Thread: Help with QA1 Shocks

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Moving on to my next project on the car. The shocks are QA1 coil overs out back. They guy I bought the car from said they are the 12" shock with a 10" spring rating at #225. This car rides like a Wagon! Like no shocks at all in the back. The coil spring is already adjusted all the way down on the shock (towards the groung) at the bottom. Front rides nice and smooth!

Few questions-

1. The springs all the way down towards the bottom of the shock it the SOFTEST setting. Right?

2. I see the little black adustable rebound knob on each shock. Which direction does what? Will this even help my problem since it is super stiff?

3. When I get out of the car, step on the rear frame with some good weight! The suspension hardly even budges! Keep in mind, this is my first Rod, but all my muscle cars (air shocks or regular) would all GIVE when I step on the bumper.

4. If you guys think my springs are too stiff. Would you go with the #185's ratings or all the way down to the #140 from my #225's? By the way according to the Speedway book, the #225 shocks are the correct shock for a 5 window 32 with no air.............

1. Extending the spring length doesn't necessarily make it softer. The key is spring rate, and coil-overs tend to be linear. For example, 225# on one of your springs would compress it 1". 450# would compress it 2", and so on. Therefore, you won't gain much of a softer ride by adjusting all the way out. It will help some - but not as much as you need.

2. The adjustment only affects rebound. If your springs are way too stiff (which they seem to be), adjusting the rebound won't help much. Turning clockwise stiffens the rebound, by the way.

3. Yep, you should get some give.

4. I think your springs are too stiff. The best way to tell exactly is to weigh the rear of the car. Then you use a spring will compress about 40% of full travel under that weight. My experience is that Speedway's chart is a bit heavy on the spring recommendation. Only guessing, but I think 140 would be too light. I'm guessing that 165 - 185 would work, but that's only a SWAG. If I remember correctly, I had springs in that range on an all-steel 30 Tudor sedan.

Jack, thanks for the great info! I will adjust the knobs but I think I will end up with new springs.

Just a FWIW you do not need to use QA-1/Carrera springs when you replace them other less expensive springs work just fine and are just as good...stay away from the Chinese crap though...
As Jack said for the weight of your car 165-185 lb spring rate should be fine and will loosen up your ride. Regarding weight it really helps to weigh your car...you'll want frontend weight, rearend weight, and overall weight with you and a passenger, full fuel tank, once you know those weights it is relatively easy to find the correct weight of spring needed.

Start your adjustment of the knob on the shock at the lowest rate, drive, then adjust until you get the type of handling you want.

Went home last night and my black knobs on the shocks were turned all the way, clockwise. I could push down on the rear end of the car and it would barely move! Adjusted the shocks all the way counter clockwise and the rear of the car go's down/up now much easier! Major difference.

Will test drive tonight after putting my start back on.