I bought my 98 S-10 Blazer 2nd hand on 2006 and I was surprised how rough and stiff the suspension was. The mechanics I talked to breezily told me that the car is built like that and that new shocks wouldn't make a difference. I bought 4 brand new shocks and I was shocked... The new shocks made absolutely no difference in the ride at all. Every small crack and bump I can feel straight up my spine and it's been like that for 7 years and I'm tired of it. The whole car rattles and shakes every time I hit the smallest bump. If there's anyone who owns a 98 4WD Chevy S-10 or has owned one, please give me your experience on how it rides or how it should ride. I'm buying new shocks and I don't want to spend 300 dollars only to find out I bought the wrong ones. Thanks.

 

I bought new KYB shocks and installed them and had my front end aligned.It didn`t cost me $300.00.So it`s going to ride alot rougher than a RWD.How`s the front end parts?What about the tires and front end alignment?This all makes a world of a difference.The (yellow) Monroe Matic`s is a pretty good shock too.But what ever you do..Don`t buy G.M.Shocks.They are made to fail,plus they won`t last as long compared to KYB,Monroe!

 

Thanks for your input. I was looking at Bilstein shocks: they're supposed to even better than Monroes but they're expensive. I'm having my front end repaired (sway bar ends) and my wheels balanced tomorrow. I already had it aligned. After the work is done I'll see if I need new shocks and new tires. As far as I can figure out, it's the valving that determines how well a shock absorbs small bumps... and I haven't found any information on which shocks are better in that regard. Can I smooth out the ride if I change how the struts are sprung? I haven't found anyone yet who really knows about these things.

 

Bilstein are more expensive yes.But bilstein has plastic sleeves that rub on the rear sway bar.So who wants to spend close to $80.00 for a shock that has plastic parts on it?I know I don`t.But make the story short..2 things..Our blazers have short well widths(left to right) 2 it`s 4 wheel drive.Everyone I knew who owned a full size chevy 4x4 road rough.So shorter the wheel base from back to front/side to side will ride rough no matter what.My ride bounces around alot.But alot smoother than a 4x4.Don`t know to much about struts.I`ve owned 2 vehicles in my life.#1 81 chevy malibu i`ve owned for 25 yrs.#2 now my blazer going on 5 months.So you have struts on the front end,is that what your saying?

 

What? Oh no: the front has coil springs not struts. This is a 98 S10 Blazer not a full size Blazer. I had a 1977 K5 Blazer for 30 years and it didn't ride as rough as this little hatchback does. Of course I had 32 inch wheels on it with struts on all 4 wheels. That's what gets me: It's a little thing and shouldn't be designed to rattle at every tiny bump. It bugs me. It's irritating. I wish I had my 77 K5 back: it rides smoother. I have to do more research on this.

 

You have a 4WD 98 S10 blazer correct? You will not have coil springs, you will have torsion bars.

Yes, these are designed to rattle at every tiny bump

 

Whatever
DUH
The bastards who designed this crap heap should be hung, shot, drawn and quartered
and stick your greasy smile where the sun don't shine

 

UM its a truck, not a Caddi

 

The S10 is a small hatchback: smaller than most station wagons.
My K5 Blazer was a truck.
You don't know what a truck is and you're not contributing anything to my issue
so you can stop posting your useless comments because I won't be reading or responding to them.

 

HMMM by your pissy a** comment I guess the DMV here in my home state don't know what a truck is either as my 84 4x4 S10 blazer has been plated as a truck for the 20+ years i've owned it