QA1 Dual Adjustable Shocks settings?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: KY
QA1 Dual Adjustable Shocks settings?
Last year as soon as I bought my vette I installed QA1 dual adjustable shocks and spent the year testing different settings. I am still not for sure where I like it all to be just yet.
There are 24 setting positions for each compression and rebound.
I am wondering what settings you guys have found that work for you on compression and rebound.
Thanks
There are 24 setting positions for each compression and rebound.
I am wondering what settings you guys have found that work for you on compression and rebound.
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
Are you Road racing or Drag racing your Vette or both?
If Drag racing...........
Many guys I know give out false shock settings, Rebound and compression rates........
An old trick and sorta dirty to keep their competition guessing for a while to come How that Guy Hooks up so hard and has Great- very low 60 foot times.
Many, the smart guys are scaling their cars on all 4 corners separately.
Set their chassis up in this manner too.
Adjustable coil over shocks and some sort of ballast too.
Drag racers love their car light as possible.
Especially over the front wheels.
Better instant weight transfer that way to the rear wheels that propel the car down the track.
BR
If Drag racing...........
Many guys I know give out false shock settings, Rebound and compression rates........
An old trick and sorta dirty to keep their competition guessing for a while to come How that Guy Hooks up so hard and has Great- very low 60 foot times.
Many, the smart guys are scaling their cars on all 4 corners separately.
Set their chassis up in this manner too.
Adjustable coil over shocks and some sort of ballast too.
Drag racers love their car light as possible.
Especially over the front wheels.
Better instant weight transfer that way to the rear wheels that propel the car down the track.
BR
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
In other words............
Shock settings and Chassis Setup is one of the Greatest Secrets in any Racing.
Professional and Amateur classes.
I gave you some better starting area tips.
Sorry I cant give you exact settings to use.
I am not a chassis setup man.
There are guys out there that do that for a living.
And many talented Amateurs at it too.
Most fast guys I have seen "SCALE their cars on all 4 corners"
Portable scales you buy from SPEEDWAY MOTORS and others.
I only watch them. I dont do it myself.
I can tell you from watching and seeing them win races...........
its a science all its own...............and possibly black magic too.......
Even the top car builders cant still program a computer to formulate an exact setting for shocks, spring rates, anti roll bar thickness, bushings durameters, and so on.
And that list includes Ferrari, Lambrogini, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, and Corvette......
Keep experimenting. Log your times better,
Seek out help, Pay them if they need $$$
Internet forums are terrible places to get shock and chassis advice.
So easy too lie to the other guy.
You cant see the other guys face, study him closely to see if he is telling the truth or not.
And he isnt probably telling the truth anyway.
Brian
Shock settings and Chassis Setup is one of the Greatest Secrets in any Racing.
Professional and Amateur classes.
I gave you some better starting area tips.
Sorry I cant give you exact settings to use.
I am not a chassis setup man.
There are guys out there that do that for a living.
And many talented Amateurs at it too.
Most fast guys I have seen "SCALE their cars on all 4 corners"
Portable scales you buy from SPEEDWAY MOTORS and others.
I only watch them. I dont do it myself.
I can tell you from watching and seeing them win races...........
its a science all its own...............and possibly black magic too.......
Even the top car builders cant still program a computer to formulate an exact setting for shocks, spring rates, anti roll bar thickness, bushings durameters, and so on.
And that list includes Ferrari, Lambrogini, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, and Corvette......
Keep experimenting. Log your times better,
Seek out help, Pay them if they need $$$
Internet forums are terrible places to get shock and chassis advice.
So easy too lie to the other guy.
You cant see the other guys face, study him closely to see if he is telling the truth or not.
And he isnt probably telling the truth anyway.
Brian
Last edited by 87 vette 81 big girl; Feb 21, 2011 at 07:35 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
My head just stopped spinning, I think....
87 vette 81 big girl translation = ,,,, I cant help you...
Personally, I only have the QA1 12 way and I have not settled on a "feel" yet,,, I am 4 click from soft ( - ) on both front and back
87 vette 81 big girl translation = ,,,, I cant help you...
Personally, I only have the QA1 12 way and I have not settled on a "feel" yet,,, I am 4 click from soft ( - ) on both front and back
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
Its more than that........I cant help you............ just clue you in what to do..........
Its also called "SECRET DICK RACING"............
I am a bigger ******** head than you! Why should I help You? Get Lost....
Thats the attitude you get back at you when you go around venturing in racing pits, be it drag race, road race, and circle dirt track.
If I knew what he needed for shock settings....... I would tell him.
But I dont.
Depends greatly upon the driver's driving style, how much feedback he wants from the chassis-steering wheel and seat.
Brian
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
You will have to find settings that YOU like. It really is a black art.
When I had my Mustang I put Tokico D-spec (single adjustable shocks) and spent a whole day at the road race course dialing in what I liked and felt worked. I'd go out run a couple laps, come in, adjust, go back out. I started with them in the middle range. best $100 I ever spent at the track
You may want to ask the same question in the autocross & road racing section. Someone there my have an answer for you.
When I had my Mustang I put Tokico D-spec (single adjustable shocks) and spent a whole day at the road race course dialing in what I liked and felt worked. I'd go out run a couple laps, come in, adjust, go back out. I started with them in the middle range. best $100 I ever spent at the track
You may want to ask the same question in the autocross & road racing section. Someone there my have an answer for you.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: KY
Wow, well I don't know what to say about where this thread has gone to, but thanks for the input all.
The shocks are not coil-overs and I do not have adjustable links on my sway bars so corner weighting my car is kind of useless (as far as I know) because there is no way to adjust the corner weight besides adding bais.
I also realize that this is not one size fits all, I am just wondering what is working for you all. I am learning as I go and the more questions I ask the better I am able to compile a answer that works for me.
I do not have a fear of people tell the truth or not to me on here but we are not under oath or does any one have a reason to lie about there settings.
The shocks are not coil-overs and I do not have adjustable links on my sway bars so corner weighting my car is kind of useless (as far as I know) because there is no way to adjust the corner weight besides adding bais.
I also realize that this is not one size fits all, I am just wondering what is working for you all. I am learning as I go and the more questions I ask the better I am able to compile a answer that works for me.
I do not have a fear of people tell the truth or not to me on here but we are not under oath or does any one have a reason to lie about there settings.
Last edited by ls1transam84; Feb 21, 2011 at 05:08 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
Wow, well I don't know what to say about where this thread has gone to, but thanks for the input all.
The shocks are not coil-overs and I do not have adjustable links on my sway bars so corner weighting my car is kind of useless (as far as I know) because there is no way to adjust the corner weight besides adding bais.
I also realize that this is not one size fits all, I am just wondering what is working for you all. I am learning as I go and the more questions I ask the better I am able to compile a answer that works for me.
I do not have a fear of people tell the truth or not to me on here but we are not under oath or does any one have a reason to lie about there settings.
The shocks are not coil-overs and I do not have adjustable links on my sway bars so corner weighting my car is kind of useless (as far as I know) because there is no way to adjust the corner weight besides adding bais.
I also realize that this is not one size fits all, I am just wondering what is working for you all. I am learning as I go and the more questions I ask the better I am able to compile a answer that works for me.
I do not have a fear of people tell the truth or not to me on here but we are not under oath or does any one have a reason to lie about there settings.
What track are you running at?
How long is the track?
Lots of turns............reverse camber turns?
Could be the tires you run slowing you down too.
Tires may have wrong traction you need and poor steering feedback that makes you confident and happy.
Race guys can tell the truth.
Most love beer........... Ribeye steaks, Top sirloin steaks......girls.......
Say no more,
Get them bragging, confuse them, often you get answers and the truth how they do things and set up their car.
BR
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Last year as soon as I bought my vette I installed QA1 dual adjustable shocks and spent the year testing different settings. I am still not for sure where I like it all to be just yet.
There are 24 setting positions for each compression and rebound.
I am wondering what settings you guys have found that work for you on compression and rebound.
Thanks
There are 24 setting positions for each compression and rebound.
I am wondering what settings you guys have found that work for you on compression and rebound.
Thanks
First find a nice lonely piece of road you can drive at different speeds. preferably with a few turns that will test the roll stability at speed. I have a section that is a nice flat sweeper with a few rolls (bumps) that cause the suspension to work hard. I can run this turn in both directions to test both left and right and different speeds.
Start your adjustments with both settings in mid range and experiment from there. Don't try to use minor adjustments. Try 1/4, half, 3/4 and full value to jounce and then rebound. Remember that the shock is not a spring and is used to control the springs, not to compensate for roll like the anti-roll bar does.
You'll find a setting that gives good bite and is compliant to the surface. This setting should be firm yet comfortable. An example of this is watching the desert racers flying off berms. When they hit ground, the suspension will compress and recover in one bounce cycle. Thus keeping the tires continuously in contact with track surface. There is no "extra" bounce.
Its very hard to give you settings to try. You have to go out and test for yourself. Just keep in mind everyone has their own sensitivities and opinions. You'll find that a little bit can be learned from each....
Good luck!
