qa1 coilovers

[Badluck]

With all the interest in testing different qa1 coilover springs in the back of nbs trucks, it got me thinking. Can we just kill 2 birds with one stone and install coilovers in place of the seperate spring shock set-up? Would there be clearance issues or other issues? Would the ride suffer? One advantage is the adjustability of a coilover.

 

[rigo_jones]

u would have to strength the shock supports to support a the weight and stress. i wonder if it would be any problems while towing. u still have to c notch and and all.






edit; never mind i thought you wanted to get rid of the spring and replace the stock shock with a shock inside the coil-over. kinda what they use for cars. sorry


second opinion

you could do it since there will be less coil u need to pick a lets say 5-6 inch coil that can handle like 500-550lbs. and use the sleeve to raise it up and down. a less strong coil will just compress and hit dry on bumps. then get a shock small enough combined with shock extenders to be same height eye/eye as the truck sits with full weight so that the coilover doesnt pop out going up a curb or on a fast bump or even when jacking up the rear. c notch is required.

 

[BOSS]

I dunno about that with a drop on these heavy tahoes....just doesn't seem feasible with a non-progressive spring. MAx has some say-so on a Belltech spring but honestly I want to see the height as compared to mine in person before I recommend it. I just have a hard time seeing a 5 in spring supporting a tahoe with a coilover configuration that would allow shock travel needed...maybe someone more versed in this like max or mob will chime in



B

 

[Max]

Lots of fabrication will be necessary but coilovers would ride nice if you picked the right components and springrates. I'm going this route if my 5/7 doesn't turn out the way I want, probably do fox coilovers and some gnarly gusseted brackets with the floor cut up. I prefer lots of travel on a coilover but I'm sure you could do something smaller with 6" of travel or so.

 

[Badluck]

Either way I go (bags or coilovers) I'm planning on a lot of metal fab. I pulled my shocks, springs, and end links and set the truck level with the front. 31" ground to fender lip using a jack. I took some measurements and I'm dealing with 5.25" in the stock spring perch. I just talked to hornblasters.com and they said a 2600 bag will work. I'm willing to add an inch to the back but I'm not left with much movement. Frame to axle is around an inch and the panhard bar axle mount is going to hit the frame crossmember. So I'm planning a c-notch and notching for the panhard mount plus getting an adjustable panhard to get the wheels centered. I'm going to roll the fender lips also.

I talked to my metal fab buddy about the coilovers and he was warning of alot of trial and error to get the set-up right. Soooo I'm leaning toward getting the bags and if it rides ******, I can always raise it some.

 

[rigo_jones]

Soooo I'm leaning toward getting the bags and if it rides ******, I can always raise it some.

are you looking to go lower then where you're at? if you get bags it probably will ride ****** since there wont be that much air pressure in the bag when low. i mean if you want to have good ride quality you will have to inflate the bag more but it will raise the back more. wont it?

 

[Badluck]

are you looking to go lower then where you're at? if you get bags it probably will ride ****** since there wont be that much air pressure in the bag when low. i mean if you want to have good ride quality you will have to inflate the bag more but it will raise the back more. wont it?

Too soft of a ride is my concern. I'll have to see what I can do about making more room for the bags. The tech I spoke with said I would be ok but I'll have to try it first.

 

[Mikeyjm1]

I know its old as hell. Badlauck, did you ever figure this out? I have an 04 Avalanche that is on coilovers on the front (with a 6" 1300lb coil by the way). I really want the tunability and control on the back to.

 

[Badluck]

Mikeyjm1,

I never did anything with coilovers on my yukon. It still sits on a 3/5 kit. I stopped modding it years ago and just drive it.