Which shocks should I get for my VF Redline?

[GXP25]

Whatever it left the factory with! Ashamed to say I don't know much more than that
Documentation I've got just says "HSV Performance Suspension"

Do you mind measuring the hub-to-guard?

 

[Forg]

Nolathane will be harsher than rubber.

Super Pro would be a compromise between the two.

Aren't Super Pro bushes made of Nolathane?

It's a different car with totally different suspension design, but with my old Volvo you pick-and-choose which bushes for which you use rubber & which to use ... I think it's polyurethane (unsure exactly - but Nolathane is a brand-name for whatever -thane I'm thinking of ). If you carte-blanche replace everything with Nolathane it becomes too harsh, resulting in loss of traction on bumpy roads; the rubber is needed to absorb some of the impact.

Bilstein is not 4 times better than Koni so why pay 4 times more.

This isn't necessarily true, and depends on the Koni product. You can only get the Reds to fit the aforementioned Volvo, for example, so the Bilsteins actually are 4x better.
The Koni yellows are a better shock than the reds, and if I'm honest I'm surprised Bilstein are still able to charge anything like 4x the cost of Konis in this country. I had my Bilstein Sports, which the B8's are a rename of, delivered from the US 15-ish years ago before most US companies would sell outside the US - cost me ~$800 delivered vs paying ~$2.4k here ... but would have thought everyone cottoning-onto the ability to import parts would've brought the Billies down in price a LOT.

 

[VS 5.0]

Aren't Super Pro bushes made of Nolathane?

It's a different car with totally different suspension design, but with my old Volvo you pick-and-choose which bushes for which you use rubber & which to use ... I think it's polyurethane (unsure exactly - but Nolathane is a brand-name for whatever -thane I'm thinking of ). If you carte-blanche replace everything with Nolathane it becomes too harsh, resulting in loss of traction on bumpy roads; the rubber is needed to absorb some of the impact.

Superpro and Nolathane are brand names.

They are both polyurethane but a different type.

 

[greenacc]

Nolathane bushes are made using a reasonably hard grade of polyurethane. There's at least a hundred different grades of polyurethane on the market so you can't say all polyurethane bushes are the same. It's like saying something is made of "wood" or "metal".

 

[GXP25]

Yep. They're fitted up and I'm absolutely wrapped! One issue is that the front springs have only lowered the car about 5-10mm. The back has gone down by 25-30mm. They are meant to be SL front and rear. I do note the front springs don't have SL at the end of the part number, whereas the rears do. I'm sorting that little issue out with the eBay seller. He claims they are the right springs.
The FSD's provide a beautifully compliant ride. Yet, the rebound has a precision about it. Squirt the go peddle and it try's to squat, Momentarily. But then the FSD's harden up, very quickly. Turn into a corner or bend with ease, and it glides through the apex. Conversely, hit the apex hard, break or just turn in hard and they tighten up immediately. The turn it is precise, great feedback through the wheel too. Swing the wheel side to side trying to unsettle the car just sees it weave back and forth with very little body roll. It just instils a confidence that had been lost as the OEM shocks lost their ability to dampen the movement of the bulk of the VF on it's chassis. I couldn't be happier. The ride is better. A lot better. Yet the handling and turn in is streets ahead. I'm sure there are firmer shocks. But for me, and as an every day driver, it really is the best of both worlds from my perspective. Even on a track day, I'd be surprise if these would give away much to far firmer shocks. But, on the street, they really come into their own. Supple and compliant, Calais like, but instantly firm and precise when required. I'm a convert to the FSD's for sure. I can't wait to get back in for another spin! I'm really looking forward to a long drive on the weekend to put it through it's paces along with the new brakes.
As for the OEM's? The front's were cut up, so I can't comment. But the rears can be fully compressed with one hand. A full minute later and they only extend about 5cm out of the housing. They are rooted and probably have been for a good couple of years.

Is there a reason why you didn't go with the stock FE3 springs first like you mentioned here?: https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...-for-my-vf-redline.281308/page-3#post-3090635

I ask because I have King springs (lowered front, super low rear, for a V8 VE) with the adjustable Koni Sport Yellow strut inserts and shocks and I just bought the same Koni FSDs you did. Koni also had/sold an FSD + Eibach pro-kit bundle at one time.

I have a failed Koni Sport Yellow strut insert up front and the random bouncing and what seems like lack of control at times is annoying me. Sure, I could warranty the strut insert with Koni North America and be done with it (I've been through three warranties with them over the past three years and it's getting old.).

Or, I could either go back to stock FE3 springs combined with FSD (which will raise the vehicle) or buy some Eibach pro-kit springs (~1"/25.4 mm drop) and combine them with the FSDs and hopefully prolong the strut/shocks (until maybe Koni decides to offer the Special Actives Red) and not suffer from any unwanted suspension issues (float, bounce, etc.).

For the three years I've had the King springs, I have felt that they may be a bit too soft. Which may be good for other struts and shocks. But with the adjustable Koni Sport Yellow strut inserts and shocks, I've always needed to have them set near the hardest setting to avoid any float. Which may have contributed to their somewhat premature failure.

I have had to set the rears to full hard and then dialed back by a quarter turn or a half turn in order for the car to feel "good." Anything less and the car would feel floaty. Whereas I've read that most will set them to a quarter or half turn from full soft. And yes, I've been through the arduous process of taking the rears off many times and experimenting with the various Koni Sport Yellow shock settings with the King springs. Of course the front adjustments are easier/easy but the same principle applies: they need to be set over half way in order to avoid float.

It is quite possible that the King springs may actually be better suited for the modified [and better/stiffer/stronger valved?] Monroe struts and shocks and may cause some premature failure in the FSDs.

 

[GXP25]

Thanks, had no idea these were available. I'll check it out.

Also consider Koni progressive bump stops when going with Koni struts and shocks: https://www.g8board.com/threads/wha...strut-bumpers-bump-stops.234562/#post-3426866

 

[shane_3800]

Polyurathane is polyurathane the deformation of the polyurathane is controlled by the mix so the range is infinite. All bush makers are aware of this.

 

[Forg]

Superpro and Nolathane are brand names.

I don't know about that ... SuperPro is a brand of suspension components, it's not (AFAIK at least) the name of a particular type/formulation of plastic.
Like how Whiteline is a brand of suspension components.
I am pretty sure that SuperPro parts that are plastic use Nolathane plastic; at least, they were when I bought my bits.

 

[VS 5.0]

... SuperPro is a brand of suspension components,.....
Like how Whiteline is a brand of suspension components.

Correct. I never said anything about a name of plastic.

I am pretty sure that SuperPro parts that are plastic use Nolathane plastic; at least, they were when I bought my bits.

Do tell.

 

[Forg]

Correct. I never said anything about a name of plastic.

Sorry, I thought you meant they were brand names of competing product; whereas SuperPro is to Nolathane sorta what Porsche is to Michelin.

Do tell.

Not really of interest to you, I suspect, they're in a 1980 Volvo.

Although I did do the line-drawings for RedBook, in the mid 90's, which were used in Fulcrum Suspension's catalogue (Fulcrum, based in Brisbane, were still the source/owners of SuperPro when I bought those bits for the Volvo circa 2001-2002).