Bilstein rear shocks: Cobra or Tbird

[AbrahamLincoln]

I'm in the market for new shocks and mounts. Bilstein lists cobra or tbird, they come with poly top shock mounts I believe. Cobra seems to be very popular but I thought it was because Bilstein only made them for Cobra. Since our cars are so similar to Tbird (weight in mind).

The Cobra ones are 20 bucks more per shock on summit racing. Max, ive read sells the rear kit for something around a hundred shipped for the cobra.

What should I do?

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

hmmmm everyone seems to go cobra, but these are for oem cobra bilsteins non"heavy-duty" i'm assuming.

Tbird vs Cobra Bilsteins Heavy Duty is the question. Ugh

 

[Chadly]

The 94 I am picking up tomorrow has cobra bilsteins and from what I hear they are kinda stiff. Dont know for sure since I havent driven it yet, but will be able to give you my opinion tomorrow night since I have a 10+ hour drive.

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

my cousin was at 29 palms for a while, ever run into a Captain Fay by any chance?

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

Bottom line they sell heavy duty bilstein cobra and heavy duty tbird... But I think I am going to go through max for the oem cobra R jobs, 120 shipped sounds right.

I was also on supercoupeperformance.com and they have a heck of a lot of stuff for our car in the suspension department. All kinds of poly bushings, braces etc. I'm going to replace the rear shocks and mounts for starters, and shim my addco bar, which appears to be level to me... but for what its worthe they have to be cut to get the bar even.

Tbird shocks would have a more correct spring rate since our cars are equally about the same weight. Cobras are much lighter cars FTW

 

[Chadly]

Dont know a Cpt Fay, how long ago was he here?

 

[slowmkviii]

FYI 03/04 cobras only weigh 85 lbs less than the marks curb weight
and I have 03/04 cobra shocks they are stiff if thats how you like them but they make the front of the car feel a little soft

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

I can get the stock cobra R's for a really good price through Max if he has some left. If not, 03/04 Cobras are on ebay going for good numbers. Or I can get new "Heavy Duty" Cobra or "Heavy Duty for Tbird" from Bilstein. Not sure what the different specs are, but it seems that everyone goes for the OEM Bilsteins off the cobra because and are doing fine, so I may follow suit.

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

Here is the Bilstein heavy duty shock for the 03 Cobra

Here is a pic for the Bilstein heavy duty shock for the Tbird 97 v8

As you can see they are different... Now if you can burn out the old rear mark mounts and put in the Tbird bushings off the sensatracs, can you do that with these Tbird Bilsteins? Or even the Cobra, the bushings look the same...

Here are the monroes

BTW, Advance and Vatozone list the Edelbrock unit as a performance shock over the heavy duty Bilstein

 

[kustomizingkid]

I'm going to put Thunderbird shocks from KYB on my car.... but that is just how I roll.

 

[Chadly]

They are a little stiff, but not bad. And yes stiff rears will make the front "feel" soft, but thats just natural if you have stiffer shocks in the rear. I kinda like it.

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

hmmm, decisions decisions, even if I decide to go Bilstein, theres oem 03 Cobra vs 00 Cobra R vs the "heavy duty" tbird or heavy duty cobra.... I'm tempted to go just buy the monroes, but after all this reading on the topic seems that any kinda bilstein is the way to go.