Need help with picking shocks
Need help with picking shocks Daily driver that makes it to the track 2-3 times a month. Just put on dyno and produced 486 hp & 511 torque to the wheels. It has a ford 9", xtreme lower control arms, upper & lower rear sway (extreme), adj. torque arm w/relocation bracket. I want shocks to fit with 9" rear and still be able to not bounce everywhere as I drive it around. Please give suggestions and where I can get them if you know. Thanks in advance!
Last edited by Speedin' Sam; Oct 20, 2008 at 01:39 PM.
Daily driver that makes it to the track 2-3 times a month. Just put on dyno and produced 486 hp & 511 torque to the wheels. It has a ford 9", xtreme lower control arms, upper & lower rear sway (extreme), adj. torque arm w/relocation bracket. I want shocks to fit with 9" rear and still be able to not bounce everywhere as I drive it around. Please give suggestions and where I can get them if you know. Thanks in advance!
I would recommend the Strange units or if it's in the budget Afco. I can go over a couple of options for you just give me call
The 9" makes no difference on fit of the shocks.. but it does weigh a lot more and demands better compression damping control than some shocks have.
QA1's are drag shocks, not control shocks... and they aren't cheap either.
You don't need Koni's, they just work better under the most situations than any other shocks. In fact I have one customer, on this website, with more power than you have and he didn't lose a bit on his 60's going to Koni's from QA1's. And another guy 60'ed faster on Koni's than on a Afco/QA1 combination (and he changed because he couldn't stand the way the car drove down the road any longer).
QA1's are drag shocks, not control shocks... and they aren't cheap either.
You don't need Koni's, they just work better under the most situations than any other shocks. In fact I have one customer, on this website, with more power than you have and he didn't lose a bit on his 60's going to Koni's from QA1's. And another guy 60'ed faster on Koni's than on a Afco/QA1 combination (and he changed because he couldn't stand the way the car drove down the road any longer).
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
The 9" makes no difference on fit of the shocks.. but it does weigh a lot more and demands better compression damping control than some shocks have.
QA1's are drag shocks, not control shocks... and they aren't cheap either.
You don't need Koni's, they just work better under the most situations than any other shocks. In fact I have one customer, on this website, with more power than you have and he didn't lose a bit on his 60's going to Koni's from QA1's. And another guy 60'ed faster on Koni's than on a Afco/QA1 combination (and he changed because he couldn't stand the way the car drove down the road any longer).
QA1's are drag shocks, not control shocks... and they aren't cheap either.
You don't need Koni's, they just work better under the most situations than any other shocks. In fact I have one customer, on this website, with more power than you have and he didn't lose a bit on his 60's going to Koni's from QA1's. And another guy 60'ed faster on Koni's than on a Afco/QA1 combination (and he changed because he couldn't stand the way the car drove down the road any longer).
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I'd love to be able to take a few sentences from a forum post and tell everyone *exactly* what they need...... But I can't.
Shocks are no different than anything else you have choices on. Which is best for your use, depends mostly on your use and what you expect and want from the car, as well as what other parts are on it.
Basically I won't, most importantly *can't* suggest anything with what little information I've been presented with here. Might I suggest a Koni? Sure, I might... But I might not depending on what a conversation on the phone reveals.
Happy to help, but have to ask you call me so we can actually discuss the needs and the options.
Shocks are no different than anything else you have choices on. Which is best for your use, depends mostly on your use and what you expect and want from the car, as well as what other parts are on it.
Basically I won't, most importantly *can't* suggest anything with what little information I've been presented with here. Might I suggest a Koni? Sure, I might... But I might not depending on what a conversation on the phone reveals.
Happy to help, but have to ask you call me so we can actually discuss the needs and the options.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
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Verdad Gallardo If you have our rear extreme anti rollbar(1.25" solid) like you have listed in your signature handling is not an option. Your suspension is geared obviously towards straight line performance. I would stay with a good adjustable purpose built drag shock.
I agree with Lee on the rear bar. 1.25" rear bars are for drag racing only. The rear of the car will be way, way too stiff for handling uses. If you want a compromise a smaller bar with or without airbags to straighten the launch, or an adjustable rear swaybar would be a far better solution.
As it is, that bar is all about making the car not roll when you launch, which will mess with the grip on the street. And while bars and shocks work differently and do different things, you'd be wasting a shock like a Koni with that setup.
At this point if you are hell-bent on not changing the rear bar my thinking would be more toward KYB AGX's here. Adjustable, not perfect, but tuneable and cost effective.
As it is, that bar is all about making the car not roll when you launch, which will mess with the grip on the street. And while bars and shocks work differently and do different things, you'd be wasting a shock like a Koni with that setup.
At this point if you are hell-bent on not changing the rear bar my thinking would be more toward KYB AGX's here. Adjustable, not perfect, but tuneable and cost effective.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Then forget it x2. A spool? You have a drag car, you might drive on the street, but it will never drive right as a street car. Get yourself some all out drag shocks.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Ok.... and hence the reason I prefer better built shocks like Koni and Bilstein. But that said, nothing is immune from breaking including drag shocks or KYB's..
Again, it's a moot point. You don't have a car that should be daily driven with a spool, and it has oh, about 100% more rear bar than it did stock (which I assume no change in the front, or worse no front bar). Really it's a drag car, that's what you setup and you should continue that way if that's your desire. If you want the car to be fun to actually drive at speed on a road, you need to decide that before you spend more money on the drag side of things (shocks or otherwise).
Again, it's a moot point. You don't have a car that should be daily driven with a spool, and it has oh, about 100% more rear bar than it did stock (which I assume no change in the front, or worse no front bar). Really it's a drag car, that's what you setup and you should continue that way if that's your desire. If you want the car to be fun to actually drive at speed on a road, you need to decide that before you spend more money on the drag side of things (shocks or otherwise).
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
I am not worried about the "streetability" of the car. I don't drive it very far like most DD's. It is a playtoy that I like to take out on the streets to play with every once in a while. I do like to take it to the drag strip and yes that is what it is being set up for. The idea is to keep it street legal though. I didn't realize asking for help on a set-up to have a play-toy would get me scolded on here. I thought for sure, if anyone would understand, it would be here. Perhaps, I was wrong. 
Last edited by Speedin' Sam; Oct 20, 2008 at 04:32 PM.
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
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Daily driver that makes it to the track 2-3 times a month. Just put on dyno and produced 486 hp & 511 torque to the wheels. It has a ford 9", xtreme lower control arms, upper & lower rear sway (extreme), adj. torque arm w/relocation bracket. I want shocks to fit with 9" rear and still be able to not bounce everywhere as I drive it around. Please give suggestions and where I can get them if you know. Thanks in advance!
I am not worried about the "streetability" of the car. I don't drive it very far like most DD's. It is a playtoy that I like to take out on the streets to play with every once in a while. I do like to take it to the drag strip and yes that is what it is being set up for. The idea is to keep it street legal though. I didn't realize asking for help on a set-up to have a play-toy would get me scolded on here. I thought for sure, if anyone would understand, it would be here. Perhaps, I was wrong.
So what I'm getting from you is you want the car to be pretty much 99% for drag racing, and that 1% as long as its street legal. If I'm right, then figure out who the drag race experts are and look up their posts, like Madman for instance and look up what they recommend. This section you'll mostly find autox, road race, and handling drivers. Not being sarcastic or a wise ***, that's actually what I do at times when I'm trying to learn about drag racing (which I don't know much about)
KYB's aren't drag shocks so no, don't get them again. They are a good option if you drag race but want the car to retain some road manners. You want to be looking at the Strange, Afco, and QA1's for your car since you are indeed going for an all out drag car. Do some searches on those shocks and see how others like them and make your decision from there. Also like was said, get in contact with some of the drag gurus around here. Suspension won't ever make the car illegal unless you put drag brakes on, full all out slicks or something obvious. Also don't be a dick those trying to help you pick the right parts for your application... or you could just throw money at the car and hope it works out.
Everything listed is on the car. Spent a lot on the car this year. Anyway, 9" has 4:11's in it and a full spool. I want a 10.5 street car, that is what this is headed for. What other information would you need? I appreciate your expediance on this, that is why I went with you guys the last time! Customer service can shoke out lots of promises.
If you would like to go in more detail of your expectations of the car with me give me a call here at the office and we can discuss the options we have available to you
Oh boy... I didn't scold anyone. You did say the car is a "DD", then later you said it's really not, but only after you think I "scolded" you. I was simply telling you that your interests conflict and if the car is a daily driver you need to think about the path you are taking if you didn't realize you were on the wrong path for a daily driver that's drag raced.
Again, know knowing the situation better I agree that drag shocks are the way to do, and I'll defer to Lee on this one. I'm not a mind reader, and I thought we were having a discussion. Silly me.
Again, know knowing the situation better I agree that drag shocks are the way to do, and I'll defer to Lee on this one. I'm not a mind reader, and I thought we were having a discussion. Silly me.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion