I am moving onto the suspension now on my 88gt project and was wondering if the Monroe sensa-trac line of shocks and struts are any good?

I am not looking for "go-cart" feel, rather a mild performance upgrade from the stock shocks and struts. I am not planning on racing the car; at most maybe just carving some mountian roads and on/off ramps... Also have the KYB's on the radar, but wasn't too sure if they would be too stiff. I know there are quite a few posts from others ragarding the KYB's, so I know they are a very good option... Just wondering what your thoughts were on the Sensa-Tracs?

BTW, Monroe has a $40 rebate when you buy 2 Sensa-Trac shocks and 2 struts...

Thanks for any input,
AL

BTW, I will also be using poly bushings all around, I know it will feel stiffer with them. But that is kinda the reason why I do not want to compound the stiffness by going with harsh shocks/struts...

I have sensa-tracs on the front of my '06 GMC Sierra 1500, they're just fine for that.

quote Originally posted by Isolde: they're just fine for that.

Thanks for the input, but every vehicle has different suspension geometry... Also, the fact that you bought a GMC truck to begin with is a big negative
Only joking! I own a F150 as my DD...

Any one have any experiances with them on a Fiero? Or even better, an 88 Fiero GT??

BTW, the $40 rebate from Monroe is only good till the 31st of October. So if I am gonna go with the Sensa-tracs, I would like to buy them soon

[This message has been edited by ALJR (edited 10-22-2009).]

quote Originally posted by ALJR: Any one have any experiances with them on a Fiero? Or even better, an 88 Fiero GT??

I have them on my 88GT, and am very happy with them. Still satisfied after 5 years on the car.

I do recall a recent thread, however, where people had a lot of complaints about them.

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I haven't had them on a Fiero, but I did have them installed on a couple other cars. They are OK, but I've never been thrilled with them. So when I replaced the shocks / struts on my old '86, I went straight to the KYB parts. Those handled well and still gave a decent ride; I was impressed. While not a direct comparison because they were on different cars, I'd say that if you want decent handling without the expense of a harsh ride, I'd go with KYB.

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'87 GT, 5 Speed, Loaded. Resto Project

'92 Grand Prix 3.4TDC (The Paperweight)

I should mention, the reason I didn't go for the KYBs initially, is because I read here on the forum that they didn't fit properly on the 1988 rear knuckles. Later. I saw a picture which outlined how the knuckles could be modified. Looks like a few minutes with a grinder and they'll fit fine.

quote Originally posted by css9450: I should mention, the reason I didn't go for the KYBs initially, is because I read here on the forum that they didn't fit properly on the 1988 rear knuckles. Later. I saw a picture which outlined how the knuckles could be modified. Looks like a few minutes with a grinder and they'll fit fine.

I was not aware of this. I guess ya learn something every day!

yes they are. they are FAR better than the original equipment. you will be happy with the ride.

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: yes they are. they are FAR better than the original equipment. you will be happy with the ride.

Are you refering to the Sensa-Tracs or the KYB's?

Thanks for all the comments!

AL

I had sensatrac shocks on an 84 when I lived in West Texas. For everyday driving they were fine--much better than the oem shocks.

Monroe >> have them on the 88 and no problems (over 7 years now).

KYB >> installed on my 86 - installed new 3 years ago, had to replace this year due to one leaking.

As for the ride, can't compare due to the 86 vs. 88 suspension - however the 88 is stiffer even with a solid mounted cradle and poly bushings on the 86 (maybe when I add a rear sway bar to the 86 it will help).

quote Originally posted by ALJR: Are you refering to the Sensa-Tracs or the KYB's? Thanks for all the comments! AL

Sensa-Tracs

actually, on my Fiero, I have Sensa-tracs up front & KYB on the rears, with eibach lowering springs all around
but - either way - todays struts are far superior to the original struts used on Fiero's. You cannot go wrong if you are replaceing orginal struts.

I also have Sensa Tracs on my 88GT. I also have 1" drop springs... I think form the Fiero Store. (both installed by previous owner) The ride is butter smooth and the car still handles pretty good.

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-Chris
'85 V6 SE 4sp (SOLD)
'88 GT Auto (fun car)
'03 Sentra SE-R Spec V (Daily driver)

Monroes all around on 87 GT and I think they're pretty good with my suspension.

That being said, It's worth cautioning that expecting *just* shocks or struts to make the major difference in your cars ride and handling is not realistic.
Shock absorbers, (dampers), primary function is to *dampen* impacts and suspension , (spring), ocillations. They are only part of the total system that will determine how your car rides and handles.
Old weak springs, (cut down OEM springs with the resultant higher rates), worn bushings, worn ball joints, sway bars, tires and alignment all play a role in the system.
Putting extra firm shocks and struts on a car with weak springs and shot bushings is not going to yield fantastic handling.
Conversely, putting softer shocks and struts on a car with new hard linear rate springs, (Eibach), is not going to soften the harsh ride.

Opinions on ride and handling quality are very subjective. What one person calls "great handling" is another person's nightmare ride being beaten to death by a rock solid suspension that rattles your teeth just running over normal expansion joints in the pavement.

[This message has been edited by randye (edited 10-23-2009).]

I have Sensa-Trac struts on the rear of my 86 SE. They were there when I bought the car, so I don't know how old they are, but they are still working fine.

I have had Sensa-Tracs all way round now for 3 years. Excellent IMHO. No problem in the handling department. I must say though, that I went to inexpensive tires and that is the weakness of the system.

Arn

Thanks guys!

Think I am going to give the Sensa-Tracs a try... The $40 rebate also makes them that much better But honestly, $40 savings would not sway me towrds them; just want a decent shock...

Thanks again,
AL

BTW, I am doing the suspension over at the same time; i.e. bushings, ball joints and rod ends...

Also thinking about possible lowering the car an inch. Which it the best method of doing so on the 88gt? Was thinking of the rodney ball joints for the front and springs in the rear?

I just changed them out all the way around. I was actually hoping for something a little softer, but it was a ton better than the stock shocks/struts. I like them quite a bit. Still handles well and the ride isn't too jarring.

I have them on my car now and I have a set I modified to use with my coil overs. They ride nice and are priced right.

If you are planning on lowering your car then you should not use the Monroe's. The way they are designed is to give a nice ride when at normal ride hight, and when you compress them they get stiffer. If you lower the vehicle, you will be riding in the stiff zone of the strut all the time. This is what a Monroe rep told me when I talked to him about the struts. Of course if you have origional stuts on there right now, then chances are even riding in the stiffer zone of the monroes will feel better then what you have currently.

[This message has been edited by CaddyRob (edited 10-22-2009).]

quote Originally posted by CaddyRob: If you are planning on lowering your car then you should not use the Monroe's. The way they are designed is to give a nice ride when at normal ride hight, and when you compress them they get stiffer. If you lower the vehicle, you will be riding in the stiff zone of the strut all the time. This is what a Monroe rep told me when I talked to him about the struts. Of course if you have origional stuts on there right now, then chances are even riding in the stiffer zone of the monroes will feel better then what you have currently.

Well then I must like it in the stiff zone I could tell the difference when it was lowered and when it was stock height.

a bit OT.
It's nice to see that a company as old as Monroe has not cheapened out on their products, and is still getting good reviews after 50 decades.

Have them on my 88 GT for four years . Sensa trac .

I had Monroe Sensa-tracs on my previous Fiero. They were a nice upgrade from stock... handled well on the street, but weren't very stiff. My only gripe was that after 3-4 years, they started getting soft. They had to be replaced after about 6-7 years, because the car started getting "floaty".

In contrast, my current Fiero has KYB dampers. They are stiffer than the Monroe Sensa-tracs. And after about 5 years of use, they don't seem to have lost any stiffness.

I had the opposite experience with KYB shocks. They both leaked after about 3 years, and I replaced them with Monroes. But, I agree--sensatracs aren't very stiff-----they don't claim to be either.

The feeling I am getting is that either KYB or Monroe "could" have problems... Seems they both have about equal early problem on a rare few?

So aside from that, they are both very nice shocks for the Fiero. The Sensa-tracs are geared more for ride qulity and the KYB's are a little stiffer w/ better performance in mind... Both offer greater performance over stock...

I ordered the Sensa-tracs last night from Rock Auto. I am just looking for an improvement over the stock shocks/struts w/o deteriourating the ride quality "too" much...

Thanks again for all your input,
AL

quote Originally posted by CaddyRob: If you are planning on lowering your car then you should not use the Monroe's. The way they are designed is to give a nice ride when at normal ride hight, and when you compress them they get stiffer. If you lower the vehicle, you will be riding in the stiff zone of the strut all the time. This is what a Monroe rep told me when I talked to him about the struts. Of course if you have origional stuts on there right now, then chances are even riding in the stiffer zone of the monroes will feel better then what you have currently.

I thought that shock absorber performance was more dependant on the rate at which the shock is compressed than the actual distance that the rod is pushed into the shock body. My understanding is that the shock valving is one of the most important factors to its performance curve.
I would tend to think that the valving would be consistant regardless of the compressed length of the rod in the shock body.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-suspension2.htm
Perhaps I'm mistaken.
While it's possible that what you were told is correct, my experience has been different.
I lowered my 87' GT 1.8 inches front and rear with Intrax springs, installed poly bushings, a rear sway bar and Monroes front & rear.
Wheels are HP Design 18 X 8, (38mm offset), all around with Nexen 225/40/ZR18 tires. (O.A.D. results in the stock wheel & tire dimension)
I chose the Intrax springs because they are a progressive rate spring as opposed to linear rate springs like Eibach.
The ride quality for everyday driving was important to me, but I also wanted a set-up that would perform well for occasional "spirited" driving.
While I had expected to sacrifice just a little comfort in the ride to obtain improved performance handling, I was pleased at how comfortable the ride is. Others that have driven my car have said it feels better than a new "stock" suspension until you "lean on it" hard and then the difference becomes very apparent. My only complaint is the (expected), "tracking" of the wider front tires.

[This message has been edited by randye (edited 10-23-2009).]

quote Originally posted by randye: I thought that shock absorber performance was more dependant on the rate at which the shock is compressed than the actual distance that the rod is pushed into the shock body. My understanding is that the shock valving is one of the most important factors to its performance curve. I would tend to think that the valving would be consistant regardless of the compressed length of the rod in the shock body. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

The Monroe Sensa-track shocks have tapered grooves cut into the inside of the shock. As the shock compresses, the valve body moves down into the narrower groove area. This tightens things on the shock as the fluid is now compressed through smaller grooves than normal ride height.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: The Monroe Sensa-track shocks have tapered grooves cut into the inside of the shock. As the shock compresses, the valve body moves down into the narrower groove area. This tightens things on the shock as the fluid is now compressed through smaller grooves than normal ride height.

Thanks.
Is there a cutaway diagram, drawings or some engineering data somwhere that you could point me to.
I'm always interested in knowing more..