Heatmaker

Funny...

But I refuse to believe all the garbage I hear people spew on these sites. I go by raw data and experience. Most Retailers don't carry The Koni Brand for a reason... you think of all the sponsers to this site... just how many of them carry Koni?... You'd be better off looking for KYB's

QA-1 shocks are good all around shocks... not just drag applications.. I still don't see how one man somewhere in west bumblehell can challenge an entire company that built thier reputation on motorsports... I just don't see where you have the knowledge or experience to challenge thier history, and say they do not make quality products. Sales speaks for themselves. QA-1 is an excellent company and they stand by thier products 100%. Why don't you cal land talk to them sometime and learn a thing or to... rather than just exploit untrue information.

Jon A

When it comes to shocks, Sam hardly spews garbage.
What exactly is your autocrossing or roadracing experience? What data are you using?
How many people on this site use use their steering wheels in anger? There are a lot of handling parts that drag racing vendors don't carry.

It's not one man. It's an entire racing industry. Go to the track sometime when people aren't stopping at the 1/4 mile mark (going all the way around--roadracing). Take a poll of how many cars are using Konis vs. QA1 & KYB. Good luck finding any of the latter two. Do the same at an autocross.

You might get some real-world data and experience that way.

Sam Strano

God I *love* internet

You must be some kind of troll, because nobody here is listening, and you've given no data to support you ideas. I use QA1 rod-ends, and like them. So it's not like I have something against them, but the shocks are not good dampers. They look nice and fit well enough. But what makes a shock good is what's inside.

Bilstein's are overall very fine shocks. Why you think they are good and Koni's aren't is a bit beyond me though. But to disprove your idea that Bilstien's are good and Koni's aren't becaue Bilstein's are OEM on some cars. Koni's have been used OEM on things like Ferrari's and Porsche's more than once.

I think my posts, Jon's, Jeff's, Zane's and the others vs. your opinion speaks volumes. You don't have to believe what I say, but maybe you shouldn't believe what someone else says either, and should learn about the dampers for youself. Clearly you haven't done that, and have no clue at all. That's your choice, but please spare the rest of us your clueless rhetoric.

Sam Strano

So because someone doesn't carry something, it's junk? Good reasoning. Truth is in this industry, and others, if you *want* something it's not all that hard to get it. You want QA1's, I can get them. I also purposely carry Tokico, KYB, Monroe, Edelbrock, Garbriel, Bilstein shocks for the 4th gen Camaro's precisely so that folks *KNOW* that I'm not trying to just sell them the only thing I have. Just an example. Kind of like a car salesman. He'll give you every reason in the world why what is on the lot is what you have to have.

Sales do speak, but with performance parts volume is not related to the performance. Good part cost money, and most folks are too cheap to spend that money. So you will sell a lot more of what's good enough, or commonly available. Just the nature of business.

You like your QA1's. Again that's fine. But if you hadn't just done what you claim everyone else does and bought into a sales pitch, and actually care about the way the handles and drives, I think you could have done better. My humble opinion. I do have a number of folks who have switched from QA1's to other things and report the car drives a lot nicer. More stable, better impact qualities, a lot more body motion control without the crashing you get from a QA1 when you turn it up to get decent control. You probably think the crashing into bumps, or some float is fine and maybe even normal. That's where you are wrong, but can't possibly know it since you haven't experienced, or even want to listen to other options and why they work better.

BTW, Jeff97T/A had KYB AGX's on his car and now has Koni's. He can give you a first hand accounting of the difference between them. And remember you think the KYB's are better.

Have a nice day.

TransAm2k4

I have been running Koni's in my daily driver and they are great. AFter shocks go with the Sway bars. I also have LCA and Reloc but don't know if that helps a lot in handling. Because it's my daily driver i also need some Straight line traction. What Torque Arm would be recommended?

Heatmaker

Ideally for the price... a TQ arm is a tq arm. But the wiser decision in TQ arms is one that removes the stress from the tranny, and atached directly on to the chassy... it's also good to look for an adjustable version to set your pinion angle apropriately... I dished out the 405 for the spohn... well worth it...

BMR has an adjustable version, but it is Tranny mounted...

and 100 less than the Spohn if you want to go that route...

Heatmaker

I understand what your saying entirely... If you look hard enough you can find what ever you want...and there is always goign to be someone out there to sell it to you...yes this is indeed the job of a retail seller...but my comment was of all the Supporting vendors on this site of thousands of enthusiest... do you think they would offer QA-1's and Bilstiens first... over the other brands? WHy? because people buy QA-1's and bilstiens... because they work, and they are good performing shocks and are popular in the performance industry for a reason... people like the results these products give them.


Suppliers ideally keep items in stock that sell. If Koni's were as good as they are claimed to be, you think there would be more people using them, and sellign them off thier shelves with the legacy they claim to state.

Anyhow this post has gone far from what is was originally...


It's been fun... but I'm sure if some of the other QA-1 guys on this board read this post they would have more to comment on... I'm tired now... see you later.

Z06Z28

ok, now that the classroom screaming has stopped.. ...
Sam....back to my asking of questions...what would be a better combo if Hotchkis springs are not a match with Bilstein. I was originally looking at the Eibach prokit srings with Bilstein HD's. Would that be a better setup? Or another combo maybe. I'm open to suggestions.. I do alot of cornering. Anyhow..I know nothing about dampness. I thought maybe a spring like Eibach may sit a lil lower than the Hotckis spring and would help make better use out of the Bilsteins..?

Jeff 97 FS T/A

Z06Z28,

The best thing to do is call Sam on his Tech Line (look it up on his website). You'll get much better information that way than you'll ever get on a message board. And, you won't be disappointed.

BTW, KYB AGX's - free to a good home

ltlover

I will take the KYB's if you are giving them away, unless you have them promised to someone else of course!

Z06Z28

I'll try him that way, thanks.

Drumhawk

I can't believe you argue with Sam about shocks. With his experience, expertise and technical explanation compared to your rambling on about who sells more clearly shows who knows what they are talking about. Heatmaker, like your sig says I'm not going to argue with a fool like you down to your level. I doubt anyone on this board will head your advice on torque arms or anything else for that matter. Now please go take another afternoon nap then troll some other board and spare us your indignity.

Heatmaker

Go find something else to do...

I simply defended a product that I've used for years. I don't know Sam and Sam doesn't know me and I doubt you do either. Especially if you go by 3 lines written in someones signature on the internet. Sam made an incorrect statement about a company...I simply defended them why? Because the company he is talking about produces seperate products geared for Circle track and Drag racing applications.

Why did I make the statement about sales... because sales represent realworld statistics, what's being sold, and who is using what it's very valuble and signifigant information.

If you want to talk about suspension PM me... and I'll tell you what ever it is you assume I don't know or what you would like to know. I see no need to prove myself on an internet chat board.

This part of the thread is over...no need to go kicking back up the dust with your unessessary comments.

As far as anything else goes... if some one takes my advice or not.. I honestly do not care. As long as I keep passing people I'm satisfied.



see you later.

ltlover

How bout them Falcons?

Shempy

My wallet says you're full of it. A set of Koni DA's, without springs, costs nearly TWICE what the new QA1 shocks cost and the QA1's include springs.

Seeing as a lot of f-body guys like to do things on the cheap w/o regards to the best quality (evidenced by the success of BMR) and there's enough bad advice going around (evidenced your humorous posts), it really isn't a wonder that more f-bod guys aren't buying the Konis.


Hmm, where have I heard of that guy from west bumblehell....
Here maybe? Look under 1st place, and note these are the National results. You do realize he's not just making this stuff up, not that I'm accusing anyone of blowing baseless smoke in this thread.... And he really does sell the stuff he races on.

I strongly encourage you to join corner-carvers.com and debate the merits of QA1 shocks, even for spirited street use.


Interesting. So BMR is better than LG Motorsports equipment because they sell more?