what coil overs to use on full size truck
There's a meme floating around the net with a cat, of course, that says, "What has been seen cannot be unseen." And while this phrase is a shortened version of author C.A. Woolf's original, it speaks the truth. If y'all don't believe united states of america, become to a car show with an proficient and allow him to point out all of the flaws on the grounds. Every fourth dimension yous see that automobile once more, you will know its secrets forever.
We recently finished installing a Moser Muscle Pak M9 rear axle in our 2000 Chevrolet Silverado, and while nothing else actually changed, we got the urge to measure the truck's ride height. Every bit we went around with the tape mensurate, everything was on par, until we measured the front passenger's side. It came out a solid ane.5-inches lower than the driver's side, even with someone sitting behind the steering cycle.
While y'all can't tell it from this pic, our Silverado was definitely sagging on the front rider's side.
If you've worked on a mill suspension vehicle, then y'all know there's not a simple set for this problem. You tin can try a new set of springs or shimming it, merely for the states, the issue had been seen, and we had to fix it the right way.
The best solution for our detail problem was a coilover conversion. This product would allow us to modify the ride height equally needed, from front to back and from side to side. Information technology would also let for more than tunability at the drag strip.
QA1 Coilover Conversion
We went searching for a high-quality coil-over system for the Silverado, and QA1 was on our shortlist. The visitor is known for its innovative products that are made in the USA. The only question is, would they offer a conversion for a 20-year-former total-size truck? Virtually people looking to go fast don't start with a 4,300-pound vehicle unless you're into Mopars, only I digress. And while we didn't become our hopes upward, nosotros were happy to find that QA1 did have what we needed.
We opted for QA1'south double adjustable coilover conversion for our Silverado. This setup will give united states a ton of adjustability at the drag strip.
The QA1 Coilover system is available in a couple of options: you can get the kit with either single- or double-adjustable shocks. Since we plan on being at the elevate strip a lot when we finish this truck, the double-adaptable units are a must. Singles are sufficient for a street car or truck, only goose egg beats adjustability if yous want to fine-melody the launch at the runway. To get all of the details on the coilover conversion, we reached out to David Kass, Marketing Managing director of QA1.
"Coilover systems offer significant advantages for drag racing because of two key elements. The first benefit is the power to choose your bound charge per unit that promotes stored energy and weight transfer. Traditional ringlet-springs offering express options for this, whereas with curlicue-overs spring rate selection is vast and piece of cake to come up past," Kass explained. "The 2d do good is the stupor absorber itself. Having a curl-over package with included valving adjustment allows you to tune the truck'south launch characteristics with ease. These adjustments allow for better sixty-foot times and better control downward track."
The Coilover Conversion
The QA1 coilover kit is designed to piece of work with the mill suspension on 2000-06 Chevrolet or GMC trucks. Yet, Kass informed us that it would work with lowering kits, which is good, since our Silverado has a 5/seven-inch DJM drop kit installed.
The conversion kit for full-size GM trucks includes 2 650-pound springs, ii coilovers, two aluminum lock basics, two aluminum leap seats, two bump stops, and all of the hardware needed. Nosotros did add together the optional thrust bearing (PN 7888-108), which is recommended in the QA1 coilover instructions for ease of ride height adjustability. We were also excited to find out that this kit is fabricated right here in the U.S.
It's e'er squeamish to see companies like QA1 that keep its manufacturing here in the USA.
"QA1 takes swell pride in manufacturing these shocks in Lakeville, Minnesota. We find a more consistent, loftier-quality end product when nosotros tin can motorcar the critical components that make upward the shock. That's why y'all will see machines running 24/7 in our facility, making many parts that go into the shock," Kass explains. "Coupling the manufacturing with top-notch associates teams and quality command checks along the way provides our customers with a highly consistent, not bad performing shock day in and day out. Many don't know this, but each and every QA1 stupor is dyno tested before it gets boxed up and sent to you."
Let'due south Go To It
Our first step was to jack the truck up and get it secured on jackstands before removing the sway bar, curlicue springs, shocks, and bump stops. After nosotros asunder the swap bar, we then removed the shocks. We slid a floor jack under the control arm and then separated the spindle from the A-arm. Nosotros then lowered the jack, which allowed the lower A-arm to drop. Since we already had a drib spring in the front of the truck, a spring compressor was not needed. We could then remove the factory coil jump.
Coilover Installation
With the factory stuff out of the way, you will need to drill the crash-land stop locating hole out to iii/8-inch per the instructions. Since our truck was previously fitted with a lowering kit, the crash-land stops had already been drilled out and replaced with new units. All nosotros had to do was remove and supplant them with the QA1 units.
The QA1 conversion comes with new bump stops to replace the manufactory units.
The QA1 coilover installation was effortless. Information technology took u.s.a. a lot longer to remove the old components than to install the new ones. The start pace was to coat the shock body and thrust washers with Permatex Anti-Seize lubricant. The Anti-seize will keep the aluminum-bodied shock from galling when making tiptop adjustments. After realizing our uncanny resemblance to the Tinman in The Sorcerer Of Oz by the finish of the installation, an excellent tip occurred to us: be sure to wear rubber gloves while applying Anti-Seize. Later your easily are coated with the stuff, y'all tin can toss the gloves and avoid covering the rest of your trunk.
Next, we slid the thrust washer and springs over the coilover and seated them with the leap seat collar. At present, insert 1 washer and daze bushing on the peak of the shock. At this point, the coilover assembly is ready to install on the truck. You will demand to remove the rubber isolator off the factory bound and place it on tiptop of the QA1 springs before inserting the assembly into the frame.
One time you have the coilover shaft through the frame, add another daze bushing on top with a washer and then tighten information technology downwardly with the supplied nut. QA1 also gives you a locking nut to ensure the coilover is secure. We then raised the lower command arm with a jack and bolted the base of the coilover down. You may need to pivot the bottom bracket on the coilover to align to the holes properly.
Ride Tiptop
With the coilovers installed, information technology was time to gear up the ride height. In one case over again, we turned to Kass for more than information.
The QA1 coilovers are easy to adjust. Just make sure the body of the shocks is well lubricated with Anti-Seize before making any changes to your ride peak.
Kass said, "Ideally, yous want to ensure the daze has plenty travel to support compression and extension without reaching the stupor'due south physical limitations. The front oftentimes sees more extension than compression for elevate vehicles, so it'due south not uncommon to see 60-lxx-pct of the travel on extension and 30-40-percent on pinch."
Getting the ride height set takes a little time. We used a tape measure and made small adjustments to both sides until the truck gear up perfectly level.
With these numbers in mind, we set the ride height on the Silverado. We were able to dial information technology in really shut to the same ride height we had earlier we started. The difference this time was nosotros were able to adjust the passenger side to match the driver's side. Non simply is the truck now level, but nosotros tin also raise information technology upward or downward as needed when our new tires and wheels arrive.
Compression And Rebound
The merely matter left to do is set the compression and rebound on the coilovers earlier taking it to the alignment shop. QA1 recommends 12 to 16 clicks of pinch and zero to 4 clicks of rebound for elevate racing applications; we set ours for 12 on the pinch and cipher on the rebound.
Hither you can see the knobs on the shocks. C is for compression, and R is for the rebound. QA1 has several videos online that you lot can sentinel to learn how to fine-tune your shocks.
Depending on the rails atmospheric condition and power levels, these settings will change, just this is a skillful place to start for now. If y'all're looking for more data on shock tuning, QA1 has a YouTube channel with a lot of information.
"Later your initial settings and baseline passes, theory supports adjusting the suspension stiffer and stiffer while monitoring your lx-foot times," Kass explains. "Once your 60-foot times fall off, you lot will desire to back your adjustments off, too."
Now That's Service
Many companies will advertise that their shocks are rebuildable, and QA1's are as well, only they don't practice it a lot. Kass states, "While nosotros rarely encounter a stupor that needs rebuilding, these shocks are completely rebuildable in the event they need to exist." Every bit they say, "The best service is no service."
QA1'southward coilover conversion for the 2000-06 GM full-size trucks is a fantastic kit. It's easy to install, made in the U.Due south., and makes the interruption on your truck completely tunable. We're already looking frontwards to the added adjustability and better sixty-human foot times on our side by side outing.
Source: https://www.lsxmag.com/tech-stories/the-low-down-qa1s-coilover-conversion-for-gm-trucks/
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