QA 1 for 308

DavidB,
Thanks for the update on DS602s. I"ve updated the white paper with your experience.

re: 'topping out'

From this Fchat thread which is referenced in the white paper:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/157432-qa-1s-gt4-slightly-worried.html

 

Simple: Go over a medium-sized bump at some speed, springs compress, as they should, and then decompress, followed by a loud thumb coming from the rear (and sometimes even the feeling that the wheels would come off the ground).

Putting a 1" extension on solved this immediately, never to be felt again.

The thing is simple, really - without the extension, the piston inside the shock isn't positioned halfway the shock, but is rather higher up. So the shock could compress quite some distance from its resting position, but hardly decompress at all without coming to the end of its travel. Putting the extension on, the car sits equally high, the springs do the exact same, but the piston is merely pushed in one inch further, placing it nicely in the center of its possible travel.

I haven't cross-checked with the new QA-1 numbering, but at the time, the next size up would have been too long, placing the piston too low inside the shock, risking bottoming out. The 1" extensions on said shocks was the sweet spot.

The extensions cost a few $ only and are very simple to assemble, so this is really a no-brainer.

GT4 ONLY!!! The GTB/GTS are fine without them.

 

Wow, this forum really is a time capsule...

Thanks Verell..

 

Hans and Verell,

Thanks for the clarification. I understand the issue now.

-David

 

David,
Did you go with 14" springs as QA1 recommends, or with 12" springs?
See:
Proma Star Single Adjustable Shocks | Custom Mount Coil-Over Shock Absorbers | QA1 Suspension

 

Verell,

I went with a 14" 300 lb. Eibach rear spring. Measuring from the spots you jack the car up from (about the lowest points on the car I think and a good place to take a reference) I have ~4.5" of ground clearance in the rear and ~4.25" in the front. This is running 225/50/16 rear tires with good tread left.

The rear coils are just about maxed out in terms of how low you can make them (from memory here, there might have been 1/4" or less left).

I'll see if I can get a good measurement this weekend of the height of the spring while wheels are off the ground. I remember going back and forth between the 12" and 14" before I bought them and what worried me about the 12" was that it might have needed a helper/tender spring at full droop.

-David

 

Thanks!! I've quoted you in the QA1 white paper.

 

Reviving an old thread, considering a QA-1 setup for my 87 328 GTB. Do the 308 QA-1 part numbers correspond to my early 328? One thing I really want to avoid is having to notch my front a-arm. What's this about Verell's paperweights? They allow an offset shock mounting to preclude any a-arm modification? The comments I found on it seemed to indicate they're actual paperweights, so can somebody please clarify?
Thanks,
Greg

Edit- just went to unobtanium supply and saw the paperweights and bushings, very cool! Now I just need to know if my early 328 uses the same shocks as a 308. I would imagine so.


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The paperweights are not actual paperweights, but modifications for the shock ends to clear the A-Arms

 

You may want to have a look at this thread (Post 46)

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328-sponsored-yellow-compass-group/504766-front-nose-high-stance-will-new-springs-cure-3.html

 

The part numbers are NOT the same between the 308 and 328 for the front shocks. I believe the part numbers for everything else though is the same (ie: same part numbers for rear shocks, front springs, and rear springs).

I have a set of front shocks that still havent made it to ebay sitting in my garage that will fit a 328.

thanks,
Aaron

 

The early ( ie: non ABS 328s use the same front QA1s as the 308).

I've written a white paper to help people considering changing to QA1s to help answer questions like this. The latest version will always be downloadable from the SUPPORT page on Unobtainium's web site:
Unobtainium Supply—SUPPORT

 

Thanks Verell, I'll check that out. How about the rears?

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See the white paper.

 

The white paper on the Unobtainium Supply Co website has everything you need to know, to do the QA1 conversion, including the very important GT4 anomaly (uses a longer rear shock than GTB/S). This community is so fortunate to have people like Verell and Birdman who give back so much to us – and have been doing so for quite a while, with their enthusiasm and dedication never seeming to wane.