Advice welcome!
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From: Southern Oklahoma
Advice welcome! I plan on upgrading my cars shocks/springs in the future but need some advice before I make any plans. I have some questions, and after about an hour of searching im no closer to answering any of my questions.
1. I drive my car daily, but its my dragstrip car too.
2. I want a firm, comfortable ride while driving around.
3. I need it to perform well on the track.(1.5 60fts)
4. I would like it to handle aswell, (not as important)
5. I dont want to spend a huge amount. under 1k.
(the bolds are pretty much deal breakers)
2002 Z28 A4
My car has stock shocks and springs. It has aftermarket LCA,SFC,PANHARD BAR,TQ ARM. Im on a 10bolt (beefed up) if that matters. Please inform me on my choices, I have searched and am considering Koni Yellows, but i dont know anything when it comes to shocks ect. My mom has a 350Z and it handles so good, i wish mine would handle like that, but i dont know if I can have the bests of both worlds.
thanks for the help!
1. I drive my car daily, but its my dragstrip car too.
2. I want a firm, comfortable ride while driving around.
3. I need it to perform well on the track.(1.5 60fts)
4. I would like it to handle aswell, (not as important)
5. I dont want to spend a huge amount. under 1k.
(the bolds are pretty much deal breakers)
2002 Z28 A4
My car has stock shocks and springs. It has aftermarket LCA,SFC,PANHARD BAR,TQ ARM. Im on a 10bolt (beefed up) if that matters. Please inform me on my choices, I have searched and am considering Koni Yellows, but i dont know anything when it comes to shocks ect. My mom has a 350Z and it handles so good, i wish mine would handle like that, but i dont know if I can have the bests of both worlds.
thanks for the help!
Koni Single adj. shocks would be worth the money. But they are close to 1K by themselves.
Also The stock rear springs are good for drag. Just check out the drag section. Alot of guys are going back to them in the back.
The majority of the guys pulling good times on a budget setup are going with :
QA1 R-series Single adj. fronts (185/ea.)
300lb. front springs (50/ea.)
Stock rear springs (some cut em') (free
)
Rear shocks:
some go stock (see above)
some go Comp. Eng. (myself included, they work good) (40/ea.)
and some go QA1 SA R-series(175/ea.)
relocation brackets (85)
Air bag in the pass. rear (40)
Plus all the mods you have already. If you want i handling type ride the QA1's all round can do that. They are adj. just have two documented settings for DD and Race. If you have a Z28 an SS front sway bar would help a bit in the handling department. Then just drop the endlink when you race.
Are you on a tire? Drag radial?
Also The stock rear springs are good for drag. Just check out the drag section. Alot of guys are going back to them in the back.
The majority of the guys pulling good times on a budget setup are going with :
QA1 R-series Single adj. fronts (185/ea.)
300lb. front springs (50/ea.)
Stock rear springs (some cut em') (free
)Rear shocks:
some go stock (see above)
some go Comp. Eng. (myself included, they work good) (40/ea.)
and some go QA1 SA R-series(175/ea.)
relocation brackets (85)
Air bag in the pass. rear (40)
Plus all the mods you have already. If you want i handling type ride the QA1's all round can do that. They are adj. just have two documented settings for DD and Race. If you have a Z28 an SS front sway bar would help a bit in the handling department. Then just drop the endlink when you race.
Are you on a tire? Drag radial?
Last edited by djsanchez2; Jan 15, 2008 at 03:41 AM.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
If you go with QA1's and expect a firm ride with good handling you are going to be very disappointed. You will end up with either a floaty ride or very jarring ride with sloppy, twitchy, and disconnected handling.
Here is someone who went from QA1s (didnt like the ride/handling) to Koni's:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...=815203&page=2
You could definitely get your car to out handle your mom's 350Z, but not with drag parts(it will come out worse than stock). With the Koni's look into Strano 35mm/22mm swaybars, and just disconnect the front one when drag racing. Do you have a full length tq arm?
Here is someone who went from QA1s (didnt like the ride/handling) to Koni's:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...=815203&page=2
You could definitely get your car to out handle your mom's 350Z, but not with drag parts(it will come out worse than stock). With the Koni's look into Strano 35mm/22mm swaybars, and just disconnect the front one when drag racing. Do you have a full length tq arm?
Just installing the rear koni's on my car may a huge difference in the overall ride quality of the car. It literally was like driving a completely different car. I drove it with just the rears for a week and loved it it. When I did switch out the fronts it wasn't as noticeable difference as the transformation from the rears. That was until I really pushed the car through some turns and then I was OMFG! I was just grinning ear to ear. Talk about driving on rails! I don't have any other shocks to compare it to other than the stockers but whatever you do replace the rears with anything Sam recommends, can't go wrong with the koni's.
I'm still planning on probably getting strano springs, a panhard bar, and probably a front sway bar at least.
I'm still planning on probably getting strano springs, a panhard bar, and probably a front sway bar at least.
^^How do you think his straight line is? Look at his mods. Almost stock A4, even has 2.73's. All he has to to is mash the gas and it goes.
They are all suggesting a more twisty type setup. JD_AMG is anti-drag lol. All he does is bitch about ride quality, the want no compromises when it comes to how "smooth" the car feels. Seriously, read his posts over in the drag section. He is so anti-Drag shock. All he does is reference the same thread, like it's some big end all source of answers.
If you want a real and/or streetable drag setup, there will be at least minimal sacrifices you'll have to make. I mean a car that hook good, is not going to handle like a BMW or S2000. Plain and simple.
The ride will be a lil floaty, but hey that comes with the territory. That's why we have adj. shocks. As long as it's a reasonable trade off. I wouldn't want it to do a nose dive off the road trying to make a turn.
They are all suggesting a more twisty type setup. JD_AMG is anti-drag lol. All he does is bitch about ride quality, the want no compromises when it comes to how "smooth" the car feels. Seriously, read his posts over in the drag section. He is so anti-Drag shock. All he does is reference the same thread, like it's some big end all source of answers.
If you want a real and/or streetable drag setup, there will be at least minimal sacrifices you'll have to make. I mean a car that hook good, is not going to handle like a BMW or S2000. Plain and simple.
The ride will be a lil floaty, but hey that comes with the territory. That's why we have adj. shocks. As long as it's a reasonable trade off. I wouldn't want it to do a nose dive off the road trying to make a turn.
Last edited by djsanchez2; Jan 17, 2008 at 03:44 PM.
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TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
They are all suggesting a more twisty type setup. JD_AMG is anti-drag lol. All he does is bitch about ride quality, the want no compromises when it comes to how "smooth" the car feels. Seriously, read his posts over in the drag section. He is so anti-Drag shock. All he does is reference the same thread, like it's some big end all source of answers.
I'm anti-drag shock because they are complete and utter **** for anything but going strait, I told you I've been in a car with QA1's, I couldn't wait to get out it was so bad. My kidney's were up in my mouth.
And If I were a "no compromise" guy when it comes to ride quality I wouldn't have bought a car with a solid rear end.
What I actually don't like to compromise is feel, and the way the car behaves for slightly better off the line traction. With drag shocks the car is floaty, and very unnerving in the corners, its not all about outright grip, its about being able to easily control the car.
If you want a real and/or streetable drag setup, there will be at least minimal sacrifices you'll have to make. I mean a car that hook good, is not going to handle like a BMW or S2000. Plain and simple.
The ride will be a lil floaty, but hey that comes with the territory. That's why we have adj. shocks. As long as it's a reasonable trade off. I wouldn't want it to do a nose dive off the road trying to make a turn.
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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
Shows how credible you are... I don't think I've ever posted in the drag section.
I'm anti-drag shock because they are complete and utter **** for anything but going strait, I told you I've been in a car with QA1's, I couldn't wait to get out it was so bad. My kidney's were up in my mouth.
And If I were a "no compromise" guy when it comes to ride quality I wouldn't have bought a car with a solid rear end.
What I actually don't like to compromise is feel, and the way the car behaves for slightly better off the line traction. With drag shocks the car is floaty, and very unnerving in the corners, its not all about outright grip, its about being able to easily control the car.
It pretty much wont handle at all...
And with drag shocks its either floaty, or jarring, not firm like a sports car should be. Its not about "make it stiffer to handle better", its actually not like that at all...
I'm anti-drag shock because they are complete and utter **** for anything but going strait, I told you I've been in a car with QA1's, I couldn't wait to get out it was so bad. My kidney's were up in my mouth.
And If I were a "no compromise" guy when it comes to ride quality I wouldn't have bought a car with a solid rear end.
What I actually don't like to compromise is feel, and the way the car behaves for slightly better off the line traction. With drag shocks the car is floaty, and very unnerving in the corners, its not all about outright grip, its about being able to easily control the car.
It pretty much wont handle at all...
And with drag shocks its either floaty, or jarring, not firm like a sports car should be. Its not about "make it stiffer to handle better", its actually not like that at all...
Actually you have posted in the Drag section. You actually started a thread or two. I was wrong as to the content of those posts. Thus I appologize for jumping the gun. But I do know you are somewhat of an advocate of Koni's, and you have posted that same link a few times. LOL.
Oh and as for the Koni's I did not completely leave them out, I did meantion them in my first post lest ye forget. All i was saying is that he can use them but they are not cost effective for his goals. Plus he also said that handling WAS NOT a high proirity. That's all.
Oh and the "It won't handle at all" comment... That is your opinion on that subject. I don't think the man plans on doing Auto-X days with the car. Not from the sounds of it. DD/Drag strip car read it again DD/Drag strip car.
-- Oh and Sam I have seen that 1.5' 60ft. before but couldn't remember the rest of the suspension mods. I didn't want it to end up being a full fledged suspension car on a slick that ran that time spraying off the line.
Whatever the rest of the suspension, the fact is it wasn't slow on handling shocks vs. "drag" shocks. 
And it's not because he can't break traction, John has plenty of juice for that. Hell, I have a customer from Maryland that runs my autox suspension and runs 1.6's (only difference is he has a 12-bolt in the car).
And it's not because he can't break traction, John has plenty of juice for that. Hell, I have a customer from Maryland that runs my autox suspension and runs 1.6's (only difference is he has a 12-bolt in the car).
__________________
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 never once said it would be slow on Koni's, I was basing my response on the 1K budget he stated in the very first post. I gave multiple options as well, and even listed prices. And at ~$800 the Koni's would leave little money left for other suspension mods, if needed.