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Gabriel Struts and Shocks - Any good?

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VI

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Mar 25, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/25/98
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Hi all! I was wondering if anyone put Gabriel shocks and struts on his
car. I have a Nissan Maxima and dealer wants $350 a piece, however,
the Pep Boys sell Gabriels for $40 each. How do they compare to
Monroes and Tokicos beside their price? Any responses would be greatly
appreciated. VI

dbug

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Mar 25, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/25/98
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On Wed, 25 Mar 1998 06:40:16 GMT, v...@pegasus.rutgers.edu.nospam (VI)
wrote:

I have used Gabriels on a number of cars and trucks over the years. I
have had no problems with pre-mature wear or failure. I have noticed
that they tend to be a little softer riding than some others. The
last couple of sets of the heavy duty gas-filled Monroes I put on, I
removed within a few months because of excessive harsh ride. The last
set was on a pickup. The only way it's ride became civilized was with
at least 1500 pounds aboard. I can't comment on the Tokicos - I have
not used them. You may want to consider the Bilsteins. They are a
bit expensive but are a very good shock or strut if you ar looking for
a firm ride and greatly improved handling.

MktgMan1

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Mar 25, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/25/98
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I checked into this when preparing our Achieva for autocross and daily driving.
Monroe's were many times more recommended for better handling. Gabriels are
mostly OEM's...and we all know they don't last very long. If you want to carve
corners, go with the Monroe GP's or Bilstiens. AND, add poly bushings to the
suspension, especially the sway bar end links. Man what a difference!

Alan Quan

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Mar 25, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/25/98
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dbug wrote:

Really? The set of Gabriel struts I installed on my '83 Civic (bought at
Pep Boys too) seems as hard as a rock when it comes to the ride (great for
handling, but lousy for touring / cruising purposes) The set of Monroes on
the back, which has been there longer, seems to offer a slightly softer
ride. I guess either way, both brands are good when it comes to
long-lasting durability.


VI

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Apr 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/1/98
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Thanks all for your responses. Last weekend I had Gabriels installed
on my car. It took me 4 hours and I guess I saved a couple of hundreds
on labor by doing myself. Anyway, I found out that the stock shocks
for Maxima SE are made by Tokico (contrary to GXE). The Gabriel set
that I got was for GXE (I have an SE which is supposed to be more
sporty) and at first it really pissed me off but then when I took it
for a drive they weren't that bad at all! They're definitely softer
than stock but at the same time the car is more predictable. Maybe
it's because of Gabriel's VST (Velocity Sensitive Technology). I
drive 60 miles a day and it means that I won't have a sore butt
anymore :) And I surely will install polyurethane bushings along with
the Strut Tower Brace.
I have another question though. The Gabriels don't come with rod boots
and I was kind of wondering if dirt and salt can damage the surface of
the shock rods. Any comments? Thanks.

FRDCP32

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Apr 4, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/4/98
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One thing Ive noticed about gabrial shocks is they rust right away, and being a
person who tries to keep my truck looking good I dont think thats a sign of a
good quality shock. Ive seen monroes that were several years old and rust free
! but if all you care about is the performance of the shock then they are good
its a hard ride which I happen to like especially on a truck. Darryl

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