Suspension upgrade for 308 GT4

I've put a set of QA-1 shocks with stiffer springs on my GT4 and it has completely transformed my car. Where it was a good handler before, it is MUCH, MUCH better now. Highly recommended!!!

Do a search for "Paper weights" in the 308 forum. As they come from QA-1, the shocks will hit the top A-arm at the front. Verell has produced a batch of "paper weights" that will help you preventing the pages of some parts manual from being blown away by the wind, while they might double as top shock extenders, neatly clearing the A-arms. Not recommended, of course, but they happen to fit

Verell also sells bushes in the proper size to fit the the metric bolts that hold the shocks.

I've done the upgrade myself, and found it not hard at all. Just get the proper metric tools and a hydraulic jack to lift the car. Righthand backside took me 1:45 hours, lefthand backside 0:45 hours. Righthand front 1:30, lefthand front 0:45. Learning curve at work for you

I've got 300 lbs springs all around. Most seem to opt for 350 (front)/ 300 (back) or 300/250 (so back somewhat softer in both cases). I reasoned that with the factory setup being front slightly softer than back, why turn it around all of a sudden? 300/300 works well for me. It is somewhat stiff, but I like that. 250/250 would probably work well too. Stock is 174 (Front)/186 (rear), or something in that area.

The QA-1's are adjustable in length as well as in dampening stiffness. I've got them at 4 out of 12 all around. 5 made the car dribble like a basketball.

Hope this is of some use. Holler if you need more info.

Hans

 

What I have:

All QA-1:

Front
DR4855P
Spring
10-300

Back
DR5855P
Spring
12-300

The shocks for the back were a bit short, so your car will end up rather low (although with the much stiffer springs this is no issue - I can take speed bumps with 3 people in the car without bottoming out on the street).


Make sure you get the wrench keys too so you can adjust the spinners(that's what makes the springs tighter)

Plus on these shocks you have to get Verell's bushing kit. See http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87413 That same Verell (Verell Boaen: [email protected]) had the paperweights. Those were a one-time-only deal. Not sure if he still has some left.

Places like summit racing have the shocks and springs, but I got a tip on a much cheaper place on Ebay who sell them: http://stores.ebay.com/AutoFab-Race-Cars_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm. FChat might clip the URL, PM me if you want me to email the URL to you directly.

Or email them at [email protected]

I paid
1 pair QA-1 DR4855P shocks $144.99 each
1 pair QA-1 DR5855P shocks $144.99 each
1 pair springs 10", 300 lbs $33.00 each
1 pair springs 12", 300 lbs $33.00 each
1 set wrench keys to adjust the shock length $16.00

and $175 for shipping to The Netherlands.

Plus of course our VAT and importing taxes.

The bushings and paper weights were around $370, including shipping, excluding our taxes.

All in all cheaper than new Koni's!! And adjustable.

Spring length adjustment needs the wheels off. Adjusting dampening can be done with the wheels on (easy on the fronts, near impossible on the backs, so I tend to take those wheels of regardless). Even with taking the wheels off, it's only an 8-minute job per wheel (I timed it )

QA-1 also sells shocks that have two knobs for shock adjustment: one for compression and one for rebound. These are more expensive than the simple ones with just one knob. The part numbers that I have mentiones are the simple ones. Good enough for me.

Specs are at www.qa-1.com

Both suppliers (bushings/paperweights and springs/shocks) were nice to deal with, and I'd buy from them again with no hesitations. Shipping times were a matter of days only to get them shipped, and around a week after that for delivery via US postal service, who now have a "Click-n-ship" option that works nicely (including parcel tracking, but less expensive than the UPS/FedEx guys).

Hope that this is of some use.

Good luck!!!

Cheers

Hans

 

They're tall enough. Hard to tell how much shorter, as the konis will sink much further than the QA-1's, once the weight is being put on. Let's put it another way: with the koni's, I used to have my tires rub the rear wheel well rims on long bumps at higher speeds. With the QA-1's, this has never happened. The stiffer springs take care of that.

Height between the street and the bottom of the frame is around 110 mm at the moment.

You can't adjust the shocks all the way to the top, as it would just increase the spring loading to the point that the car will not really sit higher, but the shocks will "top" out after each serious bump (extend all the way, the pistons hitting the end of the shock's cylinders). The springs are now set about halfway. Once in a while (seldom), they will still top out, but only if I totally misjudge a bump. And even then, the wheels will not rub the wheel wells any more.

I'd have liked them about an inch longer, however the next size up is 1-3/4" longer than what I have now, which I think is just too much. I think that if I'd have to do it again, I'd buy the same stuff.

You don't want the original ride height. That's like a 4x4!!!

Mine looks nice and purposeful now, without hitting speed bumps or wheel wells (even with 3 people on board, and at 95 kg, I'm not lightweight either). Really, the fact that it doesn't compress like the standard koni's makes all the difference...

 

You can see a pic of the shocks here:

http://www.qa-1.com/pdf_files/2007_catalog.pdf

Page 47 of the catalog, which is page 51 of the PDF file.

Hans

 

Yes, I still have a few pairs of paperweights, & several 4-wheel sets of the shock adapter bushings.
I 'll honor the most recent group buy prices on them. See the group buy threads for ordering instructions.

I'm traveling, back early next week. They can ship as soon as you send me your address & a phone # for the shipping company.

You can send me eMAIL by clicking on my name beside this post, then select [Send eMAIL to Verell].

Helpfully,

 

I'm getting ready to do this project myself, so please post pics and keep us updated!
JIM

 

Jim, it has taken Alistair over a year to place his first post! Pictures may be forthcoming sometime in the following millenia! I will try to get a few when he doing the upgrade and post them up for him!
Alasdair Cowan

 

That's hysterical! We'll take picutures any way they come!
Thanks in advance.

JIM

 

Please let me know how you get on with the project as I have been thinking about QA1's and springs on my car. I have uprated Koni's /Springs/solid bushes and bigger roll bars on mine at present plus lowered. However I thought about more modern tech ie QA1's plus lighter corner weight. My problem is not the time/expertise to do the job but more of a money issue. So might take me a bit longer!! Good Luck