Yep, the QA1/1.14 bar combo is actually quite civilized - even my wife doesn't mind riding in the car, and the roads around here aren't great. I woudln't consider any T-bar upgrade over 1" without including quality (Bilstein/KONI/QA1/etc) shocks as part of the upgrade. If you want an exercise in frustration, try the big bar / generic shock combo some time. KYB's, if you're a real glutton for punishment. BTDT. You COULD put quality shocks on smaller t-bars and see an improvement, but not vice versa.

Clair

Are the QA1s twin tube or mono tube?

I got a set from summit.

Chances are they are not a true adjustment, just an internal oil restricter. Typically, the higher line monotubes have an adjustment on the top.

1 USCartool subframe connectors
2 Firm Feel Box
3 Praise-Dyno drum upgrade
4 P-S-T Kit

Different machine now. Straight, rigid, handling. Can stop it now too. 69 Coronet R/T.

Wish I had done these years ago. Rattles, steering correction, front end noise gone now.

The popular, single adjustable QA1 are a twin tube design. Their single adjustment switching simultanously changes rebound and compression, unlike other adjustable shocks that only adjust rebound. Their double adjustable allows rebound and compression to be adjusted independently of each other.

QA1, Carrera and HAL are all owned by the same parent company, BTW.

I had single adjustables myself, from Varishock. Similar to QA1, but all american made. Can't say I liked the valving. Needed to crank them up in the front 10 clicks on a 16 scale to control the front, which made the ride pretty harsh. In the rear I needed very little valving which is basically non-existant on these types of shocks.

Hey Pete,


I always value your input/ experience .....you have any thoughts or experience with the AFCO T2's?........for a B and E body applications?..... track/ street car,

Hey, Pete,
The QA1's have 12 clicks of adjustment and I've got my 1.14" bars on 7/12 up from full soft, and the rears are on 5/12 up from full soft on ESPO 6-leaf HD springs (~150#/in). IMHO, the adjustment clicks are pretty significant chunks, but probably won't be a problem for 90% of folks looking to upgrade shocks to control big springs.

BTW, are you saying that QA1's are something other than USA-made? I thought they were, and I'm just curious.

Clair

No experience with the T2s. I can say that a monotube seems to react faster to changing conditions, and doesn't have the propensity to overheat when the going gets tough.

Clair - Your setup isn't tailhappy? I'd think that setup would be pretty oversprung in the rear making it very lose. What track/autocross experience do you have with the current setup?

In general, a monotube shock is going to be a better performer for longer than a similar twin tube for a couple of reasons. 1) a mono-tube is using a greater amount of the internal area of the shock for fluid control, hence minor adjustments will have a bigger impact. 2) Twin tube shocks have the tubes isolated from the shock body so they are not as efficient at disappating heat as a mono-tube that can pass heat directly through the shock body.

However, for most street driving and even autocross, a twin tube of a good design, especially an adjustable one, will deliver a huge gain in performance over a junk designed mono-tube. For sustained high speed laps or competition, a well designed mono-tube or remote reservour design would be needed