Hi Loren -- so you're saying the Bilsteins HD's. I've been thinking I my 84
Westy would benefit from new shocks. I know for a fact that they haven't
been replaced for the 11 years I've owned it -- what I'm hearing is that the
KYB's are too harsh.....  I have Michelin Agilis tires....

Cheers,
Doug

On Sun, May 2, 2010 at 5:29 PM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:

>  RE: Better Ride with Better Shocks
> Okay, based directly on my experience with an '85 Westy and now a '90
> Westy.
> Going from 'wrong' tires to right tires: Oh Wow!!  I don't feel like I'm
> riding on an elephant in a mud wallow!
> Replacing badly worn shocks with new KYBs:  Double Wow!  The damn thing
> actually tracks on the highway! (Include a wheel alignment also)
> Replacing the KYBs with Bilsteins (HD, Bilstein doesn't list the Touring
> for
> the Vanagon) because replacing shocks was cheaper than replacing the
> fillings in my teeth, I now have a vehicle I can drive with both confidence
> and comfort.  A friend is sure the KYB stands for "Kill Your Butt" or maybe
> "Keep Your Bilsteins".
> Neither one is perfect, you're not going to get sports car handling.  If I
> never drove on anything but very smooth blacktop or concrete the KYBs would
> be fine.  But on any rough surface, especially washboarded dirt roads, they
> are just to stiff.  With the Bilsteins my Westy handles much better.  There
> may well be a better solution (some say Koni) and I know the Syncro drivers
> love the OMEs but for what I do and where I drive the Bilsteins are a very
> good solution.
> YMMV
>

--
http://www.dougalcock.com