Strut brand recommendation?

tomnj

tomnj

Old fogie stogie
I'm sure this has been discussed many times before, but what is the concensus on the best "driver" strut brand for a 128 (or X 1/9)? I've heard the KYB's are good, but my experience (with other cars) isn't very favorable with KYB. Maybe I've been spoiled with Bilstiens and Koni's in other cars I've had, but I like a stiffer/controlled ride and the KYB's I've had on other cars tended to be on the soft side. I've actually had better results with Gabriel's (have a set on my Spider, they are nice). Does Gabriel make a strut for our cars?

I recently picked up a cheap set of OEM Fiat struts (Oil, not gas?) I was going to put in the front of the 128. Are these any good? Are they on the soft or stiff side?

Also, the rear strut on the 128 does not have a coil perch (128's use a horizontal leaf spring in the rear), so X struts are not the same. How hard is it to find this strut for sale? I haven't seen any on ebay or some of the usual parts places (Vicks, Midwest).
 
You do indeed have all the answers Tom...

... you apparently just don't like them!

As I've stated 100 times or more also... my first rebuild was with Gabriel INSERTS and I was fortunate enough to have rebuildable tubes... (BTW... I didn't know at the time there were many out there that were NOT!)

HA!

And did I like the ride!

When it came to replacing the rears, I found the Gabriels were no longer manufactured and no longer available form ANYONE that I could think of. I went around the internet looking for some NOS somewhere... as there had to be some laying around somewhere!

But alas, no... at least I couldn't find any.

I went to Summit and bought a complete set of four KYBs and they ride perfect... but not as FIRM as the Gabriels. I say perfect... 'cause that would be how most folks would want a ride to be in a SEDAN or something...

Bottom line for me... I too prefer the Gabriels... but only wanted to invest so much money and so much time... so the KYBs and cutdown springs with Plaia Pivots was the way to go for me. (There are some offers on ebay at are even less expensive but I do not know the reputation or shipping costs...) I beleive the Summit prices have gone up some... but mine ran about $260 to my door a year or so ago...

Bottom line for you... You can do as I did, go to Obert or Matt and purchase some modified replacements, or purchase, modify and install coilovers, or design your own.

Have fun... whatever ya do...
 
Thanks Tony, I'll have to shop around and see what I can find. In the 128, the rear suspension is much softer than the front (no weight in the back and a leaf spring). So I'm going to try to find the stiffest strut setup for the back.
 
Tony, I just found this article on mira:

http://www.mirafiori.com/~courtney/128/tech/128susp.html#struts

Sears sells Gabriel strut cartridge inserts for the '74-78 X1/9s. Those X1/9 struts can be disassembled and the inserts installed. KYB inserts are apparently no longer produced. If you manage to find someone who has some for the X1/9 or 128, snatch them up! You can also rebuild the standard struts by pulling them apart, cleaning them well and putting a multigrade oil like GTX2 in them. That is, if the seals aren't shot.

This article is a few years old, but could it be possible that Sears still sells Gabriel inserts for X 1/9s?

He then goes on to say:

you have to have struts which can be disassembled to use the inserts.

I'm a little confused on how to "rebuild" or replace an insert. How do I know if the struts I have can have the insterts replaced? Are the stock ones (what I have now) like this?
 
Looking into sears, their website suggest shocks and struts from a 70's model super beetle. with the struts actually mount up to the X? I have been wondering about that lately.
 
Strut brand recommendations

Try classicgarage.com, They have Boge and KYB struts for the 128. Front and rear. they used to have Koni but I don't think they have had them for some time. There is also a liquidater who sells old Gabriel and Monroe struts but you need to have the part # to make an inquiry.
 
Well...

If you look at the very top of the strut tube where the shaft is exposed, you will find a NUT or threaded end on the rebuildable ones. The others are either welded or crimped... I'm sorry, but its been so long for me I can remember which!

You can try Sears... but I doubt they are there anymore. But I must admit I never even thought of them. Courtney knows his stuff though... and who knows, some old Sears store just may have a st laying around.

(Yur gonna kill me for this...but I threw out my old set of rebuildables since I could no longer find inserts!)

Good luck!
 
Thanks, I'll have to look for the part #. I just checked of classic car garage. They are a bit pricy, but at least they have the goods.

Big difference between Gabriel and Monroe though (I know a lot of people think they are both just cheap shocks). Monroes are crap IMO.
 
Bilsteins

I just ordered Bilstein sport shocks to fit early VW rabbits (Sport Series Front (P30-0032-M1) note that the picture is incorrect on this link). I have the early struts that take inserts. I will have to modify the gland nuts, and likely the locating collar and top mount.

I will document the process and post it once I have finished.

Paul Davock
 
Please do

PaulD said:
I just ordered Bilstein sport shocks to fit early VW rabbits (Sport Series Front (P30-0032-M1) note that the picture is incorrect on this link). I have the early struts that take inserts. I will have to modify the gland nuts, and likely the locating collar and top mount.

I will document the process and post it once I have finished.

Paul Davock
Click to expand...

I would be very interested. Are the Bilsteins oil or gas?

Pete
 
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