QA-1 Suspension Question

[KirkV]

Hey guy's

I have read past posts and am really confused now on my rear suspension. I have a Shell Valley with a small block 302 and the car weighs in at 2350 pounds. My current shocks in the back seem to be hitting the stops on bumps, really crappy roads here. The spring that is in the car now has no markings on it what so ever but the shock has a really large travel stop on it.

The car rides lower in the rear end than I would like for looks only understood, but the travel on the shock is limited as the spring is mostly compressed with the weight of the car on it. I had a little oil on one of the shocks even when I removed them telling me one is leaking slightly.

I would like to try the QA-1's but would like to know what brand people have tried and liked. I know the extended measurement but the compressed measurement is a little foggy to me with the rather large travel stop om this shock. The current shock is 15 inches extended.

Here are pictures of the shock in the car unfortunately with the rear axle dropped down and just the shock alone. It is already adjusted to the top of this shock for height adjustment, another reason the QA-1 looks like it has more travel for the spring.

Any idea where to take a unmarked spring to figure the weight rating or how to do it?



Thanks Kirk

[KirkV]

Well a little more reading and I have seen that if you compress your spring 1 inch the amount of pounds required to compress it will be the spring rating. If that is the case I can stack 100 pounds of calibration weight on my rear spring and compress it 1 inch!

Would you say it was a little bit light?

Still would like to know what brand of QA-1's people are running.

Thanks
Kirk

[Shell Valley]

Kirk,

We use the QA-1's as our standard shock package now. The Aluma-Matic is our standard shock but we also offer single and double adjustable shocks (Proma-Star series).

For a small block we usually start with a 225 pound spring on the rear.

Feel free to call or e-mail me if you need more info on them.

svf@megavision.com
888-246-0900

Dana

[Richard Hudgins]

KirkV,

Go to this page and enter your spring dimensional details. It will give you the rate.

Coil Spring Rate Calculator

[KirkV]

Thanks for the input guys.

[Mike_I]

Kirk, I have some 225 lb springs that are almost Brand new that came off my QA1's on my midstates. I will make you a screaming deal on the springs. BTW, the QA1's (Part #DS402) and these springs will be the best mod you have ever done to your midstates/shell valley suspension. I will also solve your problem.

I'll send you a PM with my number.

[KirkV]

Mike sorry but I got a set today locally and they made all of the difference in the world. This thing rides like a cadilac compared to before. Wish I had seen your post before I had gotten them but thanks for the offer.

[FUNFER2]

What did you end up buying ?

If you want a tool to set up your suspension and ride height, let me know and I'll send you a tool I made. I scaled the car on all four corners, replaced all the heim joints and bought new springs and QA-1 shocks. All four were surprisingly way,...off. It worked out very well and happy with the results.

Just replace the shocks with these, turn them until you get the ride height you want.

[KirkV]

Funfer2 All I could afford right now was the springs so I put some 225 lb hypercoils on the existing shocks and will replace the shocks with qa-1's when the funds come available, Like after I sell the over and under browning lightning sporting clays gun I do not use LOL.
I do not understand replacing the shock with the heim you have pictured though? You can just adjust the coilover to get the lift you want correct? If the shock was replaced and the heim left in the body would be rigid to the frame.

Unless you are adjusting height with the heim for the scale weight and then putting the shock back in and doing it again? Sorry just a newbe here still learning.

[FUNFER2]

Yep, us poor guys have to improve our cars,.. slowly.

Sorry, I left out the part about figuring out what length spring is needed for your desired ride height, like 8", 10"or 12" and will also tell you what length of shocks you need, eyelet to eyelet.

Place the tool on the shock mounts, turn the sleeve clockwise or counter-clockwise to raise or lower the height. Once you like it, take the tool off and measure the length from the middle of each heim joint. This will now tell you what length spring & shock you need.

Save up more money, and get the double adjustment shocks. Their worth it for tuning the rebound.

[FUNFER2]

I do have two single adjustable Aldan shocks I can give you. I went across a very bad RR track and blew out the seals, that's all that's wrong with them. You can send them is for repair, and won't cost much. I also have the springs but would have to check the pound and measure the length. I think their 12".

Here's their website-

Aldan Eagle Shock Absorbers | Carson California | All Parts Made In America

Good information-

Spring Rate Guidelines for Street Rods
Front Rear (lbs./in. )

4 cylinder, v-6 T-bucket, track T 300 160
V-8 (small block) T-bucket, V-6 hiboy roadster 350 180
’29 -’32 full fender coupes, “A” sedans (small block) 400 200
‘32 - ’34 sedans, ’35 - ’36 coupes (small block) 400 250
‘35 and up sedans, ’37-’40 coupes (small block) 400 300
Street Rods with big block V8 450# -500# for front shocks

Color Codes: w/white r/red b/blue y/yellow g/green
6 Inch 8 Inch 9 Inch 10 Inch 12 inch
350# y/r 180# g 100# w/g 80# w/g/r 100# w/g
450# w/r 250# b 200# w 120# y/g 120# y/g
550# y/b 300# y 220# r 140# r/g 140# r/g
650# b/w/y 350# y/r 250# b 160# b/g 160# b/g
750# b/w/g 400# b/r 300# y 180# g 180# g
450# w/r 350# y/r 200# w 220# r
500# r/w/b 400# b/r 220# r 250# b
550# y/b 450# w/r 250# b 300# y
600# b/w 500# r/w/b 300# y 350# y/r
650# b/w/y 550# y/b 350# y/r 400# b/r
700# y/w 600# b/w 400# b/r
650# b/w/y 450# w/r
700# y/w 500# r/w/b
550# y/b
600# b/w
650# b/w/y
700# y/w