back of mine - very good on hard launches, stops axle tramp and gives a good firm ride.

everyone ive spoken to so far says that its a bitch to do the rear shocks

The rear is REALLY easy. I mean REALLY REALLY easy. It's the front ones that are the bitches.

i dont suppose you have any destructions... or a site with em

Hmmm - not really - but here's a brief set: 1) Remove the strut top covers from each side in the boot of your car. 2) Standing outside the car, put one arm under the wheel arch and grasp the top "thick" part of the shockie. 3) Using what I think is a 17mm ring spanner, place it over the nut insite the boot on the strut top. 4) Twist the shockie CLOCKWISE to loosen the shock, while moving the ring spanner anti-clockwise. - you may have to loosen the nut first with the ring spanner - but the quickest & easiest way to fully undo it is like I said by twisting the shock top. 5) Put a jack under the body lift points each side, in front of the back wheels. 6) Lift the car progressively & evenly from both sides, allowing the wheels to stay on the ground while the body moves up. Do this until just before the back wheels lift from the ground. You should see the shock threads disappear through the holes. 7) With all the weight off the wheels, get under the car and undo the bottom bolts for the shocks. 8) The shocks should now just fall out. 9) The springs should also pull out easily. 10) Put new springs and shocks in, in the reverse order to everything described above - new shocks should come with 2 new rubbers per shock - one below the strut tower, one on top under the washer & nut. 11) If doing lower control arms, do one side at a time after the new shocks and spring are in, instead jacking the diff off the ground on each side, so that the jacks are supporting the whole weight of the car under the diff, with the wheels in the air. 12) Using some car stands, "just" support the weight of the car on the stands - wheels still "just" in the air. 13) Working on one side at a time, carefully removing the bolt at the front, and the one on the diff supporting the lower control arm, and remove the arm. 14) When replacing, be sure to take notice of the handbrake cable and it's location. 15) Do one side at a time, only tighten the bolts finger tight initially. 16) After lowering the car onto the ground, or having the car suspended under the diff only (ie all weight should be on the rear axle again), tighten the bolts on the arms (this is important - tighten them with the weight off the diff, and you will end up tearing the new rubber bushes as the arm twists when the suspension takes the weight again) 17) Drive away! EASY! - hope these destructions make sense!