I am planning on getting a set of adjustible shocks....i was wondering which of these are better and more reliable ???
The Tokico's cost about $80 more than the KYB's

Please tell me and feed back or experiences you have with these shocks.
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

 

I have only owned the tokicos and I loved them, they made a huge difference in the car.

 

i have the agx adjustables they are 4 way adjustable and they work great but i hear the illuminas are like the best for rx7s

 

KYB AGX's - wider damping range


-Ted

 

I've got AGX's and like them a lot. Do you have to cut up and use part of the stock struts in order to install the Tokico's?
-John

 

^ I think only Koni requires that you modify to install.

I have illuminas on my old s5 NA and have AGX's on my current t2. I like the AGX's more.

 

I want the agx's just becuase you don't have to take the rear speakers out every time to adjust them.

 

Tokico's have a lifetime warrenty. Out of the three most common choices for FCs, only the front Konis are cartridges requiring you to cut up another shock.

 

aahh...so Koni's are the ones that require cutting the stock shock. Thanks for correcting me!
-John

 

AGX's also have a lifetime warranty.

 

Besides damping range, what are the other factors that the two different shocks could be compared on?

 

For racers, damping range is the most important criteria.
I've seen shock dynos between the Tokico and the KYB AGX units, and the AGX's have always surpassed the Tokico Illumina damping ranges.

For adjustability, it's hands-down for the AGX's cause the rear shocks are 8-way adjustable on the AGX, while the Illuminas are only 5-way adjustable - more adjustments allow for better fine tuning of the rear shocks.
If you run rear speakers, the Illuminas needs to be adjusted from the top, as hypothermix79 has mentioned, while the AGX's are adjusted from underneath the car - allowing you to not molest the rear speakers if you need a change.
The AGX fronts are 4-way adjustable verus the Illumina 5-way, but you do most of the shock adjustment to the rears.

Both are drop-in units that replace the OEM shocks with very little fuss.

KYB AGX's are usually cheaper than the Tokico Illuminas - most people like that.


-Ted

 

ebay has the AGX for $350

 

I had AGX's installed for about 3 years on my honda accord with coil overs and after a couple of years I decided to drop it more from the back and they ended up lasting me a year after that.
I did have the setting at 4 for the life of the shock though so MAYBE that had somthing to do with it but im not sure. Also the fact that an accord is completly diffrent than an FC could have somthing to do with it.
It does clearly state however in the instructions that the AGX shock is not designed for any kind of lower than stock setup. So dont go crazy dropping your cars either guys.

 

Extreme drops will kill almost any shock not made for such drops.
As a rule-of-thumb, anything more than 1" is asking for it.

For a while, all the dumbfuck Honda idiots down here were like..."Oh yeah, don't buy Tokico's cause they all die within a year. I had them on my SLAMMED Civic/Accord/Integra..."

duh

I've had my Tokico Illuminas for over 7 years now, and they are fine.
I do run Ground Control coilovers and they are a little bit more than 1" drop, but the Tokicos are still holding up fine all these years.


-Ted

 

If you like the AGX's more, why don't you use them?

 

I have always used Illumina's but I have heard that the AGX's hold up to stiffer springs better.

I was told that as you pass 400 to 500 pound springs that the Illumina's tend to turn the shaft blue which is a sure sign of impending failure.

Illumina's used to be cheaper but now it seems that the AGX's are cheaper.

ed

 

I've had my Illuminas for a LONG time.
Right now, I don't feel I need to replace them with the KYB AGX's.
Back when I got my Illuminas, the AGX's weren't even available.


-Ted

 

I'm glad someone finally made a thread about this I was gonna ask the same question eventually... right now I'm running ground control adjustable springs on my stock struts and it feels fine but I haven't ever had brand new struts either... how did it feel compared to stock struts on yours with ground controls ReTed? or do you know?

 

I run the older 400/275 combo, so it's on the stiffer side.
I know GC has a milder combo 350/225(?), so I dunno which combo you're running.
I don't think my stiffer combo would work very well with the stock struts; the Tokicos are close to being maxed out, so the spring rate is almost too stiff for the Illuminas.


-Ted

 

Will eibach pro kit springs kill AGX's? Teh pro kit springs dropped my car a good bit.

 

A lot of people run the pro kit with the AGX's actually. I had them on but after driving on them wish I went with linear springs instead of progressive.

 

I have run both and like the agx better with my current set up.(very stiff) just don't go more then 1.5 " drop or you will bottem out the struts= destory...on any big bumps...

 

I had this setup on my old n/a, and I liked it alot. They seemed to give less body roll than my current AE, while at the same time being noticably softer.

 

Are these the progressive rate ones?
The drop should not be that significant.
Eibach quotes 0.75" drop for these springs.


-Ted