|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: Hazwoy]
#566393
12/29/09 11:38 PM
12/29/09 11:38 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 155
calif
cupcake
member
|
member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 155
calif
|
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: Hazwoy]
#566396
12/30/09 01:55 AM
12/30/09 01:55 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
|
Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
|
Quote:
Ned help with my shock decision. My car is 1972 Dodge Charger with rebuilt 1990 360 motor. 9:1 stock or small upgrade cam. Davis HEI Ignition, Holley street avenger carb. Stiff suspension and ride with heavier springs, shocks, torsion and sway bars, 18" wheels, 45 series tires. Driven daily on street only, rough roads here in urban L.A. Currently have KYB's, 6 years old (50k miles).
Edlebrock shock look good with dual valving. Look for best street shock with performance for the junky streets here.
What do you guys think?
What diameter torsion bars do you have?
What are your exact tires sizes front and rear.
QA1's are expensive and may be overkill for what you have.  How do you currently like your KYB's?
I driven the same streets as you in the LA basin since 1993 in my Barracuda. I have 1" T-bars that is about 10% stiffer than a B-body 1"bar and the A-body is lighter. My commute for a few years wasm 80 mile round trip from 10Fwy/LaCienega to Westlake Village.
Roads out here are pretty good for a metropolitan area. My brother lives in metro Boston. He's gotten a flat tire and bent steel rim on a Boston Pothole.
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: Hazwoy]
#566398
12/30/09 07:03 AM
12/30/09 07:03 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
|
Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
|
Quote:
Front is 18 X 8”, 245/45-18, rear 18 X 10”, 295/45-18. ARE Torq Thust II aluminum wheels. Torsion bars are 1.00” dia. Car is lowered but not excessively. HD440 rear springs. KYB shocks seemed pretty good but I took a big dip at freeway speeds the other day (Highland exit from 101 south) and car bounced as if it really bottomed out hard which it had never done before so I am think shocks are a bit worn. Shocks are 6 years old-50k miles, tire about 30k/4 years old. I hear KYB’s are pretty stiff but don’t have any other reference as the last 4 cars I built I used them. My ride has seemed stiffer and more jarring on potholes lately. Front more so than rear. Buying new shocks as a Xmas present and new tires may be next purchase. In my experience old tires in L.A seem harder as they get older (ozone). Both front rims have bends on inner lips from potholes here.
Like I said this is a daily driver and I want a performance ride but more importantly need to smooth out the bad roads here. I do mostly city not freeway driving. I actually lost the whole accessory electrical buss once as the main feed separated from the buss connection (at fuse box) driving over the bumps on Franklin Ave. between LaBrea and Fairfax.
So that is why I think the inertia valve design in the Edelbrocks might be the answer. Looking at prices my choice is either Edelbrock or Bilstein. QA1's too much $$$.
Opinions? Anybody have Edelbrock shocks?
That southbound exit off Highland has those soft lumps, it's sort of high speed, everyone drives over the speed limit on it, and it's a soft radius turn. The stretch of road is good test of shocks though. Just driving around Hollywood today for business as a matter of fact (company van).
I bet the front shocks are toast. Lift of the car, extend the shock and look for leakage. I did that once with the cuda and the KYB immediately made a puddle of oil. Just drained out right there. On 60 mph freeway connector curves when you hit soft lump and cracks, does the car sort of wallow/yaw/hunt around a little bit? When my KYB's went bad it did that.
I've heard the E-brock shocks are stiff. Gmachinedart (Peter) has run them with 1" T-bars. Hopefully he will chime in.
The low profile front tires are contributing, but the are not rubber band category.
I'm thinking Bilstein or QA1. But if you were happy with the KYB's originally, they're a BIG price difference.
I've never bent a rim on any streets, but my car has steel rims. We have a Mustang GT in the family with 245/45 tire but those rims are cast aluminum.
What color is your Charger? Is it the dark blue one that Jack used to own?
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: autoxcuda]
#566399
12/30/09 07:48 AM
12/30/09 07:48 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
jcc
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
|
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
|
I think the KYB's are your biggest current negative, just changing them out will be an improvement, my  , QA1 single adjustables.
Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: jcc]
#566400
12/30/09 09:01 AM
12/30/09 09:01 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
patrick
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
|
either the eddies or the bilsteins will be a big improvement over the KYB's.
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD
1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!***
2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T
2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: jcc]
#566401
12/30/09 09:13 AM
12/30/09 09:13 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,395
The Pale Blue Dot
Skeptic
master
|
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,395
The Pale Blue Dot
|
I've got the E-Brock shocks on my 68 Barracuda and like them- firm but not harsh, .92 t-bars 1" sway bar up front 255/50-17s all around, no rear bar yet. If I were to go bigger with the t-bars I'd get the QA-1s according to Edlebrock the ones I have are about as stiff as they can control. My car is a street car, but not a daily driver and I suspect that the shocks are going to be QA-1s down the line. The rear 'cause I'm planning on putting in the RMS Street Lynx. After all that I'd recommend just saving the coin and getting the QA-1 single adjustables, they are re-buildable and will be able to deal with any future upgrades on your bigger car.
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: Hazwoy]
#566402
12/30/09 02:58 PM
12/30/09 02:58 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,516
Santa Cruz, California
Lefty
master
|
master
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,516
Santa Cruz, California
|
Quote:
Torsion bars are 1.00” dia
The stiffer the suspension is for performance handling the better the shocks need to be to control the suspension. I would go with Bilstein, Koni or QA1. Experience tells me you'll not regret the extra money spent. Shocks are the most important part of a performance suspension as they are designed to work with higher spring rates.
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: A12]
#566408
12/31/09 07:13 AM
12/31/09 07:13 AM
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,277
West Coast, USA
jbc426
master
|
master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,277
West Coast, USA
|
I used Koni's on my '68 convertible a-body and absolutley love them. I got them and some other suspension goodies through Firmfeel. Excellent customer service there as well.
The only thing I wish I would have added is the adjustable strut rods, as I only get just over 1 degree of positive caster with the stock strut rods and tubular upper control arms.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's
1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: TC@HP2]
#566410
12/31/09 12:45 PM
12/31/09 12:45 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
|
Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
|
Quote:
With a '72, are the front shocks even available? I think '73 was the cut over, but I'm not positive. Checking availability may help make the choice for you.
72 B-body is just like an E-body. 73 is when they went to ISO K=members.
Quote:
FWIW, Varishock is another possible choice. Available in single or double adjustable and stroke lengths from 4.25 to over 22 inches with a variety of mounting tip optioins, they can put together a combination to fit almost any car.
I've been trying to figure this out. Is a Varishock just a retagged QA1. They look awlful similar. Or do they use the same body with differernt guts??
|
|
|
Re: Bilstein/Edlebrock/QA1 shock decision
[Re: jbc426]
#566411
12/31/09 12:50 PM
12/31/09 12:50 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
|
Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,468
So Cal
|
Quote:
I used Koni's on my '68 convertible a-body and absolutley love them. I got them and some other suspension goodies through Firmfeel. Excellent customer service there as well.
The only thing I wish I would have added is the adjustable strut rods, as I only get just over 1 degree of positive caster with the stock strut rods and tubular upper control arms.
I'm really surprised you couldn't get more caster with the Firm Feel A-arms.
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg){kind=link}