Front mono leaf or coil overs?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 1
From: Baytown Texas
Front mono leaf or coil overs?
These other threads on front ride height have me thinking I want an adjustable suspension. I've thought about the VBP front mono leaf conversion or the adjustable coil overs. The only thing I don't like about the VBP spring is it looks like it could cause ground clearanse problems. I'd like to hear from those of you who have used either and what are the pro's and con's.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,958
Likes: 0
From: Middletown Connecticut
Cruise-In IV Veteran
I know that Dave, (cali 68) had coil overs on his and I think he wasnt too fond of them when he installed them.. I dunno what happened between then and now.. hopefully he will chime in now that he's back from active duty 
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,717
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
I have the mono system installed and I also had some concerns about ground clerance but after I installed it and put the car back on the ground I'm not concerned at all. I may have a pic of it, if I do I will post it.
Neal
Neal
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 1
From: Baytown Texas
Originally Posted by chevymans 77
I have the mono system installed and I also had some concerns about ground clerance but after I installed it and put the car back on the ground I'm not concerned at all. I may have a pic of it, if I do I will post it.
Neal
Neal
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 4
From: Va
I was going to go with the front monoleaf , but after talking to Dan at VanSteel I ended up going with their QA1 semi-Coil over set-up, with adjustable shocks. Cleaner look than the monoleaf , IMO.
If I were to do it again I would go with Van Steels new tubular a-arms and full coil-over set-up, pricey but the best production built I have seen. I am going to have to cut about 3/4" off the coils to lower the front to where I want it around 26.5".
I used the VB&P dual mount / adj. rear fiberglass spring set-up too.
If I were to do it again I would go with Van Steels new tubular a-arms and full coil-over set-up, pricey but the best production built I have seen. I am going to have to cut about 3/4" off the coils to lower the front to where I want it around 26.5".
I used the VB&P dual mount / adj. rear fiberglass spring set-up too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,717
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
Originally Posted by Crazy81
Thanks Neal. Did you use the complete VBP max performance package? If so, how do you like it and how much can you adjust ride height?
Neal
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Michael S. Palmer
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Yes by about 16 lbs if you do uppers and lowers.
VBP Uppers 8 lbs x 2
VBP Lowers 16 lbs x 2
Front monospring w/hardware 10 lbs
Front Shocks 3 lbs x 2
total weight 64 lbs
VS Uppers 5 lbs x 2
VS Lowers 12 x 2lbs
Coilovers wbrackets 7 lbs x 2
total weight 48 lbs
These weights are from a UPS scale. All parts were weighed with all hardware and ball joints installed on each piece.
VBP Uppers 8 lbs x 2
VBP Lowers 16 lbs x 2
Front monospring w/hardware 10 lbs
Front Shocks 3 lbs x 2
total weight 64 lbs
VS Uppers 5 lbs x 2
VS Lowers 12 x 2lbs
Coilovers wbrackets 7 lbs x 2
total weight 48 lbs
These weights are from a UPS scale. All parts were weighed with all hardware and ball joints installed on each piece.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,220
Likes: 208
Originally Posted by Van Steel
Yes by about 16 lbs if you do uppers and lowers.
VBP Uppers 8 lbs x 2
VBP Lowers 16 lbs x 2
Front monospring w/hardware 10 lbs
Front Shocks 3 lbs x 2
total weight 64 lbs
VS Uppers 5 lbs x 2
VS Lowers 12 x 2lbs
Coilovers wbrackets 7 lbs x 2
total weight 48 lbs
These weights are from a UPS scale. All parts were weighed with all hardware and ball joints installed on each piece.
VBP Uppers 8 lbs x 2
VBP Lowers 16 lbs x 2
Front monospring w/hardware 10 lbs
Front Shocks 3 lbs x 2
total weight 64 lbs
VS Uppers 5 lbs x 2
VS Lowers 12 x 2lbs
Coilovers wbrackets 7 lbs x 2
total weight 48 lbs
These weights are from a UPS scale. All parts were weighed with all hardware and ball joints installed on each piece.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 1
From: Baytown Texas
Originally Posted by Van Steel
Yes by about 16 lbs if you do uppers and lowers.
VBP Uppers 8 lbs x 2
VBP Lowers 16 lbs x 2
Front monospring w/hardware 10 lbs
Front Shocks 3 lbs x 2
total weight 64 lbs
VS Uppers 5 lbs x 2
VS Lowers 12 x 2lbs
Coilovers wbrackets 7 lbs x 2
total weight 48 lbs
These weights are from a UPS scale. All parts were weighed with all hardware and ball joints installed on each piece.
VBP Uppers 8 lbs x 2
VBP Lowers 16 lbs x 2
Front monospring w/hardware 10 lbs
Front Shocks 3 lbs x 2
total weight 64 lbs
VS Uppers 5 lbs x 2
VS Lowers 12 x 2lbs
Coilovers wbrackets 7 lbs x 2
total weight 48 lbs
These weights are from a UPS scale. All parts were weighed with all hardware and ball joints installed on each piece.
Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
a buddy of mine has the sharkbite coil overs..adjusthing them is a b!tch...next to impossible to get the wrench in there..the wrench he has was not included but extra and it's a real piece of crap, it bends like crazy. Also he had to cut of a couple of coils to get it low enogh although he doesn't have problem w/ the spring unloading and sitting loose in the pocket like cali had (banging noises) The lwoer arm mounting is still kind of flimsy but I think all these semi coil overs use the same system. If I were to buy a coil over kit it would be the van steel lower control arms w/ the full coil over kit or the similar stuff from jim meyers.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 29,335
Likes: 51
From: Monterey, CA
I have the QA1 semi-coilovers from Van Steel. They're pretty easy to adjust for height. At the lowest setting, the fender lip was sitting well below the top of the 255/60/15s I had on at the time.
I wanted a cruiser that I could adjust height and damping as necessary, and do well in the twisties, and these seem to fit the bill nicely at a reasonable cost. If I wanted more out of the car, I would have gone with the full coilovers. I don't know enough about the monoleaf to help you out there, but I know I would hate to have to jack up each side separately each time I needed to lift the front.
I wanted a cruiser that I could adjust height and damping as necessary, and do well in the twisties, and these seem to fit the bill nicely at a reasonable cost. If I wanted more out of the car, I would have gone with the full coilovers. I don't know enough about the monoleaf to help you out there, but I know I would hate to have to jack up each side separately each time I needed to lift the front.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 4
From: Va
The solution to the difficulty adjusting the QA1 semi-coilovers is to swap out the single stainless washer supplied with the kit, to Thrust bearing with a stainless washer on each side and also QA1 has a new redesigned wrench. I did this to mine and they adjust relatively easy with the car jacked up and the tire/wheel removed. Summit part#HAL-7888-110. I am going to have the cut part of the coil off to get lowered to where I want it 26.5" ground to center of wheel well lip.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,220
Likes: 208
Originally Posted by LIQUIDDRAGON
i love my monospring setup
Is that how you have your front suspension set up? How do you like the ride with the hardest setting? I had mine first set at the second stiffest and the ride height at the lowest possible. It was WAAAAAYYYY too harsh for anything but track days. I now have the spring set to the softest setting and the ride height bolt is now showing same amount of threads as yours and it made the car not only ride better but handle much much better.
