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Old Oct 9, 2011 | 09:26 AM
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Default Need suspension advice

ok I have a 1998 TA that is making 480 to the wheels. 6 speed through a steel driveshaft to an MWC 9" with 4.11gears with a billet clutch posi. Has 275/60/15 MT et Street radials. Bone stock suspension up front. MWC torque arm and LCA. Spohn panhard and anti-roll bar. QA1 rear shocks that I got used. Now when I go to the strip with the tires @ 15psi I am either still blowing the tires off or launching so low to get it to hook it is bogging off the line. Consistent 1.9x 60 foots which I think is horrible. I plan on redoing the entire suspension this winter with new upper and lower control arms in the front along with a new K-member. Where I need help is the actual suspension components or whatever it is going to take to get this thing to transfer the weight like it should and hook and get down the track. I also plan to add spray this winter with a 150 shot off the line so I need it to work. Somebody please educate me. Thanks

D.J.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 07:27 PM
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When I was making 460 to the rear wheels i was having the same issues, street radials specially that skinny are never going to hook up specially with a shot that big, if your going for a 150 shot get some 10.5x15 rims or something that you can fit a dedicated pair of slicks on, i personally have ZR1 rims on mine with 315 25 R17 for the rear and blowing them off all day ive been down to 8psi it dosent make a difference with DOT tires, I put some hooiser slicks on and got enough traction to implode my tiny 10 bolt which i was expecting, gave me an excuse to buy a 12 bolt.

personally i wouldnt mess with the rear suspension maybe put it on an alignment rack make sure your adjustable suspension is adjusted properly. line lock may help you get off the line too, i sure enjoy mine if nothing else makes for some bad *** burnouts
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 06:16 AM
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Which settings are you using for your QA1s? What is the front suspension story? Do you have stock front shocks? I was making 460 to the wheels and running stock rear shocks, with Stange single adj up front. I kept them on 5. Decent compression. I didn't put much on the coils 315#. It worked great. I had a MWC 9" with the drag bar and sphon adj lcas and the MWC tab. I had the lcas relocated on the bottom hole. Stock rears decarbon shocks and srpings, cutting 1.60 60 foots. When I sprayed (which was on the same suspension setup), I sprayed anywhere from 150-200 right out of the hole with Hoosier QTPs 28-11.50s I heated them up to ~210-230*f, Keeping them at about 11lbs, I sprayed 200 out of the hole for a wheels up 1.44 60.

So I'd think the main things you need to address are checking out your rear Qa1s, figure out which setting they're on currently. Check your pinion angle, ensure that your lcas are at least flat as the car sits or maybe even angled downward going towards the rear of the vehicle. Make sure that the lcas are also evenly set on both passenger and driver side. And a good set of shocks up front would be a good start.

Which rpm range are you leaving in? Do you have a 2 -step? This may be a dumb one, but what clutch are you using, and how is it performing.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by CNTLSE 1
ok I have a 1998 TA that is making 480 to the wheels. 6 speed through a steel driveshaft to an MWC 9" with 4.11gears with a billet clutch posi. Has 275/60/15 MT et Street radials. Bone stock suspension up front. MWC torque arm and LCA. Spohn panhard and anti-roll bar. QA1 rear shocks that I got used. Now when I go to the strip with the tires @ 15psi I am either still blowing the tires off or launching so low to get it to hook it is bogging off the line. Consistent 1.9x 60 foots which I think is horrible. I plan on redoing the entire suspension this winter with new upper and lower control arms in the front along with a new K-member. Where I need help is the actual suspension components or whatever it is going to take to get this thing to transfer the weight like it should and hook and get down the track. I also plan to add spray this winter with a 150 shot off the line so I need it to work. Somebody please educate me. Thanks

D.J.
The QA1s are definitely questionable, but I'd start off with a good set of front shocks before anything else. weight transfer is the story here and good quality shocks are the base for consistent launches.

The M6 trans will need some driving finesse, and if you don't have a two-step rev limiter that will also be a good investment. a M6 car has to spin a bit out of the hole to accelerate without bog, but just a bit too much and it's up in smoke also.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by ssvert99
The QA1s are definitely questionable, but I'd start off with a good set of front shocks before anything else. weight transfer is the story here and good quality shocks are the base for consistent launches.

The M6 trans will need some driving finesse, and if you don't have a two-step rev limiter that will also be a good investment. a M6 car has to spin a bit out of the hole to accelerate without bog, but just a bit too much and it's up in smoke also.
I was going to say something about that, but didn't want to stir it up.

A few years ago, Eric helped me out with these very issues. I asked his advice, and he provided it to me, along with my MWC 9" and suspension parts.
He set me up with a good deal on the Strange single 8-way adjustable front racing shocks, and some spc 315s. I put it on the second to lowest setting and working my way up.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 03:39 PM
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maybe I should just call MWC lol. I know the springs and shocks are my problem. I may also need to change the hole the LCAs are in. What do you recommend for the front? I had the QA1's set at two full clicks clockwise.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by CNTLSE 1
maybe I should just call MWC lol. I know the springs and shocks are my problem. I may also need to change the hole the LCAs are in. What do you recommend for the front? I had the QA1's set at two full clicks clockwise.
Well, I personally do not car for the qa1 shocks much. For a budget build/ride, I'd just get the strange singles or doubles. They work very well. Many would agree that they're better the QA1 F/Rs etc. The singles are the best bang for the buck. For the rears.... I'm not sure how many miles are on them already. Did you say you got them used? I'd either go back to stock or get some Comp engineering shocks for like 60 bucks. If you plan to keep the QA1s on the rear, I'd at least check them for wear and tear. The seals, and dampeners may be bad. Get with QA1 and see what they recommend on rebuilds.

If you wanted to be a straight baller... Call MADAM down south and ask him about his infamous Afco's with the mysterious "valve job". He hooked me up with a set in 2009, and a friend of mine in 2008, may god what a difference. He, like Eric always offers expert advice with every phone call. Either way, good luck with the car man!
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 08:04 PM
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Thanks for all the help. can you PM me what you paid for the Afco's and possibly some contact info. After all the money I have in this car no point in skimping on crap now
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Old Oct 12, 2011 | 09:15 AM
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PM Sent.
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Old Oct 12, 2011 | 10:27 AM
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We are a direct dealer for the Afco shocks as well and have the same "special" valving available, although the "special" valving doesn't necessarily work for everyone's car as we have proven on the 7 second drag radial cars. give us a call and we can discuss what you really need...
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Old Oct 12, 2011 | 04:08 PM
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Thanks I'm hoping I dont regret not going with the coilover setup in the rear
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