No Juice

iTrader: (11)

Currently I have QA1's on all four corners with stock springs out back and isolator removed, the ride sucks. I feel like a ricer with all the bouncing, its pretty harsh. I go to the drag strip a few times a year but my car is mostly street driven. So my question is: What will I notice the most as far as ride quality if I switch to Koni SA's on all four? (with stock springs)

Also can I run front Koni's and the decarbons out back until I can save enough for the Koni rears?

Thanks

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

The Koni SA on stock springs will make it ride like a cadillac. So smooth you will be wanting some stiffer springs to increase the performance. It won't bounce or flop around, either. You can add some rebound in the front shock to firm up the ride for better handling also. Running the front spring on the lower perch will lower the front about 3/4" or so. Or run it stock height. It's fun playing with the rebound.

You don't sound like you need the Koni rear. You can save some money and get the 3rd gen Bilstein shocks. Their valving is almost the same as the koni on full soft. That's what you would want anyway, so you might as well save some money.

PS, If you ever go to the drag strip you can set the front rebound to full soft to help get the front in the air quicker.

No Juice

iTrader: (11)

When you say cadillac it will still be better handling than the decarbons right?

What is causing my current set up to be such a terrible ride? I'm using stock springs

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

Oh yea. The DeCarbons are poor in their low speed valving. This is what controls the cars body movement. The Koni and Bilstein have much better low speed valving. It will keep the car from flopping around like a fish out of water. It gets rid of the floaty feeling at speed also. It will keep the nose from diving down so fast under braking as well as make the car feel very stable.
I assume your talking about impact harshness, like going down a bumpy road?
There are several things that need to be looked at.
Tire construction (GY GSC are horribly stiff and will never ride smooth)
Tire pressure.
Ride height.
Bumpstops being used.
Spring rates.
Shock valving.

What tires are you running and at what pressures?
What are your fender lip heights (assuming stock tire diameter)?
If these are all fine, then it might be your shock valving. I don't know anything about those shocks as I'm more of a corner carver kind of guy.

No Juice

iTrader: (11)

Tires are Eagle F1's at 28-30psi
Fender lip heights are 27" rear and 26-3/4 front
The QA1's are a oil filled shock that is adjustable but they are a 50/50 shock I believe, so the compression and rebound are set the same.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

There's 3 F1 tires. The GS, Supercar and GSD3. I'll assume you have the GS. I don't think those have a reputation for riding rough, but a better tire might smooth things out. If it is the stock type GS, most folks don't like them, but I can't remember if they said they rode rough.

Is that 28 front, 30 rear, other way around or do they average that? I little higher up front and a little less in the rear is closer to normal, but doesn't sound too bad.

The ride height is pretty good also, not too low.

In trying to find more info on the QA1, it looks like they require a special spring to fit the shock? Do they allow you to run stock springs?

Have you played with all 12 of the shock settings, did it make a difference?

I'm assuming it is the low speed valving that is adjustable. That makes the most sense.

If the ride is rough at higher speeds going over bumps and pot holes, then that is the high speed circuit being used. If it is too slow then the ride will be rough (under those conditions) and there is nothing you can do but change out the shocks.

No Juice

iTrader: (11)

Yeah the tires are the stock F1's, which I have heard are close to being hockey pucks

The QA1's come with a front spring that is slightly softer than stock

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

What does the shock adjustment do to the ride?

Is it the high speed, going down the road hitting a bump or pothole type of situation that feels too harsh?

There are 2 main circuits in a shock. Low speed valving and high speed valving.

The low speed circuit controls body movement, like sway, roll and dive. The shocks stay in this mode most of the time. It needs to keep the shocks stiff to control the body movement.

The high speed circuit is sometimes refered to as the bypass circuit. When you are going down the road and run over a 2x4 for instance. The sudden tire rise forces the bypass valves to open and the shock switches to the high speed circuit to allow the tire to quickly move up then down. If the high speed circuit was not there, you would simply bend the rim or pinch the tire.

Does that make sense?

So if the non-adjustable high speed circuit is what makes the ride feel rough, then I would try a different tire just to see if that helps. If it smooths the ride, then good, If not, then the shocks are what's making it ride rough.

PS. The high and low speed circuits are further divided into rebound and bump (compression). So 4 seperate circuits in all.

No Juice

iTrader: (11)

What you are saying makes complete sense to me. As far as what is adjustable on these? I have no idea. What I have noticed when playing with the different settings is that the higher I set them the more stable it feels and the less it wants to float (like a caddy). However, to get away from the floating rear end I have to set them higher. Then it seems when hitting a bump it wants to bounce, short quick movements up and down. Almost as though it has trouble settling down after a bump.

I saw a picture of your car in a different post. Looks like the perfect stance to me. Can you tell me the lip heights and set up?

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

My guess is probably the shocks combined with those tires = a little too harsh.

26" front, 26 1/4" rear, GC coilover up front 550lb springs, modded factory spring in rear, 170lb.
Koni SA all around, but a Bilstein in rear would suffice. Custom rear bumpstops to allow more suspension travel and a smoother ride.