KYB vs ZX2 Strut Deathmatch

[Sam Baker]

well... i have posted here before many MANY times since i've had like 3 different suspension setups.. and i've realized that getting the zx2's was a waste of time!

so the story begins when i foolishly bought dropzones off ebay for $100 more than they are now. those were paired with KYB GR-2's, some NICE gas struts! well, they were TOO stiff, so that setup didnt last long, tee hee hee..

then i took the advice of some people that said Intrax was a softer spring, and that ZX2's would even it out so it was a really nice ride. but sad to say i was bottoming out left and right because the ZX2's had barely any strength at all. (i could fully compress the strut with my own hands) so what i've found is zx2's aint worth the money and custom work to make them fit, and kyb's are just stronger and better overall!

ooh AND!! people say that the ZX2's will make your car lower, but using the same intrax springs, i noticed actually around .5" MORE of a drop from the KYB's! so wouldnt that mean zx2's are .5" higher than stock? lol

just my 2 cents, anybody find this too? or would like to disagree? anywayz GO KYB!

~ sam

<small>[ January 03, 2004, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: Sam Baker ]</small>

[Street-Import]

maybe its just your spring that are too stiff.

From what I heard ZX2 struts with eibach or suspension technique are a pretty good combo.

You should have tried to change your springs instead of your struts maybe that could have fix the situation.

I have brand new zx2 struts here with eibach pro kit and I cant bottom them by hand. I didnt installed them yet on the car, but from that point they already look stiffer than your intrax.

[Sam Baker]

yea.. hey i agree with you on that. :p intrax are very soft.. and next up are Eibachs which are kind of a middle ground (perfect for lowering).. but what i meant with the zx2s is that *without* the springs or anything on, i could push the piston all the way down. and i bought the heavy duty performance ones too! i'm sure if i had eibachs, stronger springs, it would have been better.. but i wanted to get lower, without having to buy ground controls for $400. hehe.. so the intrax + kyb combo keeps me from hitting the ground, while providing a softer ride.. and leaving barely ANY wheel well gap. LOL so i guess the zx2's are cool with stronger springs, but i failed to see why they were performance because of how weak they were. :p just imo
~ sam

[quicksliver]

Im' sorry but ZX2's are not a waste of time and money. I have ZX2's paired with Suspension Technique lowering springs and my ride if flawless.

It was not the struts that were bottoming out when you had em' on. It was you're crappy Intrax spring coils hitting eachother.

OH! And you say that ZX2's make you're car .5" higher than stock? Are you stupid? What points did you measure from? Did you install these struts yourself? The strut base itself is physically smaller...think about it, before shooting you're mouth of about something you obviously know **** all about.

If anyone is reading this post, please don't listen to this Sam guy. It's been provin time and time again on this board that ZX2's are by far supperior to KYB GR2 pieces of ****. Just can't pair em' with CRAPPY SPRINGS.

P.S: For the record, do a search on 'KYB' and you will find nothing but bad reviews/comments/etc. Do a search for 'ZX2' and you will find nothing (except this post) but praise. Hell, go to any other forum out there....KYB is a simple STOCK REPLACEMENT. God im so outraged that you would attack ZX2's! lol

<small>[ January 03, 2004, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Quick Sliver ]</small>

[Sam Baker]

haha hey man my bad.. lol
i DO agree that they CAN go lower, because when i pushed the piston down, it was WAY down there.. but no they are not stronger than KYB's. there was about an inch or more space above my front tires with the intrax/zx2 setup, and now there is less than .5"... why is this, when the struts are suposed to go lower? see, the only problem i found with these is that you're just about riding on springs alone, because there is barely any travel in them. thats why Suspension Techs and Eibach's work so well, because they're stiffer springs. i'm sure your ride is perfect, dropped and smooth too.. i just meant that in comparing the two struts, IMO, kyb's are stronger and have more of a "performance" feel to them. sorry if i "outraged" you guyz.. just how i feel bout em
~ sam

[Sam Baker]

o and i never said the struts were bottoming out.. i meant that the CAR was hitting the ground when i hit a bump, because i was riding on springs LOL

[babyblueMX3]

maybe there was somethin with your zx2 struts..i can't see how you could press all the way your strut with your bare hands...like quicksilver said...i heard nothin but good things about zx2..i heard too (many times) that kyb's are good stock replacment and are no good under a 2" drop...I have a set of ST springs and just waiting now for the zx2 and I'll give you news after

[Sam Baker]

Originally posted by babyblueMX3:
maybe there was somethin with your zx2 struts..i can't see how you could press all the way your strut with your bare hands...like quicksilver said...i heard nothin but good things about zx2..i heard too (many times) that kyb's are good stock replacment and are no good under a 2" drop...I have a set of ST springs and just waiting now for the zx2 and I'll give you news after

yea i heard everybody ravin about em before too! all these people told me they were the best, so thats why i got em.. u think mine are bad maybe? i duno, so if u all wanna just close this thread, feel free! lol cuz i dont wanna start stuff haha. i guess my experience with them woz just not very good. but ANYWAYZ i'm puttin them up for sale soon.. i'm sure somebody with ST's or Eibachs can put better use to them

o and btw.. the metal bearings for the zx2's were a great improvement, at least :p
~ sam

[ProtegeSTS]

it doesn't matter if you can push the struts down with your hands. That has nothing to do with how struts work.

struts control SPEED at which they cam compress or rebound, not *IF* they can.

ZX2s can handle 500# spring rates, at least for awhile. GR2s will never do that.

[BoOdOg]

I just wanted to say cause no one mention it, but the H&R springs with KYB strut is a great combo. I love it, really nice job of lowering my car and keeping some stiffness. Check it out @ www.cardomain.com/id/boodog

[quicksliver]

Originally posted by ProtegeSTS:
it doesn't matter if you can push the struts down with your hands. That has nothing to do with how struts work.

struts control SPEED at which they cam compress or rebound, not *IF* they can.

ZX2s can handle 500# spring rates, at least for awhile. GR2s will never do that.

Exactly. Thank you!

[C-MX-DA3]

i also have the same set-up, kyb and intrax for over 4 years now and it never gave me any problems.

[Sam Baker]

hey not to say that you guyz who have zx2's have bad setups at ALL! i mean.. stiff springs and soft struts are a nice combo, since you wont bottom out and it still keeps the stiff cornering ability. but thats all springs (especially if you have zx2s).. ALSO!! ZX2 struts are OIL instead of GAS! i just thought that was lame.. lol but hey only my opinion and i know there are better springs than Intrax, so sorry if i offend anybody.. but i really dont see what the big deal is about zx2's, besides the fact that they are able to go lower and support stiffer springs. i mean, mazdaspeed struts can do that right?
~ sam

[Sam Baker]

o... and about the "SPEED of compression and rebound".. it was soooo easy to push the piston down, and i found a *little* force when it was coming back up.. but doesnt that mean if i hit a huge bump in the road, my car will slam down, and then take longer to get back up, thus leaving more room for slamming? LOL

[Talon_66]

How would ZX2 struts be on H&R Springs?