Coil Over Shocks

[Soltakr]

Thinking about getting some. So far is between LG vs. QA1? The QA1 I can get $1000 bucks cheaper but cheaper isn’t always better. Any comments or suggestions.

[Eugenio_SS]

coil-overs are usually springs...
I have Ground Control ones... and use Koni shocks w/ them.

[Soltakr]

From what I found, Ground Control only sells them for the rear. I need all four

[Eugenio_SS]

Ground control sells both front + rear... I've had them for many years.
I bought mine from www.stranoparts.com
here is some information: http://www.ground-control-store.com/...tion.php/II=21
That is for all 4 corners, with your choice of spring rates.
I chose 500/150... should've chosen 550/150 ;-)
front spring rates are by increments of 50
rear spring rates are by increments of 25

[Soltakr]

Great, thanks. I went on there site and only found the rears but I'll take your work for it. I have the eibach sport with koni single adjustable. With long tubes the cars looks great but its just too low for my city. I dragging on everything, I would like to raise it about 1 to 1.5 and soften the ride. The coil overs will let me play with the ride height and hopefully lighten up the ride.

[Eugenio_SS]

you can always get rid of the sportlines and get the prokits.

[Soltakr]

Yea I was thinking that but my problem is all my cars (have had four f-bodys) sag a bit on the passenger side. My quess is that its the torque side. It bugs the hell out of me. Now the new springs would most likely solve this but with coil-over I can be sure to have even ride height and clearance. I can get a good deal on the Qa1 and I've never tried coil-overs so I'm leaning that way. Plus I can make adjustment if it starts to sag again.

[Soltakr]

Well I checked with Qa1 and the dont have the coil over for the rears, just the front. So looks like my only choices are LG or Groundcontrol. Since I dont feel like spending $2,400 for a street car, groundcontrol is going to be my only chice.

EUGENIO SS, you said "I chose 500/150... should've chosen 550/150 ;-)" can you explain that in more detail for me please. Is the ride too soft or too stiff?

[Sam Strano]

Ground Contorl does not make actual coil-over rears either. They are in fact stand alone weight jackers.

FWIW, I don't sell GC anymore (haven't in a few years) because they are such a nightmare to deal with. Also because I made my springs to mimic what I run on my car, which is neither low or super stiff. In fact... our lowering springs are 550/150 (sound familiar?). And I can even tell you that on an LS1 car with stock OD sized tires you'd be looking at a ride height of just about 26" front, 26-3/4" rear with Strano Performance Springs.

I think you'll find the height will come up some (at least in the rear), and the ride would improve because my springs offer a better match of rate vs. height than the Eibach's, just as Pro-kits are better than Sportlines and so on.

[Soltakr]

Thanks for the info Sam, I tried calling both you and GC but could get a hold of anything. In fact I left a voice message on your answering machine so go ahead and delete that one. So GC are not the way to get then huh... bummer. Like in my previous post I'm really not doing any racing anymore. Just daily driving and I can’t get over any speed bump (even at an angle) at all. Headers, cats, and sub frame drag. I did that for over 5 years and now I'm just over it. Plus to car sags/leans just a bit on the passenger side. The coil-over lets me adjust for everything and make changes late. But if I go with a new spring kit. Pro kit or Stano, I'm kind of stuck with what I got. Ohh the hell of hotrodding ha ha

[Sam Strano]

When did you leave a message? What's your actual name?

I'm not saying the GC stuff doens't work, I'm saying they are a pain in ass to deal with and I will not sell their stuff because it's nothing but trouble for me in the end. And in fact I used a lot of it, mostly to get the rates and heights I wanted. I just ended up making springs to get what I wanted instead.

All cars lean a bit. It wouldn't be hard to shim the low side a bit if you really felt that say 1/4" is a problem. I understand wanting to contorl your height. You can, but be aware that putting them on Koni's in front involves work, generally voids the Koni warrant, and the rears aren't coil-overs (not that I think that matters) and can and do come free, but don't actually fall out, just out of place when the axle droops. But you can corner weight the car and set the height you think is best, if that's different than what I do.

[Soltakr]

I understand better now, thanks. Why is your kit better then Eibach?

[Sam Strano]

I guess if you ask Eibach, it's not.

I sell Eibach, and others. I had the opprotunity to drive on most every spring around before I built mine. I also played with many rates and heights. I live in an area that has roads that are far from perfect, and I felt I could make better handling and riding springs based off my experience with these cars on the street and going around corners. Oh yeah and they weigh less too. And, where Eibach's from time to time sit lower than they should.... mine don't.

You can read more about why I think they are an option here: http://www.stranoparts.com/viewfeature.php?FeatureID=1

[INMY01TA]

Well I checked with Qa1 and the dont have the coil over for the rears, just the front.

Umm, yes they do. http://www.spohn.net/?action=product&pid=1057

[Soltakr]

Great write up Sam, helped very much.

IINMY01TA-- thatd weird because I called QA1 today and they said they didn’t have rear coil over’s, I hope they didn’t just now discontinued them and Spohn hasn’t adjusted their website.

All in all I have a lot to think about. The roads out here are crap and the speed bump a practically pyramids. With 3 people and a full take of gas, it is impossible to get anyway. The Strano coils seem to a bit softer (which I want) and much cheaper then say $1100 QA1's. But is it tall enough to accomplish my goal and still stay slightly lower then stock? Hmmm There is a lot to pick from, Strano, Spohn, Eibach, hotchkis etc etc. I really like what Strano has done. Testing out all springs, he still wasn’t happy and thought, "I can do this better” That type of thinking progresses the sport. The "If you want something done right" theory applies perfectly here. It’s not really so much of the cost; it’s that I don’t want to get doing it over and over again. I know I’m being overly critical here and want to thank everyone for taking the time to help out. I took the suspension too far, it was fun at the time but I'm never going to need this much race equipment. Its got so many adjustment I have to keep a log book haha.

[INMY01TA]

Well I know a guy who has em on his car. I'd call Spohn if you really want em. If you dont do much drag racing I wouldn't go QA1.

[INMY01TA]

There's always these but even more exspensive. Looks like an awesome set up tho. http://www.g-forcesuspension.com/pag...og/i.php/81/54

[Soltakr]

Yea, I figured just about any good coil-over is going to run my about $2k, I feel I've spent enough.


Doesn't show because of the shadow but the front tires are tucked slightly on a 18x9.5 wheel

[Sam Strano]

You already have Koni's.... why on earth would you want to go to a way worse shock in a QA1? I don't get it.

Further, you have Sportlines on the car, or so it appears. My springs aren't nearly that low, and are a bit firmer too which means you don't move them as far in a given situation. There is NO WAY they wouldn't be about 100x's better than the Sportlines. I won't touch Sportlines with a 25 foot pole. They are looks, and looks only. And you're finding out that's not such a good thing.

[Soltakr]

Very true. I didn’t know the Qa1's are worse then Koni. Here is another question Sam (thanks for spending the time) the front spring rate is 550 on your springs. Now I've removed about 120lbs off the front end by replacing all the front stock equipment for tubular chromoloy. Should I change the rate the 500?