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View Full Version : Rear QA-1's should be here tommorrow- Install Q's



juno
04-13-2006, 07:59 AM
Found RR shock leaking when doing my Sebring Tech Inspection.

QA-1's arrive tommorrow. Anyone installed their own? Any issues or advice? What do you use for an around town setting?
Drag track?
Circle Track?

Also, I think my rear wheels are not balanced correctly as I am getting noise/vibration back there. Anyone run into this?

fastblackmerc
04-13-2006, 08:16 AM
Vibration in the rear can also be the driveshaft.

BADMERC
04-13-2006, 09:05 AM
Q's rule. Super easy to install. Can be stiff, I run mine on the soft side. Have not tried them on the 1/4 yet.

juno
04-13-2006, 09:59 AM
Vibration in the rear can also be the driveshaft.

Yes, It wasn't really noticeable until I had my TC installed, so maybe it is the DS. I still need to check the wheels though, they did a piss poor job on the fronts and I had them rebalanced.

shakes_26
04-13-2006, 10:13 AM
QA1 are an easy swap, make sure you have metric sockets/wrenches. Being lazy I used the impact to remove the lower bolt, after removing the top mounting nut on the oem. They supply extra lower spacers, because some of the later cars had a different size lower mounting bolt.

Settings, I found that 3 clicks is the closest to OEM ride, 4 is a little firmer and kind of nice for 'spirited' driving.

My drag track experience was limited with these, but I did try them down to 1 click, while at Moroso last time. And i was rewarded with some low 1.8 and a 1.78 0-60'. this from a track that was not hooking real well that night.

Road course, I dunno, the guy at QA1 suggested 5 or 6. I dont think you want too firm because then the weight wont transfer onto the fronts so good and you'll tend to push, wish is already an issue with the weight of this car.

Wesman? Wesmaaaaaaaaaaaaan? Are you out there? You have the most RR experience with this car.


Found RR shock leaking when doing my Sebring Tech Inspection.

QA-1's arrive tommorrow. Anyone installed their own? Any issues or advice? What do you use for an around town setting?
Drag track?
Circle Track?

Also, I think my rear wheels are not balanced correctly as I am getting noise/vibration back there. Anyone run into this?

juno
04-13-2006, 10:35 AM
Thanks! I will start with a 4 for around town.
Almost ready for next weekend!!! Picked up a new SA rated Bell helmet. Wish the turbo had arrived though. I will be with the slower cars.


QA1 are an easy swap, make sure you have metric sockets/wrenches. Being lazy I used the impact to remove the lower bolt, after removing the top mounting nut on the oem. They supply extra lower spacers, because some of the later cars had a different size lower mounting bolt.

Settings, I found that 3 clicks is the closest to OEM ride, 4 is a little firmer and kind of nice for 'spirited' driving.

My drag track experience was limited with these, but I did try them down to 1 click, while at Moroso last time. And i was rewarded with some low 1.8 and a 1.78 0-60'. this from a track that was not hooking real well that night.

Road course, I dunno, the guy at QA1 suggested 5 or 6. I dont think you want too firm because then the weight wont transfer onto the fronts so good and you'll tend to push, wish is already an issue with the weight of this car.

Wesman? Wesmaaaaaaaaaaaaan? Are you out there? You have the most RR experience with this car.

David Morton
06-30-2006, 07:56 PM
Well I finally got her back from the dealership and am testing out the NEW double adjustable rear shocks.

These are definitely the answer to the "body language" problems my car has exhibited since I got the KVR brake upgrade. Lemme recap a bit of the story...

I have loved the awesome power that the KVR front rotors give under a panic stop, but that sort of a stop can be a bit hairy because so much weight transfers to the front of the car with the stock suspension that the ABS motors go nuts turning the rear brakes on and off to keep the rear wheels from locking up. It takes a lot of attention to the cars attitude, especially when road conditions try to push her left or right, to keep the car under control when she's almost standing on her nose and the ass-end is jacked-up higher than a senators' ego. Of course, without ABS you can forget about this type of brake upgrade. The car would spin out in a fraction of a second. I know, I tried it without the ABS by removing the fuse.

Not to try to rekindle an old argument, but some guys said that the problem was "too much power up front"(?) and that was a sign that hydraulic proportioning was at fault, and that proper proportioning was the solution. I disagreed then and am more convinced now. There was too much power in the rears already, as evidenced by the ABS action back there. I said then, and reaffirm now that taking power away from the fronts and giving it to the rears through proportioning is not the solution. The suspension is what needs to be "proportioned" to the capability of the new brakes. Now I say again (like I said after I first installed the KVR 14 inch front rotors) I only thought I had good brakes before this upgrade. Better yet, My already awesome brakes are now performing up to their potential.

I did this QA1 upgrade in pursuit of the solution to the braking dillemma I had. Much is said in brake discussions about extra swept area, better hydraulic advantage and better friction materials, and sometimes the tires even get acknowledged as basic to a top-notch performance braking total package. But too often I don't see the suspension and how it reacts to a power stop discussed. Well, I'm here to do it today. Guys, if you want to get the most out of those oversized front rotors, you've got to get these double adjustable rear shocks, that's all there is to it.

Right now, I've got the fronts set at 4C and 6R, (C for compression, R for rebound) but I've yet to get the front end aligned and this is just a test-bed for now. The real story is in the rears, which are set 4C and 7R. The car reacts entirely differently in a power braking event now.

In spite of the suspension heights the mechanic left the car in (the front is about 3/4" lower and the rear is about the same) the rear-end stays down! I'm now getting some ABS action at all four tires, depending on road surface conditions. Finally the rear brakes are giving all they can and guess what? I'm starting to think the car can now handle some more braking power in the rears. Now, (don't get mad, you "some guys' out there) PROPORTIONING, yes, proportioning of the hydraulic pressure distribution might make a positive effect on the stopping distance. Now that the body language is under control, and the car stays flat in a hard stop, I can add more power the rear brakes.

I will state however that with an ABS equipped car that improvement (proportioning) would be minimal because we're still taking power away from the front brakes to give it to the rears. At best it's simply tweaking to get a few feet. I'm thinking about bigger rear rotors, or perhaps a better friction material.

Right now I'm still testing. I might take a bit off the rebound rate on those rears, totally flat isn't the absolute best option. I do want some weight to transfer to the fronts, just not so much as before. And after the front-end and the rear suspesion height is adjusted, then I can get her out for some real road trials. Power stops from 45-0, 60-0, 75-0, etc. What feels good on a 45-0 stop, (actually the stock setup was optimal at 45-0) might not be enough on a 75-0 extended time event. There might not be enough rebound for the rears now for that type of stop.

I'll be back! :banana2: