A few suspension questions

[Stumbaugh]

Hey everyone,

Well I picked up some upper/lower control arm's today and a QA1 rear coilover kit for $100 from a friend of mine. Here's the problem, with the coilovers, the spring's are to light for my car, so what pound spring should I run? Also, the control arm's I got from my friend need new bushings. These are just some off brand control arm's. I actually paid $100 for the coilover kit and got the control arm's for free. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jake

 

[Stumbaugh]

I could really use some input here fellas.

 

[3ponyshow]

Hey everyone,

Well I picked up some upper/lower control arm's today and a QA1 rear coilover kit for $100 from a friend of mine. Here's the problem, with the coilovers, the spring's are to light for my car, so what pound spring should I run? Also, the control arm's I got from my friend need new bushings. These are just some off brand control arm's. I actually paid $100 for the coilover kit and got the control arm's for free. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jake

I always email the manufacturers directly if I'm looking for spec. Tokico, Koni, Bilstein, etc. will all respond. Because you're asking about QA1, you can probably call UPR diredtly and they may tell you right over the phone.

As for the no name CA's, I'd keep my stockers (which aren't that bad) before I'd spend $ on them. You could spend the $ and go through the PITA of swapping out the bushings only to find out they're garbage anyway. Free just never seems to end up being free.

 

[Night Shifter]

what spring rate are the springs you got and what are you wanting to do with the car? drag race, road race, street use, or just have tha ability to adjust ride height?

 

[Stumbaugh]

I have stock springs in it right now. It will be for drag race.

 

[oxfordgt]

You want to run 150lbs springs in a street/strip car. I used 150lbs springs when I had the QA1 coilovers out back and they worked fine.

 

[trinity_gt]

Coilovers on the rear? Interesting.

I assume these bolt in place of the OE shocks, correct? If so, was any structure or reinforcing added to the top shock mount sheet metal on the body?

That area wasn't really designed to support the weight of the car like the OE spring locations.

 

[Night Shifter]

I have stock springs in it right now. It will be for drag race.

i was meaning what the spring rate in the coilovers you have were...but ox came in with some good advice too

 

[Stumbaugh]

Coilovers on the rear? Interesting.

I assume these bolt in place of the OE shocks, correct? If so, was any structure or reinforcing added to the top shock mount sheet metal on the body?

That area wasn't really designed to support the weight of the car like the OE spring locations.

Yes they bolt in place of the OE shocks. No reinforcing is needed. I have never heard of any car's busting that place in the metal. I used to be big into NMCA and NMRA racing and know a few chassis shop's and called them to confirm this and they said they have never heard of anyone breaking or cracking that spot. So I figure if 1000+rwhp car's arent breaking it, my nitrous 4.6 wont .

 

[Stumbaugh]

i was meaning what the spring rate in the coilovers you have were...but ox came in with some good advice too

I have no clue what is on it right now.

What length do I need to go with? I measured mine earlier they are 8" springs. The problem with them is that they are coil binding really bad under excelleration. Their are paint chip's ontop of every coil where you can see it's hitting the one above it when it bottom's itself out.