Front Suspension help

etracr · 06-25-2008, 07:12 PM

Hey guys,
I Race a 68 Camaro in brackets/SST and am slowly going to get the car ready for stock.

I want to get my suspension perfect. Right now the car is a BBC iron head, all steel with fiberglass hood. weighs 3400 lbs. car runs 10.20-40 with a 1.43-5 sixty foot. the front suspension is:

Lakewood 90/10
MOROSO small block trick springs no coils cut
stock ball joints
AFCO control arm bushings

The car is loose in the front end and i can lift it to full extention no problem but i only have 3.5in of suspension travel. I think the springs and bushings are fine but right now am mainly looking into a good set of shocks.

The three shocks i am looking at are the Koni SPA`s, the QA1`s and AFCO`s. Now i know the afcos are the top of the line, however are they really needed? I have heard going to anyone of those shocks will be a night and day difference. I am 21 years old so the Afco`s are going to be a large purchase, However if they are worth the money i have no problem spending it. I just want good weight transfer and also would like to get the wheels in the air a little more :-)

Also, i have heard of the Alf Weibe? extended ball joints? and the anti dive shafts from a few people. Will these help at all?

I am open to all ideas and help and if you can sugest part numbers or supply phone numbers that would be great!! Thanks in advance guys!!

mannymen · 06-25-2008, 10:52 PM

The new dbl adjustable AFCO's will require that you grind the LCA's. Welding will most likely be involved so that you can reposition the lower shock mounting holes. If someone is doing the work for you it will cost you around $1200-1300 for the LCA modification and the shocks together.

Alan Roehrich · 06-25-2008, 11:08 PM

That is correct, the AFCO shocks require major surgery on the lower control arms, including fabricating adapter brackets. That said, they work well. But you can probably make the QA1 shocks work.

You should get the longer upper ball joints, and look into the Global West control arm bushings.

At the rear, for a leaf spring car, there's no substitute for John Calvert's CalTracs system.

Bob Pagano · 06-25-2008, 11:24 PM

QA 1 also has new item in their rebuildable upper ball joint, they are interchangeable length ball stud and low friction also. $49 each

Geerhead55 · 06-26-2008, 01:26 AM

Cal-Tracs has recently introduced front shocks of their own. You may want to check into these. I'm sure someone on here can give you some feedback on them.
Danny Durham

etracr · 06-26-2008, 08:23 PM

Thanks for the replys guy i really appreciate it!!

So i think i am looking into the QA1 double adjustable shocks. I think a good shock will help me greatly, anyone know of anywhere with good prices on them? I saw the new add for the Caltrac shocks but heard no feed back about them and for the price of 50 something dollars was wondering if i would be gaining anything over my current shocks?

As for the ball joints those QA1`s look very neat! However I was talking to a stocker friend of mine who said he purchased the Howe? ball joints and said they were around 120 a piece. He was saying to install the ball joints you need the different cross shaft which he got from Weibe but said that global west also has them and they might work. How long of a ball joint would work? 1 inch, 1.5, 2? not sure which to go with.

I have the CalTracs in the rear with the split mono`s and the rancho shocks, and have been running a 30X9 Hoosier radial. the car has been hooking great all year but last week when the track was hot i had to adjust the rear shocks up to 7 cause the car was unloading the tire after it initiallty hooked. Im hoping getting the front suspension working correctly will help the car out alot.

Thanks again guys and any suggestions or comments on the entire front i am open to all comments. thanks alot!!!

-Scotty Hakucsa-

NovaMan · 06-27-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Pagano

QA 1 also has new item in their rebuildable upper ball joint, they are interchangeable length ball stud and low friction also. $49 each

What's the available range of ball stud lengths, and how do you get a non-stock length?

Bob Pagano · 06-27-2008, 04:26 PM

Call QA-1 952-985-5675 and they are $44.95 not 49 as I posted before

06-25-2008, 07:12 PM	#1
etracr Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Flanders Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Front Suspension help Hey guys, I Race a 68 Camaro in brackets/SST and am slowly going to get the car ready for stock. I want to get my suspension perfect. Right now the car is a BBC iron head, all steel with fiberglass hood. weighs 3400 lbs. car runs 10.20-40 with a 1.43-5 sixty foot. the front suspension is: Lakewood 90/10 MOROSO small block trick springs no coils cut stock ball joints AFCO control arm bushings The car is loose in the front end and i can lift it to full extention no problem but i only have 3.5in of suspension travel. I think the springs and bushings are fine but right now am mainly looking into a good set of shocks. The three shocks i am looking at are the Koni SPA`s, the QA1`s and AFCO`s. Now i know the afcos are the top of the line, however are they really needed? I have heard going to anyone of those shocks will be a night and day difference. I am 21 years old so the Afco`s are going to be a large purchase, However if they are worth the money i have no problem spending it. I just want good weight transfer and also would like to get the wheels in the air a little more :-) Also, i have heard of the Alf Weibe? extended ball joints? and the anti dive shafts from a few people. Will these help at all? I am open to all ideas and help and if you can sugest part numbers or supply phone numbers that would be great!! Thanks in advance guys!!

06-25-2008, 10:52 PM	#2
mannymen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 728 Likes: 5 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Front Suspension help The new dbl adjustable AFCO's will require that you grind the LCA's. Welding will most likely be involved so that you can reposition the lower shock mounting holes. If someone is doing the work for you it will cost you around $1200-1300 for the LCA modification and the shocks together. __________________ N/A

06-25-2008, 11:08 PM	#3
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,105 Likes: 1,564 Liked 1,789 Times in 408 Posts	Re: Front Suspension help That is correct, the AFCO shocks require major surgery on the lower control arms, including fabricating adapter brackets. That said, they work well. But you can probably make the QA1 shocks work. You should get the longer upper ball joints, and look into the Global West control arm bushings. At the rear, for a leaf spring car, there's no substitute for John Calvert's CalTracs system. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

06-25-2008, 11:24 PM	#4
Bob Pagano VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New Holland, PA Mooresville,NC Posts: 1,163 Likes: 239 Liked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Front Suspension help QA 1 also has new item in their rebuildable upper ball joint, they are interchangeable length ball stud and low friction also. $49 each __________________ Bob Pagano A/SA

06-26-2008, 01:26 AM	#5
Geerhead55 VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Tacoma, Washington Posts: 1,632 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Front Suspension help Cal-Tracs has recently introduced front shocks of their own. You may want to check into these. I'm sure someone on here can give you some feedback on them. Danny Durham

06-26-2008, 08:23 PM	#6
etracr Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Flanders Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Front Suspension help Thanks for the replys guy i really appreciate it!! So i think i am looking into the QA1 double adjustable shocks. I think a good shock will help me greatly, anyone know of anywhere with good prices on them? I saw the new add for the Caltrac shocks but heard no feed back about them and for the price of 50 something dollars was wondering if i would be gaining anything over my current shocks? As for the ball joints those QA1`s look very neat! However I was talking to a stocker friend of mine who said he purchased the Howe? ball joints and said they were around 120 a piece. He was saying to install the ball joints you need the different cross shaft which he got from Weibe but said that global west also has them and they might work. How long of a ball joint would work? 1 inch, 1.5, 2? not sure which to go with. I have the CalTracs in the rear with the split mono`s and the rancho shocks, and have been running a 30X9 Hoosier radial. the car has been hooking great all year but last week when the track was hot i had to adjust the rear shocks up to 7 cause the car was unloading the tire after it initiallty hooked. Im hoping getting the front suspension working correctly will help the car out alot. Thanks again guys and any suggestions or comments on the entire front i am open to all comments. thanks alot!!! -Scotty Hakucsa-

06-27-2008, 04:26 PM	#8
Bob Pagano VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New Holland, PA Mooresville,NC Posts: 1,163 Likes: 239 Liked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Front Suspension help Call QA-1 952-985-5675 and they are $44.95 not 49 as I posted before __________________ Bob Pagano A/SA