coilover ?'s

[RICKYRJ1]

Has anybody run coilovers without the FX3 option? My thinking is since I don't use it now (I keep it on perf. all the time) that I could look into a QA1 set up. Does that make any sense?
Any & all help would be great, looking for a winter project :salute:

[GOLDCYLON]

Sorry Rick im running both. I would suggest leaving it in as it does no harm.

I can understand some of the benefit (Cheaper shocks vs the $200 a piece now) Never having to replace an Actuator again etc. My opinion is my car has never run like this before but it feels like this is what the car should have came with from the factory. I think its a true combo. GC

[DaveK]

What's the difference in ride out of interest?

[GOLDCYLON]

The car goes where you point it under hard accel in a turn. Like riding a rail

[DaveK]

Might have to try it. Biggest problem I have around here is the jarring, rattling and bump steer - the roads are terrible!!! Poor old Dragon darts around like crazy if I forget and get on the 'wrong' road.

Most of my drives for that reason are heading 'out of town'... *sigh*

[GOLDCYLON]

Im never going back. Completely happy with the result

[-=Jeff=-]

I am 50% happy so far..

but I have not installed the rear Coilovers yet.. I have them ready, it is one of this winter's projects

[pantera1683]

I am 50% happy so far..

but I have not installed the rear Coilovers yet.. I have them ready, it is one of this winter's projects

How involved is the install in the rear?

[GOLDCYLON]

How involved is the install in the rear?

Not as bad as the front as the front spring has to be pulled out of the way and its tight in there and you need to install the relocator block for the sway bar. Carter200 here on the board makes these as well as Guldstrand.

The rear you have to notch the top shock mount forward to allow for clearance or use Carter's rear adaptor plate (However I am not familar with Carters process)

[pantera1683]

I plan on buying the parts from Carter, I am just waiting on a deal on the coilovers...I'm looking at you Polo-1 ;).

[Aurora40]

I believe one of the pluses of ditching FX3, or really the Bilstien shocks, is that some shocks like QA1's use a narrower shock body. This means you can use narrower springs, and you don't have to move or modify as much stuff for them to fit.

[Chris_32212]

I am doing a coil over conversion on an FX3 1991 Corvette (not a Z) with QA1 double adjustable shocks. Got the car super cheap and am gutting it for a cheap fun race car. I ran into the same problem on the front with the sway bar. Can someone forward me the information of where to get the sway bar relocatin block thing that was mentioned here? I would greatly appreciate that.

Chris

[Coupe89]

I've had DRM coil overs on my 89 non FX3
And I have DRM coil overs on my Z with FX3. I like the ability to change the shock setting in the car.

On the 89:
The sway bar need to be pushed forward 7/8". I drilled and tap new holes.
Or you can use heim link sway bar links. I did both.

If I had to do the 89 over again and were to buy new. I would go with the QA1's.

[Chris_32212]

I have a fitment issue with the front sway bar and my coilover spring in the front. I need a way to solve this fitment issue.

I would greatly appreciate information on either the hiem links for the sway bar or the relocation block, or both. The stock sway bar on my FX3 coupe is 30mm and is bigger than my sway bar on the Z. I would be open to going to 32mm on the coupe and then use the 30mm on the Z. What ever would get rid of this clearance issue. ...Please help

[carter200]

I have a fitment issue with the front sway bar and my coilover spring in the front. I need a way to solve this fitment issue.

I would greatly appreciate information on either the hiem links for the sway bar or the relocation block, or both. The stock sway bar on my FX3 coupe is 30mm and is bigger than my sway bar on the Z. I would be open to going to 32mm on the coupe and then use the 30mm on the Z. What ever would get rid of this clearance issue. ...Please help

Chris,
I, CT Machining, manufacture the front relocation blocks. PM me. :handshak:

go here for good info: http://zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6104&page=10

[Chris_32212]

PM has been sent. Thanks.

[GOLDCYLON]

PM has been sent. Thanks.


Yeah kinda of said that in post #9 as well ;)

[Chris_32212]

Has anybody run coilovers without the FX3 option? My thinking is since I don't use it now (I keep it on perf. all the time) that I could look into a QA1 set up. Does that make any sense?
Any & all help would be great, looking for a winter project :salute:


I agree with not using the FX3 system. I don't like it. I have had nothing but problems with it on my car. I suppose if it worked more reliably I might make efforts to keep it but if I decide to go coil overs on my Z, I won't bother saving the FX3. For the average driver, the three settings that FX3 gives you is probably plenty but with a double adjustable coil over system, you have I think 12 vavle adjustments for compression, and another 12 for rebound at each corner plus ride height adjustment. certainly if you plan to race the car, QA1's are the way to go in my opinion. Having said that, probably not too many people plan to race their Z a whole lot. I do intend to race my other 91 FX3 equiped corvette coupe (not a z) and that car is getting QA1's.

[sammy]

what spring rates did you go with and what was the costs for the shocks, springs and coilover mountings that mount the coil on the xhock .i have coilover with the fx3 on 1 car and would like to go your way with the other

[RICKYRJ1]

Like I said on my post, I never use the FX3 option so as long as there is no problem with disconnecting the option I'll go QA1. I only have time to drive my car about 2500-3000 miles a year and that includes the drive out to BG. When I do drive it I drive her hard (ask Dave J. I think he's sick of looking at my tail lights :p)
I will reach out to Carter (CT Machining) for the adapters. Is his stuff still made in China?:jawdrop:

[ZZZZZR1]

Like I said on my post, I never use the FX3 option so as long as there is no problem with disconnecting the option I'll go QA1. I only have time to drive my car about 2500-3000 miles a year and that includes the drive out to BG. When I do drive it I drive her hard (ask Dave J. I think he's sick of looking at my tail lights :p)
I will reach out to Carter (CT Machining) for the adapters. Is his stuff still made in China?:jawdrop:

Damn Ricky!!! Sick of looking at your tail lights? Neva!

[Chris_32212]

what spring rates did you go with and what was the costs for the shocks, springs and coilover mountings that mount the coil on the xhock .i have coilover with the fx3 on 1 car and would like to go your way with the other

I will have to get back to you on that. I got the part numbers from someone on another forum. I have the invoice at home. I am out of town for the weekend. I will take a look and get back to you. I have not finished my install yet so I don't know if my spring rates are the best fit yet but the springs are relatively cheap compared to the rest of the kit. I will probably end up with several different spring rates that I can run because I like tunning stuff like that.

[GOLDCYLON]

http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11907&highlight=coilovers

My documentation of my coilover project in May 2010

[carter200]

Like I said on my post, I never use the FX3 option so as long as there is no problem with disconnecting the option I'll go QA1. I only have time to drive my car about 2500-3000 miles a year and that includes the drive out to BG. When I do drive it I drive her hard (ask Dave J. I think he's sick of looking at my tail lights :p)
I will reach out to Carter (CT Machining) for the adapters. Is his stuff still made in China?:jawdrop:

Ricky,
Don't even joke about that. :mad: Some of these guys actually believe some things you spew out...............;)

[Chris_32212]

here is a list of part numbers that I ordered from summit racing equipment to do my double adjustable coil over system. I would like to restate that I have not installed my kit yet so I am not suprememly confident that this is the best way to go. I am a full time college student and that takes up a lot of my free time. I bought my parts before I realized how much customization was required to make this work.

qty......Part #................Description
2.....HAL-10-375.........10" spring (front)
2.....HAL-12-275.........12" spring (rear)
2.....HAL-BAR350k........Upper T bar kit (this is the adapter for the lower front shock)
2.....HAL-DDR4855P......Double adjustable coil over
2.....HAL-DDR5855P......Double adjustable coil over
4.....HAL-SS110SDM.....Stud mount conversion
1.....HAL-T114W..........coil over tool set


I also bought the billet coil over (rear, lower) shock mounts for the QA1 system from Vansteel.com

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.showItem&subgroup=1972&ID=3192

They offer the whole kit but it cost less to put the kit together yourself. Plus their kit is not compatible with FX3 cars.

I still need to get the adapters for the rear upper coil over mount as well as the fron coil over upper mount.
The stud mount conversion that I listed has a very small diameter mounting stud and comes with very small diameter poly bushings which is why I am having a difficult time figuring out how to mount my system. The stud mounts are far too small for the original front upper shock mounts on the car and same thing for the rear upper shock mount. I am going to check with carter2000 to see if he can make the adapters with a smaller hole.

[threestar40]

I did Rippies myself and deleted the FX3...never looked back. Like you, I never used it either.

The rear is a pain to do and a pain to look at as that just don't look right with the cantilevered bolt...but it works just fine.

It's a beefy piece of forged aluminum...I haven't seen pics of a failure yet...I've heard about a few but not seen one and they were pretty hard core cars as I understand it. The front makes me cringe a little, but not as much as the rears. Just don't like the upper shock mount supporting the entire car...but Like I said, it works...I put my life on it as an open road racer!

I did Guldstrands relocation blocks and heim endlinks on the front...pretty sweet set-up, but with your fat swaybar you may have to do a little homework...I mean c'mon clearances are tight, it's a vette!!! Mind your p's and q's on the rear as well, if you screw it up, your springs will hit your half shafts. Just do everything right when it comes to clearance...A grade 8 bolt with a machined spacer works nicely on the lower rear mount...the top is a major PITA...but will never break once it's done right. I fabricated my own aluminum blocks...that was the funnest part for me...the rubber pieces not so much. I run a stock bolt on the lower rear mount.

Good luck with it, It's a fun project, I would say it's moderate to difficult technically to pull off well IMHO.

You'll be glad you did it and got rid of the FX3 crap. Just be true to yourself about your spring rates...get the ones that will use the car with 90% of the time and if your at all concerned with drivability issues...just remember all the little things add up. Ride harshness is one of them.

Rick :usa:

[RICKYRJ1]

Ricky,
Don't even joke about that. :mad: Some of these guys actually believe some things you spew out...............;)


Sorry! My BAd! didn't think about that. I meant made in China, Texas not China, Asia :redface:. I'll be placing my order soon on your coilover adapters. Thanks :proud:

[carter200]

[QUOTE=RICKYRJ1;100282]Sorry! My BAd! didn't think about that. I meant made in China, Texas not China, Asia :redface:. /QUOTE]

It's all good :cheers: