55 replies to this topic

[TerrA LX]

The only benefit is that you get height adjustment.

Please don't take this as a personal attack, just trying to justify shelling out for the kit you posted, but I HAVE height adjustment with OEM type gear now (uprate springs/shocks), I set my ride height and forget it.

Edited by TerrA LX, 12 February 2014 - 08:04 AM.

[HDT166]

So what spring and shock do you use if it isn't a qa1 ?

[TerrA LX]

^ me?
Custom ordered or off the shelf springs (oem style) and top quality and/or re-valved OEM style shock.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for a better shock and spring, I can't justify paying a premium for a shock (and lack of spring) just for the added benefit of ride height adjustment.

Edited by TerrA LX, 12 February 2014 - 08:41 AM.

[TerrA LX]

I mean honestly, how many times are you going to be frig arseing around under the front of the car, I guarantee there will be no amateur racers out there rocking up to a track and saying, frrack, look at the track today, I'm gunna spend the next 20min to 1hr taking 5mm out of each side.

[myss427]

My car weighs about 1350 kgs maybe a little less with all the alloy and fibreglass, my springs are the 11 inch ones and I was thinking of going 10 inch 350lb springs but would need to check for coil bind, which so far I never have. They are very easy to adjust the height if you get the flat roller bearing shims and adjusting wrenches, have done it it a few minutes. We have 2 other cars in the club that run the same setup as mine.

 

The shocks were great for dialing in the settings, set mine at 14 on the front, not too soft, no body roll, and the suspension does not crash or bang on bumps.

[ls2lxhatch]

Please don't take this as a personal attack, just trying to justify shelling out for the kit you posted, but I HAVE height adjustment with OEM type gear now (uprate springs/shocks), I set my ride height and forget it.

 

If you run the QA1 shocks with stock arms then they are not much more expensive than a decent set of shocks and springs. 

 

Adjusting the ride height with the QA1 shocks takes a couple of minutes. Pulling out the springs and sending them off to be reset or changing springs is not quite as convenient.

 

Getting springs reset to adjust the ride height is always a little hit and miss. Adjusting the height with the QA1 shocks you can get the exact height you want every time.

I need one height for registration and then I would like to lower it a bit for aesthetics. When I drive on country roads to visit my brother I will probably raise the car back up to stock height or maybe even a little higher.

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 12 February 2014 - 12:27 PM.

[TerrA LX]

^ all good points guys and don't get me wrong, I agree with you, to a point.
Obviously it does not affect your wheel alignment enough for you to worry about having the right set up, just bang it up and down in a few minutes is quite easy.

[HDT166]

I have always been against adjustable springs but when I did my vh I spent a bit on stiff springs and shocks all round and then my first drive I hated it. Now I have to either reset the springs or change them. For the torana I was like frOck it I'm getting adjustable.

[Toranamat69]

You need to have adjustable coil overs if you want to properly set your corner weights for even handling.

[HDT166]

My car weighs about 1350 kgs maybe a little less with all the alloy and fibreglass, my springs are the 11 inch ones and I was thinking of going 10 inch 350lb springs but would need to check for coil bind, which so far I never have. They are very easy to adjust the height if you get the flat roller bearing shims and adjusting wrenches, have done it it a few minutes. We have 2 other cars in the club that run the same setup as mine.
 
The shocks were great for dialing in the settings, set mine at 14 on the front, not too soft, no body roll, and the suspension does not crash or bang on bumps.

So you have them in your car? Qa1 adjustable?

[myss427]

Have them in the car for over a couple of years now, got all the info from LS2LXHatch an bought them and never looked back, had all the same issues trying to get correct ride height etc and the car to ride like I wanted. Have a cubbord filled with springs. The only drama I have is the ride height is great for police or rego, but I want it about an inch lower and I just dont have any more travel left in the adjusters. So I might look at the 10inch 350 lbs spring, but have to check coil bind.

 

Put them in a club members black hatch just recently with the 250 lbs -2 spring and had to wind them up quite a bit (2 inches from base) to get leagal height, but drives nice with them and its standard 308 weight torana engine over the cross member. This is why I think the 350's for a Torana would be too stiff. 

Edited by myss427, 14 February 2014 - 07:59 AM.

[TerrA LX]

You got a cupboard full of springs, are decent spring manufacturers that hard to come by your way?

[HDT166]

Well mines not quite ready for a test drive yet but I had to chop about two coils off each spring to get it to sit low. It's still not as low as I have seen others would still like it a little bit lower but will have to see how she drives before I chop any more.

[Uncle Chop Chop]

And ls2lxhatch, try contacting Brown's Spring Works, Thomastown in Vic. They are happy to make springs what ever the requirements!

They have made me a couple of sets of front springs over the years. Just tell them what you have, what you want and if it's not 100%, they will reset them once for free. Or at least they used to.

[HDT166]

sweet that sounds awesome. once I get mine driveable I will give it a measure.

aggrsv, are you using drop spindles?

[ls2lxhatch]

And ls2lxhatch, try contacting Brown's Spring Works, Thomastown in Vic. They are happy to make springs what ever the requirements!

 

 

Have you shown Brown's Spring works a QA1 hybrid coil over spring?

The spring shape is unique to the QA1 hybrid coil over shocks. The QA1 spring has an I.D of 2.5" at the bottom to suit the shock and the top of the spring has an I.D of 3.5" to suit the factory spring tower.

 

The typical a coil spring has the same diameter at both ends. To make a spring the rod is wound around a jig with the required diameter. To make the QA1 would require a jig with an O.D of 2.5" at one end progressing to an O.D of 3.5".

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 04 November 2014 - 07:34 PM.

[wot179]

Some of you blokes would have an embolism if you knew how I lowered my wagon...

[Dr Terry]

Some of you blokes would have an embolism if you knew how I lowered my wagon...

With an oxy torch, perhaps ?? A very common technique used in Sydney's western suburbs.

Dr Terry

[HDT166]

HAHA love it