IrocZ

iTrader: (2)

How do you like them on the street and most importantly how long do they last??? With some pretty good street use how long do they go before they need rebuilt....1k...4k....10k?

sapper_daddy

iTrader: (12)

I have had them for a while now, I like them being easily adjustable. I have to keep them on the soft side three clicks, to keep them comfortable. I went with the 300lb springs which I think are a little too light. I have BMR springs in the back and they feel nice.

If you do get them and go with coil overs, you will need a thrust bearing kit and their better spanner wrench set.

But I think everyone is about to tell you exactly what to buy.........and it isn't QA1, I've never used them so I'll let them tell you.

IrocZ

iTrader: (2)

why do I need a thrust bearing kit.

How long have you had yours on the car?

And what is everyone going to tell me to buy

sapper_daddy

iTrader: (12)

That you need Konis SA for the street and they are probably right, I wouldn't know I haven't tried them. The thrust bearings are so that you can actually adjust the coilovers with them on the car. You can't turn them even with the tire jacked up (still have to jack the car up even WITH the thrust bearings) off the ground, to adjust your ride height.

Apparently the valving is inferior and HAL has a class action lawsuit coming to them for false advertisement, at least I hope.
There isn't alot of information available from HAL on their parts
the crappy spanner wrench they sent me the first time will break your fingers and doesn't even really turn the adjust ment nut at all, (scratched mine up prety bad) and they just don't tell you the whole truth. They WILL hookup in a straight line though....eh I dunno what to say, except that I have about 600 miles on mine and I'm not too satisfied with them.

IrocZ

iTrader: (2)

I could really care less about carving corners or anything like that. I have ce 3 way drag shocks on the back of the car no sway bar on the front and pro stars front and back.

sapper_daddy

iTrader: (12)

well the QA1s will do it, I definitely noticed a difference in a straight line,
man if I get a set of Konis ordered, I'm going to want to unload these QA1s like lightning, I paid around 700 for the shocks, 100 for the front springs, 50 for the thrustbearings, and 30 for the wrenches, I'll let them go for 600, if you are interested in making a deal
should save you about 300 dollars minimum
they have about 600 miles on them

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

If you are focused on drag racing, the HALs will be just fine for you. I would suggest buying the dbl adj fronts if you can afford them. I had the singles & just sold them to buy the dbls. With the fronts set to 0 or 1 & the back set to 12, the car launches like a *****. (1.4x 60')

You'll have NO squatting in the back!!! But with the singles set that low to get the front end to fly up, the front end tends to come right back down & unloads the back tires just after the 60' mark. With the dbls you can set the compression part high & the front end stays up.

As for street driving & corner carving, there are better shocks. But I set mine to 3-5 front & 6-7 back & it was fine. I turned them up 2-3 clicks ea for an open road race & they were still fine taking curves at 100mph+, straight line at 120 average, 140 max.

o2camaross

iTrader: (2)

Yea i love my QA1's. i havent had a chance to hit the track and check out the 60' time but i know its gonna be an improvement.

IrocZ

iTrader: (2)

How long have you two had them on the car?

I am lookin at buying some used fronts for the car but don't know what is an acceptable about of mileage before these things are trashed and need rebuilt

sapper_daddy

iTrader: (12)

Amazing, I brought up my thoughts about my car being a little tricky in the corners and all I got as a response was that my shocks sucked (QA1s that is)

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

There ARE better shocks if what you want to do is carve corners. But those aren't as good at straight line & I mostly drag race, so I bought the QA1s. I was just trying to share my results, because they do seem capable of doing it all if you play with the setup. At least for a driver / car at my level in the twisties....

ssvert99

iTrader: (26)

go with proven performance. Strange definetly has the best shock on the market for the money. if you are gonna spend 600 or so, then go with AFCO. nothing wrong with Koni's, just overpriced and imported. Strange is made here in the USA.

my car has been consistently 60' in the 1.37-1.38's. and way more to go with more power tuning. and thats *footbraking* a street car.
I also have a customer w/ a little less power than i, and hes doing 1.48's footbraking w/ throttle switch nitrous and drag radials.

pair of Strange s/a shocks, and springs 430.00 shipped to you, directly from Strange.

IrocZ

iTrader: (2)

where can i find more info on these shocks and where do you see the 430 shipped ? Thats about what I can get a set of front hals for.

ssvert99

iTrader: (26)

you can find more info at www.strangeengineering.net and i don't see 430 shipped anywhere. thats where i'm offering them at. shipped directly form Strange.

IrocZ

iTrader: (2)

So 430 shipped for a set of front singal adjustable strange shocks with springs? What lb springs can you get with them? And are these right height adjustable like the hals are?

ssvert99

iTrader: (26)

yes, thats the deal. they are ride-height adjustable with the aluminum body shock thats threaded. a 300 pound spring will work great for you.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

You could also road race on stock shocks and eibach springs too though. I'm sure there's someone out there who has done it and was satisfied with it. Basically its the poster's goal to find out whether or not he personally will like having them on the street and if they last a long time.

I think the reason why a lot of people give such strong biased opinions on suspension is because they are really giving you the likelihood of the average person liking that particular combo based upon what they've read from the internet or heard from others opinions.

If I were to start drag racing, I'd probably figure out what the benefits are with suspension travel on drag shocks are compared to just Konis and actually consider Konis to tune a drag suspension out if its the same. I guess I'm wondering if the HAL's give you more lift for the front end with their spring and shock.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

You need to qualify your statement. You might feel that way, but you are talking about drag racing, not anything else. Koni's are not overpriced, the only reason some think they are is because of what folks are used to, or what they know. Frankly, if you compare what shocks do, and how much they effect the driveability of the car, and compare the price of a set of Koni's to.... a set of tires, or headers, or heads, or any number of other things you'd find the price is not at all unreasonable.

Yes, Koni's are imported. So is every 4th gen becauase they were all built in Canada, not the US. And Koni is owned by ITT, and American company. If the "american" shocks were worth a damn it's be a point that might be worth talking about. They aren't, and when control is concerned Koni's are not even in the same ball-park as the "drag" shocks, let alone the cheaper "handling" shocks like KYB AGX's, Tokico's, and the like. Maybe GM was putting Koni's on 1LE cars from 1996 until they stopped the building of them in 1999 because they like overspending on things. I don't think so given the high-quality materials they use in other places in the car. The fact is the 1LE was meant to go out and carve corners, and spend the money on the shocks (and the shocks alone cost more to a private person than the entire 1LE option did from GM).

And let's recall that there are lots of folks running 1.6's with suspensions that are much more handling oriented with Koni's. No, that's not 1.38... but it's not bad, and if the setup were more optimized for the strip (unhooking the front bar, softening the front shocks, taller and softer springs), you can bet the times would drop accordingly. The fact that folks can pull 1.6's with no goofing around, and then go out and handle with BMW's and Corvettes is pretty impressive.

If it's all about drag racing, you want a shock with no control. Frankly old worn out stock front shocks are great at that. That's why you see so many clapped-out Nova's running 10's on the old beat-up stock shocks. It's all about weight transfer and how fast it happens for drag racing. Just what you do not want for a car that needs to go where it's pointed. So, you need to pick your poison. Classic case of handling cars can launch pretty well, if not great. But launching cars don't handle all that well.

ssvert99

iTrader: (26)

yes, Sam, you are very correct. there are alot of variables here, and it depends on what the car is being used for. if i were to go autox again, Koni or AFCO would only be considered to go on the car. bang for the buck, the Strange shocks are the best out there for a street/strip car. for the guy who wants/can spend a few more $$, and street drives/ autocross/ roadcourse/ 1 or 2 trips a year to the dragstrip, then the Koni's are a great choice. imo... i would stack a AFCO shock against a Koni any day.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Not me..... We'll just have to agree to disagree. Valving, adjustment range, the damping curve (digressive), gas-charging all all things that Koni has nailed down quite well. Add to that a lifetime warranty and that's why Koni has my nod. Quality to be used OEM on some cars, technology that's used on cars all the way up to Formula 1.