Whos got QA1s ? Pix, thoughts?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Littleton MA
Whos got QA1s ? Pix, thoughts?
Whos got QA1s on their vetter and what are your thoughts. I was thinking of Edelbrock IAS but recently was turned on to the QA1 shocks. Love the aluminum finish and the single adjustable shock is just a tad higher in price then the edelbrock. thoughts or pix anyone ??? 
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 36,453
Likes: 2
From: Overwhelmed as one would be, placed in my position.... DFW, TX
St. Jude Donor '05
Unless you're a drag racer, I would avoid them.
The QA1 shocks are single adjustable, but they adjust the bound AND rebound together- with the same force (AFAICT). On my C5, this resulted in exceptionally harsh bound and too soft rebound. On the street they were not very comfy and they absolutely sucked at autoX and RR.
Then there's the reliability. I had the fronts revalved TWICE in less than a year because they started leaking. A poor lower A-arm mount design resulted in rattles that were NOT SOLVEABLE. They later redesigned this mount, but would not fix mine without a fee.
I absolutely HATED every single second I had those shocks. I now run Single adjustable Koni's with MUCH better results.
The QA1 shocks are single adjustable, but they adjust the bound AND rebound together- with the same force (AFAICT). On my C5, this resulted in exceptionally harsh bound and too soft rebound. On the street they were not very comfy and they absolutely sucked at autoX and RR.
Then there's the reliability. I had the fronts revalved TWICE in less than a year because they started leaking. A poor lower A-arm mount design resulted in rattles that were NOT SOLVEABLE. They later redesigned this mount, but would not fix mine without a fee.
I absolutely HATED every single second I had those shocks. I now run Single adjustable Koni's with MUCH better results.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Littleton MA
Originally Posted by Umrswimr
Unless you're a drag racer, I would avoid them.
The QA1 shocks are single adjustable, but they adjust the bound AND rebound together- with the same force (AFAICT). On my C5, this resulted in exceptionally harsh bound and too soft rebound. On the street they were not very comfy and they absolutely sucked at autoX and RR.
Then there's the reliability. I had the fronts revalved TWICE in less than a year because they started leaking. A poor lower A-arm mount design resulted in rattles that were NOT SOLVEABLE. They later redesigned this mount, but would not fix mine without a fee.
I absolutely HATED every single second I had those shocks. I now run Single adjustable Koni's with MUCH better results.
The QA1 shocks are single adjustable, but they adjust the bound AND rebound together- with the same force (AFAICT). On my C5, this resulted in exceptionally harsh bound and too soft rebound. On the street they were not very comfy and they absolutely sucked at autoX and RR.
Then there's the reliability. I had the fronts revalved TWICE in less than a year because they started leaking. A poor lower A-arm mount design resulted in rattles that were NOT SOLVEABLE. They later redesigned this mount, but would not fix mine without a fee.
I absolutely HATED every single second I had those shocks. I now run Single adjustable Koni's with MUCH better results.
Guess I am going to back to my original thought of the Edelbrocks. 
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 36,453
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From: Overwhelmed as one would be, placed in my position.... DFW, TX
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by TankerVette
if you were looking at the QA1's, the Koni's are only an additional $40 for the set of 4...
Still $580 a set, though...
Still $580 a set, though...
Go with the Koni's.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
I have qa1s all around on my vette and love them. For Drag racing they are not the best thing at least for the front, as they have equal resistance up and down. Therefore yes they come apart easy, but they also collapse equally easy.
For the street I LOVED them. All I needed to do was turn them to whatever setting you found you liked. The car could be set to ride like a caddy or like it was on rails. And they were EASY to adjust.
I am not a autocrosser so I they may not be the BEST all around performance shock, but I sure liked them.
For the street I LOVED them. All I needed to do was turn them to whatever setting you found you liked. The car could be set to ride like a caddy or like it was on rails. And they were EASY to adjust.
I am not a autocrosser so I they may not be the BEST all around performance shock, but I sure liked them.
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Overwhelmed as one would be, placed in my position.... DFW, TX
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by Hairmetal_still_rox!
Thanks for the replys everyone 
, now I am unsure of which, gonna have to give it some more thought, I might be leaning towards the qA1s again.
, now I am unsure of which, gonna have to give it some more thought, I might be leaning towards the qA1s again.Even without my negative feedback, I would go for the Koni's.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 986
Likes: 99
From: Collegeville PA
I'm in the same boat, I need shocks BAD. I'm riding on stock Bilstiens from '88. I narrowed my choices down to Edelbrock & QA1. I haven't heard anything negative about the Edelbrocks, but I do know 2 people with the QA1's and they highly recommend them. The adjustability is tough to pass up. I have read a few negative comments about the QA1's on the forum, mostly about leaking and something about rears in that you need to weld up your own bushings. (Not sure what that's about)
One other thing I've heard is that if you lowered your car, you will need a shorter shock or they will bottom out. I believe you would need the '82 Corvette shock. Maybe someone will chime in with more info!
One other thing I've heard is that if you lowered your car, you will need a shorter shock or they will bottom out. I believe you would need the '82 Corvette shock. Maybe someone will chime in with more info!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,864
Likes: 196
From: Southern CA
I have run them 2 years street & lots of autox (2x mo avg). They are about 2.5 lbs lighter per corner than Bil/Koni.
All the way soft for street works for me (and is stiffer that stock base Bil's).
No issues at all re: quality, and you get to adj. rear without removing the shock from the car.
Buy them, you will be satisified.
Koni is a fine shock, but I like to adj. both ends when I autox.
All the way soft for street works for me (and is stiffer that stock base Bil's).
No issues at all re: quality, and you get to adj. rear without removing the shock from the car.
Buy them, you will be satisified.
Koni is a fine shock, but I like to adj. both ends when I autox.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
I love my QA1's. Drag, road race, autocross, street. It's the range and the quick adjustment I like.
That said, one of my rear adjusts is stuck
I need to call them up once I get the car back out here.
That said, one of my rear adjusts is stuck
I need to call them up once I get the car back out here.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,238
Likes: 0
From: walled lake MI
i got my QA1's last year for street and auto-X and i'm pretty happy with my decision. took me weeks to decide between these and the Koni's and went with the QA1's since i adjust the rears at every race, and i am too much of a lazy a$$ to remove the rear shocks to adjust them if i went with the Konis.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
I undestand that the QA-1 support shops can revalve those shocks to your liking. C45 had a set on his 84 and visited the shop there in Sacramento.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Going to try them
Originally Posted by Triple Black 88
I'm in the same boat, I need shocks BAD. I'm riding on stock Bilstiens from '88. I narrowed my choices down to Edelbrock & QA1. I haven't heard anything negative about the Edelbrocks, but I do know 2 people with the QA1's and they highly recommend them. The adjustability is tough to pass up. I have read a few negative comments about the QA1's on the forum, mostly about leaking and something about rears in that you need to weld up your own bushings. (Not sure what that's about)
One other thing I've heard is that if you lowered your car, you will need a shorter shock or they will bottom out. I believe you would need the '82 Corvette shock. Maybe someone will chime in with more info!
One other thing I've heard is that if you lowered your car, you will need a shorter shock or they will bottom out. I believe you would need the '82 Corvette shock. Maybe someone will chime in with more info!
I went with the Qa-1's for several reasons. For one, the stock Koni Sports won't work on a really lowered C4. There is not enough compression travel at the front. I was able to order a set of front shocks from QA-1 with a 9.5" compression height, shorter than the C3 version. They also have the adjustability feature so they can be cranked up for track use and backed off for street use. The adjustment is easily accessible. Anyone who used Koni's knows you dont adjust the rears once they've been installed. You cant without removing the shock unless you drill through the frame for access and fabricate an adjusting tool. Been there, done that. The QA-1 can also be rebuilt which the Koni's cant. On the whole, they were worth a try. I'll know when I get them.
Larry
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
Originally Posted by Gold1986Vette420
Is there something wrong with the stock bilstiens? I just replaced them on my 86 Z51 and the new set were like night and day.
Aren't they tuned to the stock setup?
Aren't they tuned to the stock setup?
I found the Bilstiens to be soft.