need suspension help
07-06-2012, 01:16 AM
#1
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need suspension help i wana lower my car and i want to get some new shocks. so my question is what would be the best street/strip shock for use after i lower my car? i was thinking QA1 but i have heard that qa1s will actually make my car sit higher. i plan on using strano springs but am unsure about shocks. i want my car lower and i want different shocks but want something that will allow me to get a decent launch at the strip. thanks everyone.
07-06-2012, 07:11 AM
#2
QA1's won't make your car sit higher. It's the springs that control ride height. The damper (aka shock absorber) controls the motion of the spring and the stuff attached to it.
If you're mainly interested in strip performance with occasional street, you can use QA1 dampers all around, QA1 springs up front and the stock rears. Do the heater hose mod in the rear to knock the height down a bit then adjust the attitude up front with the QA1's.
With the Strano springs you'll get a nice even drop the whole way around. I'll let Sam comment on what dampers he recommends for your car if it's going to be strip oriented with his springs.
If you're mainly interested in strip performance with occasional street, you can use QA1 dampers all around, QA1 springs up front and the stock rears. Do the heater hose mod in the rear to knock the height down a bit then adjust the attitude up front with the QA1's.
With the Strano springs you'll get a nice even drop the whole way around. I'll let Sam comment on what dampers he recommends for your car if it's going to be strip oriented with his springs.
07-06-2012, 11:23 AM
#3
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QA1's won't make your car sit higher. It's the springs that control ride height. The damper (aka shock absorber) controls the motion of the spring and the stuff attached to it.
If you're mainly interested in strip performance with occasional street, you can use QA1 dampers all around, QA1 springs up front and the stock rears. Do the heater hose mod in the rear to knock the height down a bit then adjust the attitude up front with the QA1's.
With the Strano springs you'll get a nice even drop the whole way around. I'll let Sam comment on what dampers he recommends for your car if it's going to be strip oriented with his springs.
If you're mainly interested in strip performance with occasional street, you can use QA1 dampers all around, QA1 springs up front and the stock rears. Do the heater hose mod in the rear to knock the height down a bit then adjust the attitude up front with the QA1's.
With the Strano springs you'll get a nice even drop the whole way around. I'll let Sam comment on what dampers he recommends for your car if it's going to be strip oriented with his springs.
07-06-2012, 12:29 PM
#4
As someone who daily drove a '01 SS for six years on single adjustable QA1s and then double adjustables, I typically dissuade people from purchasing them unless they're really focused on drag racing. Shocks control the behavior and comfort of your car more than anything else you will do to it as you drive down the road. QA1s at the track are extremely effective and work quite well. On the street, even after toying around with the adjustments, they're not going to offer a comfortable ride. I put up with it. I enjoyed it. But I can also appreciate that it's not what everyone is looking for.
Think about how important your drag racing numbers are to you. If you're looking to get your car to have adjustments to dial it in on various racing surfaces, QA1s are your ticket. If you're only going to see the strip a few times a year, we've had customers with some rather impressive times on Bilstein shocks and even Koni shocks by addressing other areas of the car.
As for springs, stock springs out back work well. Many of our customers run our 160rate rear spring and have found it to be beneficial because of the stiffer rate helping to plant the tire. Up front, I ran QA1 300lb springs and they worked well...but some people like to run a stock spring or even a lowering spring - in that case, we offer a perch to allow this to work.
- Kevin
Think about how important your drag racing numbers are to you. If you're looking to get your car to have adjustments to dial it in on various racing surfaces, QA1s are your ticket. If you're only going to see the strip a few times a year, we've had customers with some rather impressive times on Bilstein shocks and even Koni shocks by addressing other areas of the car.
As for springs, stock springs out back work well. Many of our customers run our 160rate rear spring and have found it to be beneficial because of the stiffer rate helping to plant the tire. Up front, I ran QA1 300lb springs and they worked well...but some people like to run a stock spring or even a lowering spring - in that case, we offer a perch to allow this to work.
- Kevin
07-06-2012, 03:18 PM
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thats some good info, my car is mostly street but i like to go to test and tune as much as i can. i guess i just want something to give me better handling and i want a shockj that isent gonna KILL my 60 ft. so i dont need the best shock for launching just something i can work with.
thanks,
joseph
thanks,
joseph
