KYB Shock and Strut Performance Testing:
KYB tests the performance of replacement shocks and struts
Do you know how to tell if your shocks and struts are bad? KYB had professional test drivers from Tire Rack compare new shocks and struts to worn shocks and struts on two identically equipped SUV’s.
THE
CHALLENGERS
Worn
OEM
The original shocks and struts with just over 95,000 miles
Low-Cost Competitor
Low-cost, generic complete assemblies, and rear shocks
Premium Competitor
Higher cost complete assemblies and rear shocks
KYB Strut-Plus assemblies and Excel-G rear shocks
KYB on the Test Track
We tested the identically equipped vehicles with four different sets of shocks and struts:
- Worn shocks and struts
- New KYB shocks and struts
- New cheap priced shocks and struts
- New premium priced replacement shocks and struts
The track testing included handling and braking tests under wet and dry conditions. Real world road testing was done on a seven-mile loop featuring a variety of road conditions. For each test, the only thing that changed on the vehicles were the shocks and struts.
The Test
While the Tire Rack test pros have learned through experience how to tell if struts are bad, our data-based testing revealed just how much worn shocks and struts compromise driving safety and braking. Using a telemetry system called Race Capture, we were able to measure speed, pitch, yaw, roll, as well as individual tire temperatures.
ABS Activity: Worn Shocks Vs. New
Shocks and struts directly affect the performance of a vehicle’s crash avoidance systems, especially ABS (anti-lock brakes). Our testing proved that worn shocks and struts add several feet to the distance required to stop a vehicle.
The Results
On the test track or in the real world, and no matter the conditions, our testing indicates that KYB makes some of the best shocks and struts available. KYB outperformed both the premium priced replacement shocks and struts and the cheap priced shocks and struts, and most importantly, stopped 6 feet shorter in wet conditions than worn original shocks and struts. These results were verified by two independent measuring tools.
Why You Should Replace Your Worn Shocks and Struts
Watch our team discuss the shock and strut performance test findings in depth and explain how to tell if struts are bad, and who makes the best shocks and struts.
Not all drivers know how to tell if struts are bad, and many vehicle owners ask, “do new shocks really make a difference?” Our performance testing revealed a clear difference in handling and braking between new versus worn shocks, and showed that even the competitor’s premium priced replacement shocks and struts couldn’t outperform KYB.
The correct replacement strut assembly engineered to help restore designed control and handling