WS.666

iTrader: (28)

My T/A is an all around car...I drive her to work on nice days (highway cruising); I go to the drag strip with my buddies; and I go on backroads cruises with my car club. I want to upgrade from my KYB shocks and Eibach Prokit Springs. I've had them on the car for 4 years and 10k miles. I was a collage kid when I bought them, and now that I'm graduated and making better money, I want to upgrade my suspension to the same level as my drivetrain.

If money wasn't an issue, what shock/spring setup would you get?

I was looking at the QA1 Double Adjustable Coilovers for all four corners, but I'm not sure what spring to get with them. Like I said, the car sees a little bit of everything, but if I had to pick ONE setup for the suspension, it would be for drag racing.

Here is a quote from a vendor:
Is it a good or bad idea to mix spring rates? I was thinking 325lbs for the front and 275lbs for the rear...drag racing is supposed to have soft in the rear, correct? If it's not a good idea, I would drop the fronts to 300lbs, but I'm definitely not putting drag springs in the front.

Opinions?

On a completely separate note: If I was to run coilovers in the rear, would I still need to the run the stock style springs for ride height, or do the coilovers take care of that?

1lejohn

iTrader: (9)

The front springs depend on the weight of the car. They usually recommend 300 lb springs for a near stock weight car. The rears use the stock springs. The only reson to change out the rear springs is if you were going to make them a coil over conversion. The coil overs would come with their own spring. The spring rates would be different front to rear but never side to side. The stock spring rates for a Z-28 are like 280 front and 130 rear, for a 1le car 360 frt and 110-150 rear. They used a progressive spring.

JD_AMG

For an all around car QA1's or any other drag shock for that matter would be a big negative, you'd be leaving so much on the table in terms of ride quality, control, stability, feel, balance, grip, over a tenth of two in a strait line (which honestly how often do you drag vs drive on the street and anywhere else? )
If you care to sacrifice a lot of performance everywhere else to pick up a fraction on the drag strip, then go for it, otherwise steer clear of drag suspension.
Personally for "all around" I would start out with konis on stock springs, and possibly strano or UMI swaybars. (I say stick with stock springs for now so the softish rates give you ok weight transfer). This will leave you with awesome handling and ride quality, control, feel and stability. Then you can disconnect a front endlink at the track to get better weight transfer, and lower the shock settings some if you want.
Too many confuse that making a drag shock "stiffer" will work for handling when really its pretty lackluster at best. Still wont be stable (hitting bumps hard yet still bouncing), balance will be twitchy (going though turns hard the car will likely want to push while bouncing, then the rear will kick out unsuspectingly coming out of the turn), car will feel numb and disconnected, and any little bump mid turn will not be pretty.

drone

iTrader: (5)

get strange coilovers over qa1s

1lejohn

iTrader: (9)

I have Afco DA's on my car. They do a decent job on the street. The car has a full rod ended rear suspension so it rides hard, but not rough. The shocks control the car where it doesn't bounce up and down. Thats because I'm running stock rear springs and near stock rates on the front. If any thing it hits hard over bumps. The biggest difference is that the shocks do ride hard due to the fact they aren;t gas charged. They react fast to changes in the cars attitude. Thats what they are made to do. I agree friming them up is not always the answer. It makes them react even faster. Running them loose will allow more spring movement thus a softer ride. Too much and you will get that bounce.

I think alot of guys that run Solo events think we are trying to control 500 lb springs.

I have a roll bar, frame connectors and rod ended control arms. These all help the chassis work better then a stock bodied car.

It comes down to what NVH level you can live with ,and what are you going to do with the car.

I did run the Koni sports for years. They are a great shock that work well for about all driving.

drone

iTrader: (5)

I heard afco's are in a different league than qa1s. and the price difference is there too. So I would imagine the qa1s suck on the street.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Koni DAs front and rear, Strano sway bars with adjustable rear bar, stock springs.
The Koni DA shocks will allow you to do just about anything good,from drag racing to autocross. Now if you want a mild lowering up front then get a set of BMR 1" lowering front lower A-arms.

1lejohn

iTrader: (9)

The reason to go with a drag type shock is to control weight transfer better. Controlling the movement of the cars weight makes the tires job easier. Removing the front anti sway bar helps to a point but then you reach a level where you need to limit front end travel. Thus you install frt end limiters.

You might need different shocks if you have reached a level where on full slicks you can't dead hook on the launch. For instance the car spins out of the hole, the car hooks then spins , the car wheel hops, bounces, or breaks loose down track. Shocks alone may not cure all of the problems.

Drag racing is very unique in the way every thing on the car is shock loaded on the launch. Suspension , engine , trans, rear gears etc.