WildDr805

iTrader: (1)

I am curious as to what setup give the softest ride yet handles decent. I know Bilstein sells a shock/spring kit for all camaro/tas 93-02. Any other that ride really smooth as I have a bad back and cannot lower my car a lot and have a skateboard ride. Does QA1's shock ride really soft compared to stock???

99FormulaM6r

iTrader: (2)

Don't use QA1 to make the ride better....if you want to make the ride better while still helping the handling, use Bilstein shocks or Koni shocks and use the stock springs

There are a few previous threads about this if you want to use a search

02Z28LS1

iTrader: (2)

stock springs and Bilsteins if you're fine with stock ride height and are on a budget.

stock springs and Koni S/A's if you've got more money, and are OK with the stock ride height, or only want a small drop of around 5/8" - 3/4" (lower spring perch up front on the Koni shocks & heater hose mod in the rear).

i personally have Koni S/A's on my car (with Strano springs) and i won't even consider any other shocks anymore.

you DO NOT want QA1's for a street-driven car.....they are far too "floaty" & "disconnected" to provide any sort of reliability when turning, especially when bumps are involved.....you'll feel like you're driving an old 80's-model, 250k-mile cadillac with its original shocks still installed.....not good.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Perfect ride quality is subjective to ones own opinion. You have to decide how you like your car to ride. If you want extremely soft poor damping shocks, stick with stock ones. Realize what your suspension needs to do. It's got a range of compression travel that goes from under load to the bumpstops. If your ride is too soft, the its more likely that you will impact the bumpstops faster. Yet you don't want anything too stiff either because then you absorb the bumps rather than the suspension. I'm going to guess that stock springs with Bilstien HDs will be a pretty good setup. You might want to consider the strano spec HDs if he still sells those. Rear has a bit more damping.

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

As far as struts and shocks go. I love the KYB AGX's. . . . . But like mentioned above it's really dependent on what you want.


They ride way smoother yet firmer then the DeCrapons. I also have the Eibach black springs and they ride real nice. Better then the stockers did.

69TA

iTrader: (263)

I have tried them all and the best for what you are looking for is the SLP level 2 option,
Bilsteins with there progressive springs

it's the same set up on the SLP
Firehawks and SS

WildDr805

iTrader: (1)

Thanks guys....do a lot of you guys enjoy using the konis??? They are the adjustable ones right????

tillery

iTrader: (4)

Yes they are the Single adjustable(SA). We all recommend Sam Strano cause he is highly knowledgeable on them. We push for Konis more than any vendor here on good shocks. Alot of us have gone that path with QA1s on the street. I had them when I was more drag racing. But I am on the street more and needed a shock that would not fade after a few bumps in the road. Figured since I spent a lot on my engine/trans and all the tires I blow thru. Why not get a suspension that will connect me to the road. I know some think why get adjustable this and that? But these once you set them to your comfort. you will never mess with them again. Well until you get more agressive in driving. You will notice like a new car feel with a good suspension. All your handling improves. And if you car has high miles. not bad idea to get realigned.

TireSm0ke

iTrader: (1)

Once you try them youll see why everyone loves them. They are all around a great shock, with a HUGE improvement over the stock decarbons. The konis were the first suspension mod I did and the difference was so huge in the cars ability to grip the road I felt like I was driving a different car. There are two different versions, theres the SA (single adjustable) and the DA (double adjustable). The SA has an adjustment for rebound, while the DA has an adjustment for rebound as well as compression. The SA are more than fine for most people, in fact I believe Sam Strano recommends the SA over the DA.

Carlos01SS

iTrader: (4)

What Z28bryan said buddy.

It all depends on what you want.
we don't know just how bad your back is, so shoot, the Koni's might cause you pain.
there was some guy here a few years back who got the Koni's and absolutely HATED them because he felt they were too stiff and wanted his f-body to ride like a Cadillac...

so we told him to buy a Cadillac hahahaha!!!

Based on your budget, your best bet, the one item that will TOTALLY change the dynamics of your cars handling characteristics is definitely shocks.


if you don't want too stiff but an all around better handling vehicle you can't go wrong with keeping the stock springs and the Koni SA's. Lots of folks have this setup and you will be patting yourself on your back for spending the money for the Koni's.

I've had the Bilstein HD's and the KYB AGX's on my car, they were better than the POS deCarfucks.

Finally getting the Koni's installed and there was absolutely no contest whatsoever.

for the money, even though they are more expensive than the others, Koni's SA's performance is far beyond what the other shocks can do.

once you put them in, have them set up for full soft, and you'll see they are WAY better than what you have now.

You want more aggressive turning ability? Adjust them a couple clicks in the front, drive around them and see what you think.

But great handling and still not too stiff you would be best with the factory springs.

Now...once you decide that this works and you want more aggressive, go nuts and experiment...just don't stiffen the rear shocks a lot, it's not necessary.

My .02

Oh and the Bilstein Spec II shocks are only marginally stiffer than the regular HD's FYI.