nikkisantoro

so... what do i use for the fronts with 2 inch drop on goldlines I already have the 5870s for the rear..

bB2NER

Nothing, the fronts are fine till they wear out at 40-50 k miles.
I do know that later this year like Nov. Monroe will add struts and shocks for the xB/xA to their catalog.

mattxb

Dumb question I suppose.... but what is the white piece on the monroe in this pic? Is it keeping the shock compressed?




Just curious.

bB2NER

Yep, it keeps them compressed so they don't poke out of the box over time. It also helps with installment. Once you get them into place you cut the strap and the shock extends into the upper mounting hole.

mattxb

Cool man....thanks.

bB2NER

No problem. Let us know how you like the newer softer ride with these.

mattxb

Will do. Won't be installing them until the progress coilovers arrive....... its been a while, so I'm a bit anxious....

XbbbbBox

Well I took off the snows, put on new stock tires, front end alignment, added a Progress Rear bar -(Corners MUCH better now without the roll) and added new 5987 shocks. Riding sweet now!
Shocks are a softer ride - though have not ridden too much on them.
Thanks to Tomas and all the posters who made this easy changeout really easy.
25 minutes on the shocks and a bit longer for the swaybar.
The shocks were $66.70 for (2) from RockAuto.com- including a 5% discount code. If you need a code number message me and I will send you one.
The only thing I would add is the additional stainless washer that butts up against the shoulder of the rod that is provided for installation is quite small and thin(approx. 5/8" outside diameter) I thought it would be larger.
Attached is a link to some pictures of the 5987 shocks w/provided nut and spacer.
Thanks again.

http://s150.photobucket.com/albums/s102/xbbbbBox/

mmmboxy

For the record monroe sucks. Gas-a-just from kyb slightly more money but monotube. Tenneco makes monroe shocks out of exhaust tubing. Just food for thought.

vintage42

Could you be more specific?
Tenneco has their products made to their specifications, by contractors in various countries, for sale around the world. In the US the various shocks and struts are sold under the Monroe and NAPA brands using trade names like SensaTrac, Reflex, etc.
My rear SensaTracs were made in one country (Brazil?), while the front SensaTracs that I did not buy were made in another (Portugal?). The names of the countries were printed on the box labels.

mmmboxy

Tenneco stopped focusing on product quality and marketing a long time ago. Things like sensatrac are all smoke and mirrors. All they do is cut a groove in the working cylinder to create what they call the comfort zone. well in accuallity this is blow by which helps the areation process along. The areation occurs when the oil and the gas is mixed in the working cylinder. All twin-tubes have this problem. My point was KYB makes a very price comparable mono-tube shock(one with the oil under a floating piston). KYB also matches every application with factory spec on damping with a little boost to compensate for suspention wear. And yes it is my opinion(and I sell shocks so I look at cut-a-ways all day) that Monroe is made from exhaust tubing. Now can you guess who I sell shocks for.....haha. Seriously I just wanted everyone to know some things that I know and help you guys make an educated decision on what you put on your ride. Late

vintage42

I have a vision of all the Tenneco plants around the world buying up exhaust pipes to make into shocks :-)
It sounds like you see a similarity in the tubing of the Tenneco shocks and exhaust tubing. How is the tubing of the KYB shocks that you sell any different? Is it the diameter, wall thickness, type of steel? What specifically do you know?
You made a good point about the SensaTrac's Comfort Zone groove being an inferior way to achieve soft travel, compared to valving. That is why SensaTracs are so cheap. Tenneco also makes a better but more expensive valved shock called Reflex.
I have had Bilsteins and Konis on my cars, and you get what you pay for. Yet I find the SensaTracs on the rear of my xB are just fine, especially for the money.

mmmboxy

Yea the reflex offers only a few part numbers in a monotube. Our working cyliners are extruded which means no seam for the piston to rub up and down. Also there is no weak point. I just wanted to let everyone know that KYB has a shock in the same price range that is better(alot) quality thats all.

Lizard1

I know this is a month old thread, but what do you guys suggest for TRD springs? Technically, i believe they drop only an inch and a half, but do I want the 5870 or the 5987? I had the stockers on there before... Needing new front struts so, I want to do the rears at the same time...

mattxb

You will be fine with the 5987's.

vintage42

So unlike better shocks, SensaTracs are made of seamed tubing (like exhaust pipes), rather than extruded tubing. And they control oil with grooves in the tubing, rather than valves in the pistons.

Lizard1

So, are you saying that the KYB GR2 is a better choice than the Monroe 71575? Is it because the KYB has valves vs. grooves, etc.? If that's the case, the KYBs are actually cheaper and a better deal...

vintage42

The stock rear shocks are KYB. I don't know if they are GR2. But they are so hard that everybody and myself change those KYBs to SensaTracs. The SensaTracs are not a bad deal, because they are only $75 a pair and ride so smoothly.

lunatik1

Save even more $$$, rebate for monroes purchase 3/1/07 to 4/30/07.

http://www.shockwarehouse.com/news/p...e_spring07.pdf

Lizard1

What I was asking wasn't about the stockers. I was asking if the GR 2s were a better choice than the Sensatrac Monroes... The KYB GR 2s are cheaper and I figured that since I heard more guys buying Monroes, they must work well. I have yet to really hear anyone say big things about the KYB aftermarket GR 2s. Even though they are cheaper....