2003 Mazda Tribute V6 FWD. Installed KYB Excel-G shocks and struts from Rock Auto for about $400 shipped. Both shocks arrived dented, but did not appear to affect functionality after installed. Metal/thread quality very poor on the shocks, replacement nuts are of low quality, and the metal collars allow the nut to recess while tightened (easier to strip nut and i ended up using the stock metal collars). The first shock installed using an impact wrench stripped the threads on the shock before it even became tightened. The second shock required that I use vice grips and open ended wrench.
Much stiffer than worn out stock shocks, which I was looking for. If I would have known about the poor quality components, I would have purchased a different kit.

Struts had no problems with bolt/nut quality. Much stiffer than worn out old struts.

If I could do it over again, would have went with different brand kit. Maybe Excel-G are low quality KYB products, but definitely give KYB a bad name in my book.

Anyone have a better experience with another brand?

 

Between Integra and Mazda6 I had both Tokico blue and KYB Excel made in Japan and made in China. In both cases the Chinese-made shocks/struts were garbage. I'd have to try researching posts on the 6, but the KYB were junk in little time.

Been with Bilstein on both 6 wagon and CX-5, and have been very happy with both.

 

Actually, all the brands mentioned are good dampeners.
The reason some do not have as good an experience with some brands is more about other factors that influenced how the level of performance was.
Some brands mentioned are engineered and manufactured exactly the same in all countries and their quality has not gone down in decades.

I will highly recommend in the future anyone that orders any dampeners if they arrive damaged in any way to return them for a refund or exchange. Most all dampener manufactures stipulate on their warranty specific about any damage o them. There is some that will exclude damage to the covers of the dampener but be sure to read the "MANUFACTURES WARRANTY" completely and not the distributor or sellers' site or companies' warranty which may be different from the manufactures Warranty.

The different dampeners companies offer dampeners for some specific results. in the case of KYB the long standing and offered Excel-G is a direct replacement for OE dampeners and will give a slight firmer ride quality but is specifically ENGINEERED for a direct OE replacement NOT a performance dampener. So some that get them have expectations that are not achieved because they were looking for a different end dampening feel.

When you choose and order from online companies the first thing after examining for any damage caused by shipping is to look for the companies of manufacture information on the main body of the dampener to ensure it is a authentic shock and not a clone or miss-boxed dampener.

Before installing any dampeners on any vehicle, a careful and complete inspection of the chassis and suspension should be done. Installing new dampens on any vehicle that there are damaged or worn chassis and suspension parts can affect the performance level of the new dampeners.

The last thing is unless some have a spring/dampener scale most shops can't determine the anything except basic compression feel for smoothness and that the dampener rebounds without stalling. Some manufacture has internal valving that controls the rate of the fluid during some stages of action. So, these to test them you would need not only a dampener scale but also the exact manufactures specification of the dampener to test their performance and specification.


To ad one more thing about many dampeners manufactures. Over the decades many TOP BRAND dampener companies have used many different countries for some or all of their line of dampener products they offer. So, it is not uncommon to see the same part number but different countries they were manufactured in. There is no imperial data or proof that any of these top brand companies have lessor quality products of the same part numbers or model from one country of their manufacturing origin comparing them to another. None! Visting any of these companies or just the company information demonstrates a high degree of quality control for the end products.

I do want to qualify my response...... I have owned and operated an Auto Parts as well a Performance Auto Parts store as well worked at one of the best known in the USA , Performance shop as a manager that had a 4 vehcle installation bay (Super Shops) and have sold hundreds of all the top brand dampens and all the ones mentioned here and have had very few verified warranties. Most complaints are generally the disappointment of the expectations the customer really wanted after they choose a dampener and installed it. Or the customer chooses a dampener that was on the other end of the scale and the ride became too harsh for their taste. Neither of these were because of the quality of the dampener or what country they were manufactured in.
I will say that KYB was and perhaps still is the easiest company for getting the best customer service, technical information, providing dampener specification of measurements, and easy of dealing with a WARRATY then other dampener companies.

Remember that anyone that gives a recordation for a dampener consider that their vehicle may not be used, driven, same tire brand and model or in the close to the same degree or wear and condition or operated in the same environment as yours so the impressions and recommendations may not in the end should you choose them end in the same results.

 

Rock Auto is a blessing and a curse...

I bought a tie rod joint from Rock, the nut looked and felt like chromed plastic. The actual part felt/looked solid so I kept it and used the OEM nut which weighed 3X the replacement nut.

Part quality is all a krap shoot now. I paid top dollar for a Gates water pump, showed up Chinese garbage. Didn't even install it, just looking at it I could tell it was junk; much lighter than the OEM. I went to a local parts store and had them pull what they had and found a much heavier/solid unit for the same $$ but not Gates brand.

If the part doesn't look/feel right, send it back before you wish you'd sent it back and can't

Edit: it looks like $$$ are the only way we're going stop the madness. If the parts suppliers get back as many parts as they sell, they stop selling junk...but if we keep installing junk, they'll keep selling it to us.

 

The assessment in one response is totally biased by a DIY that should not be working IMHO on his own vehicle. The Gates products are under a strict quality control from China manufacturing plants and if you anyone did their homework would realize that plant is now a model that many Chinese auto parts manufacturing plants are using to compete globally to improve their reputation for manufacturing quality auto parts.
Lots of information about this in the last couple years. See Counterman Magazine or contact Gates direct. As for the weight of a water pump... are you kidding me? So you can tell by the weight that it is cheaply manufactured. WTF does weight have to do with the quality of an engine part in the case of a water pump. Moroso, TRW and Milodon would be very interested on those responses? ROLMAO.
I can not suggest what one person got for a nut (maybe the user) on the tie rod end but I can say many parts returned from customers are not always inspected let alone inspected with such detail that a person would likely see a wrong nut on a part like a tie-rod?. It just not reasonable on many parts. So who knows why one person got the "NUT" described but to blanket blame and description of the total line of that product as all junk is ignorant at best without posting all the details and pictures of all the parts including the box it came . You see there are production pictures available and specifications to some of us that can pull many brands parts to see what they are suppose to look like and come within the POP box

So really some should IMHO get of the negative and limited information about ROCK AUTO. It is IMHO enough to simply state one did not have a good experience.

Himm this picture reminds me at times when some members on various forum go off so negatively about brand name parts !