Drag and Street FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions. Please visit our technical support page for installation guides and other support documents. Also, check out QA1's YouTube channel for tech, product and company videos!
- How many adjustments do QA1 shocks have?
- How do I adjust the ride quality of my shocks?
- Are QA1 drag racing and street performance shocks rebuildable?
- What does QA1 offer for Mustang II suspensions?
- I want to put coil-overs on the front end of my muscle car. Does QA1 offer anything for me?
- I am running exactly the same set-up as the track champion. I have driven his car and it is much faster than mine. What's wrong with my car?
- Does raising the spring seat increase spring rate?
- Is there a difference between shock ride height and chassis ride height?
- Can I evaluate a shock by hand, or is a dyno required?
- Will QA1 assist me in determining which product to use for my application?
- What is spring rate?
- The PTFE liner in my three piece rod ends always pounds out when I run my car on dirt, leaving the rod end loose. What can I do to avoid this?
- What maintenance do I need to performance on my rod ends to keep them operating properly?
- What rod end is best for my application?
How many adjustments do QA1 shocks have?
QA1 single adjustable shocks have eighteen clicks of adjustment. Double adjustable shocks have eighteen clicks of independent rebound adjustment and eighteen clicks of independent compression adjustment for a total of 324 valving combinations.
How do I adjust the ride quality of my shocks?
Simply by turning the knob(s) located near the bottom of the shock.
Are QA1 drag racing and street performance shocks rebuildable?
Yes. You can have the QA1 factory or one of our authorized service centers rebuild them.
What does QA1 offer for Mustang II suspensions?
QA1 offers three Mustang II front end coil-over conversion systems, with a choice of double adjustable, single adjustable or chrome plated steel non-adjustable shocks. Front coil-over conversion systems include (2) shocks, (2) springs and all mounting hardware. In addition, non-coil-over adjustable stock replacement shocks are also available for Mustang II applications.
I want to put coil-overs on the front end of my muscle car. Does QA1 offer anything for me?
Yes, QA1 offers several variations of its Pro Coil® System, engineered specifically for muscle car applications. Pro Coil® Systems include a choice of double adjustable, single adjustable, drag race "R" series or stock-appearing steel non-adjustable shocks. These kits include (2) shocks, (2) springs and all mounting hardware.
I am running exactly the same set-up as the track champion. I have driven his car and it is much faster than mine. What's wrong with my car?
It is quite possible that there is nothing actually wrong with your car. Building two cars exactly alike does not happen very often. There can be variances in chassis rigidity that make each car react differently to the same set-up. For instance, a chassis with a lot of flex in it may need more spring rate to compensate for the flex in the chassis. There can also be minor differences in geometry that you may not have thought about. You may be running a different wheel and tire combination, or the spring and shock mounts may be at different locations. You will need to keep experimenting with your set-up to find the right combination for your car.
Does raising the spring seat increase spring rate?
No. Once the weight of the car is set down on the shock and spring combination, raising and lowering the spring seat will only serve to change the shocks eye-to-eye measurement and also the car ride height. The compressed length of the spring at that point will not change unless it has something more than the weight of the car to work against, such as the shock is topped out or bottomed out.
Is there a difference between shock ride height and chassis ride height?
Yes. Chassis ride height in racing will have to do with class regulations and chassis set up for weight transfer and distribution. In the street world it often comes down to the look. Does it have the stance to make it "cool"? Shock ride height is a specified range that is measured from mounting point to mounting point that the shock is designed to work within under normal operating conditions. This measurement is taken or set with the chassis ride set where it needs to be for the specific application. It is designed to allow the shock enough travel in both directions so that the shock will not top or bottom out.
Can I evaluate a shock by hand, or is a dyno required?
It is impossible to accurately evaluate a shock through stroking it by hand. The shocks perform much differently on a race car when the piston velocity is much quicker than they do when you are stroking them by hand. It is important to evaluate the shocks at low, medium and high piston velocities to have an indication of how the shocks will affect handling. Therefore, a shock dyno is necessary for any evaluation.
Will QA1 assist me in determining which product to use for my application?
We are always glad to assist you in making your product selection. QA1 technical support staff is very experienced and knowledgeable about QA1 products and their use. When requested, we will use information supplied by you to assist you in determining which QA1 product is best suited to your application. However, the final decision as to part selection and the correct installation and usage of the product is yours. Please call for assistance if a QA1 product does not appear to fit your application – there is always the possibility that another part will work better. Parts that have been installed or damaged/altered in any way are not eligible for return.
What is spring rate?
Spring rate refers to the amount of weight that is needed to compress a spring one inch. If the rate of the spring is linear, its rate is not affected by the load that is put on the spring. For example, say you have a 200 lb. per inch spring - it will compress 1" when a 200 lb. load is placed onto the spring. If another 200 lbs. is put onto the spring, the spring will compress another inch. At this point the load on the spring is 400 lbs. The rate of the spring, however, remains constant at 200 lbs. per inch.
The PTFE liner in my three piece rod ends always pounds out when I run my car on dirt, leaving the rod end loose. What can I do to avoid this?
PTFE "pounding out" on dirt applications is a common problem. It occurs because the PTFE fabric liner and the three piece design of these rod ends are not engineered to withstand the introduction of sand, dirt, etc. QA1 has addressed this problem with the Endura series rod ends, engineered specifically for racing applications. This series of rod ends includes a self-lubricating, maintenance-free PTFE/Nylon injection-molded liner, and is constructed in such a manner that it is nearly impossible for the liner to ever "pound out." These rod ends are offered in aluminum (over 10% lighter than traditional three-piece aluminum rod ends), carbon steel, heat-treated chromoly steel and chrome plated chromoly steel.
What maintenance do I need to performance on my rod ends to keep them operating properly?
Most rod ends are designed to be relatively maintenance-free. For metal-to-metal rod ends, a thin layer of grease applied occasionally to the ball will assist in extending the life of these products. Rod ends that are PTFE lined are self-lubricating and are designed to be relatively maintenance-free.
What rod end is best for my application?
With over 5,000 sizes, styles and materials in QA1 rod ends to choose from, QA1 offers a rod end for virtually every application. However, for nearly all performance racing applications, QA1 strongly recommends the Endura series rod ends. These rod ends are engineered specifically for the rigors of performance racing and are the only rod ends designed to withstand dirt, sand, grit and other debris that commonly come into contact with racing vehicles. The Endura series is self-lubricating, self-sealing and maintenance-free. These rod ends have all the advantages of metal-to-metal rod ends when encountering heavy shock loads, while also enjoying the advanced wear characteristics of three-piece rod ends. They are available in aluminum, heat-treated chromoly steel, polished chromoly steel and carbon steel. The QA1 aluminum Endura series rod ends are over 10% lighter than traditional three-piece aluminum units, and also have greater tensile strength due to increased cross-sectional thickness in the rod end body. If you need assistance with your particular application, please call the QA1 technical support line at 9523985.5675.