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Front shocks for a ladder car?

Posted By: tboomer

Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/22/14 07:24 PM

Thought I would bring this up again. I will be looking for a decent shock that is better than the 14+ year old CE 90/10s on the front of my 64 330 sedan. I think DVW suggested the QA-1s? My car is a ladder bar car. Thanks guys!
Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/22/14 07:56 PM

The answer is buy the BEST shock you can afford. IMO Strange is a good value as is Afco.
Posted By: B3422W5

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/22/14 08:42 PM

Quote:

Thought I would bring this up again. I will be looking for a decent shock that is better than the 14+ year old CE 90/10s on the front of my 64 330 sedan. I think DVW suggested the QA-1s? My car is a ladder bar car. Thanks guys!



Is the car not hooking/ working?
Posted By: dvw

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 12:06 AM

I ran QA-1 singles for nearly 2 years. It now has Afco doubles. So far I've been able to pick-up .03 in 60 ft. It does seem to be more consistent. Though I ran a slew of mid 1.30 60 ft with the QA-1's. I've moved ladder bars,swapped shocks, adjusted shocks, swapped tires. All this has gained me less than .10 in 60 ft.
Doug
Posted By: 70satelliteguy

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 01:22 AM


I also run QA-1's. Ladderbars,3600 lbs. 1.31 60 fts.

I guess a more expensive shock may work better

Mike
Posted By: Hemi Allstate

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 01:34 AM

QA1 single adjustable shocks on mine.
Only 15 passes on the car total, so not a lot of shock testing. So far the biggest improvements have come from tire pressure adjustments.

Mark
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 03:23 AM

Quote:

The answer is buy the BEST shock you can afford. IMO Strange is a good value as is Afco.

I messed up and bought a set of the QA1 single adjustables for my Duster and then ended up buying a set of Koni SPA speed sensing front shocks later, way better On the rear same thing, buy the best ones you can, once I started out with Strange single adjustables coilovers on the rear with the ladder bars, I ended up buying a set of the same length and appication Strange double adjustables the second time around Some of us learn the hard way, some never learn I'm still trying to learn, thats why I read and post on here
Posted By: Monte_Smith

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 04:34 AM

Shocks are one of the FIRST places you SHOULD spend money, yet one of the last that most do, if at all. Spend all kinds of money on engine mods and "cool guy" suspension parts, yet run 60s tech 90/10s

Monte
Posted By: tboomer

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 01:22 PM

Thanks everyone! High dollar shocks are out of the question. Like Santuff or stuff like that. I don't know till next May if I can drive or not. Hell...I don't know if I will even keep the car!
Posted By: B G Racing

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 04:34 PM

Ted,we use QA1 and Comp Eng shocks on most of our ladder bar cars.We set the extension as loose as we can and compression as tight as we can.Most of our ladder bar B-bodys similar to your car work well and see low 1.30 to 1.26 60 fts.On a high nine to ten second bracket car it's what works and what makes each run consistant that is important.Quick lift and weight transfer of the weight and keeping the weight planted while under power is important.A loose rebound will cause suspension dynamics which can cause et loss and occasionally steering issues on the big end and when braking.This referrs to stock suspension backhalved cars and not full chassis cars.
Posted By: tboomer

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 05:27 PM

Thanks Bob! I am in no big hurry but will be making a few calls.
Posted By: hemi-itis

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 06:59 PM

I bought a set of Vi=king Da shocks.Rears are in and still have to weld the new mounts up front to install. Have not been able to tune them yet. Hope to see a great improvement

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Posted By: Adrielp

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 07:05 PM

Has anyone bought their shocks direct from a custom builder so they are pre-valved for their application? I plan to get some double adjustable shocks next year and this was a route I was thinking about going with some middle of the road shocks.
Posted By: tboomer

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/23/14 10:35 PM

Al...How is the quality on those shocks?
Posted By: steeldust

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/25/14 04:53 AM

I called Mark Menscer and ordered Afco Double adjustable shocks and he made them for my car he is a good guy to talk to and he will help you and he sends a sheet on what to adjust them to and I got them today and I ordered them 10 days ago they look great .I can`t wait to try them out next week

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Posted By: WH23H6

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/25/14 06:12 AM

QA 1 singles on the front... Koni Dbls on the back... 3300lbs.. 1.30 60ft consistently.... with the odd 1.28s..

While we are talking shocks... heres a question (for Bob maybe) I had issues at Norwalk getting the car to leave... never had a chance to get it out again until last weekend at testing.. Playing with the shocks (rear) last weekend I had a thought that perhaps the cold air was affecting the oil in the shock... so we loosened the extension more than ever before and found very favourable results. Has any body else noticed this in cooler temps?

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Posted By: Jeremiah

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/25/14 06:18 AM

Quote:

I called Mark Menscer and ordered Afco Double adjustable shocks and he made them for my car he is a good guy to talk to and he will help you and he sends a sheet on what to adjust them to and I got them today and I ordered them 10 days ago they look great .I can`t wait to try them out next week



May I ask how much they cost per shock? I have a ladder bar car that is new to us and am all ears on this thread.
Posted By: gregsdart

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/25/14 03:17 PM

It all boils down to how much control you need for landing after a wheelie. I need a lot, and it started to show after the front was getting more than a foot in the air or so. A single adjustable good quality shock ought to do the job to a point, depending on a lot of things. A stock bodied drag car should be OK to 10.0 I would think. Maybe faster. Especially if the car in question runs a glide.
Posted By: steeldust

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/26/14 12:39 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I called Mark Menscer and ordered Afco Double adjustable shocks and he made them for my car he is a good guy to talk to and he will help you and he sends a sheet on what to adjust them to and I got them today and I ordered them 10 days ago they look great .I can`t wait to try them out next week



May I ask how much they cost per shock? I have a ladder bar car that is new to us and am all ears on this thread.

$909.00 for the front set shipped

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Posted By: Adrielp

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/27/14 10:27 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

I called Mark Menscer and ordered Afco Double adjustable shocks and he made them for my car he is a good guy to talk to and he will help you and he sends a sheet on what to adjust them to and I got them today and I ordered them 10 days ago they look great .I can`t wait to try them out next week



May I ask how much they cost per shock? I have a ladder bar car that is new to us and am all ears on this thread.

$909.00 for the front set shipped



Thats not a terrible price given their custom built to your application. I'm looking forward to upgrading the 20yr old shock technology on our car.
Posted By: 493_DART

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/27/14 11:15 PM

CALVERT
Posted By: Sammy

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/27/14 11:25 PM

Strange double adjustables is all you'll need.
Posted By: B G Racing

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/27/14 11:57 PM

Quote:

QA 1 singles on the front... Koni Dbls on the back... 3300lbs.. 1.30 60ft consistently.... with the odd 1.28s..

While we are talking shocks... heres a question (for Bob maybe) I had issues at Norwalk getting the car to leave... never had a chance to get it out again until last weekend at testing.. Playing with the shocks (rear) last weekend I had a thought that perhaps the cold air was affecting the oil in the shock... so we loosened the extension more than ever before and found very favourable results. Has any body else noticed this in cooler temps?



A lot of circumstance can cause issues and change launch behavior such as tire and or track temperture,trans fluid temp effecting the converter,and air density.AJ and I were just discussing such issues last week.We put a tighter converter in the 65 which toned down the wheelstands and picked up MPH and resulted in quicker ETs but 60s went from 1.28 to 1.32.Last week with great air and cooler temps the car suddenly went into gigantic wheelstands and back to 1.28 60s and still the good MPH and ETs.It's best to log all the track and weather conditions as well as each pass,then you will know if the car is leaving lazy and not hitting hard tighten up the shocks and if it's moon walking loosen up the shocks.
Posted By: barracuda man

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/28/14 01:11 AM

Quote:

CALVERT


I have the DA vikings.seems the Calvert's work just as good.I'm thinking about changing the 6cyl torsion bars for some new drag race bars.Hate to spend money and no change in performance.
Posted By: Monte_Smith

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/28/14 05:12 AM

Quote:

The answer is buy the BEST shock you can afford.

One more time........this is the BEST advice in this thread.


Monte
Posted By: Jeremiah

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/28/14 11:53 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

I called Mark Menscer and ordered Afco Double adjustable shocks and he made them for my car he is a good guy to talk to and he will help you and he sends a sheet on what to adjust them to and I got them today and I ordered them 10 days ago they look great .I can`t wait to try them out next week



May I ask how much they cost per shock? I have a ladder bar car that is new to us and am all ears on this thread.

$909.00 for the front set shipped



Thank you I'll put in the budget as a line item!
Posted By: Barnstorm

Re: Front shocks for a ladder car? - 10/29/14 02:50 AM

Well Teddy..you've schooled on shox! Knowing your car and budget single adjustables of most any brand would be plenty.

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