My Thursday afternoon project. Afco shocks/QA1 springs

[OffshoreDrilling]

Over the weekend I found an awesome deal on some Afco single adjustable shocks, which are normally OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. They are arguably the best of the best. Along with the shocks, I ponied up for some QA1 springs to replace the OEM air suspension.

My truck would bounce on my launches, unloading the tires and causing some massive wheelspin. The stock airbags were just too low on air to have any spring rate left, as well as the shocks running out of travel and bottoming out.

I replaced all the stock junk hardware, in favor of some grade 8 race-truck stuff. The hardware was around $22. Also, I just ordered some different springs. It sits a little bit lower in the back than I would like it to, and it will be even worse once some people hop in the back.

You can see my bald ass tires that used to be on the front, and the wiring from where the compressor used to be.

Here is the top mount, spaced out with washers.

The bottom mount needed 3/4" worth of spacers on either side. I bought some 1" wide steel sleeves and just ground them down to fit. Worked out quite well.

10" 400lbs/in QA1 springs where the air bags used to be

This is how the truck currently sits with the new suspension in back and belltech adjustables in front with no spacers. 30.5 in the rear and 30" in the front.

A closer shot of the rear wheel well.

aaaaaand the front wheel well.

Click to read more...

 

[SilentShado]

Looks good man. congrats

 

[Eagle]

Awesome! Lookin Good!

 

[ktraver97ss]

Hell yeah, lookin good, and thats some good shit u got there. U aint messin around.

 

[slowchevy]

hott

 

[Oreif]

That looks great!

 

[Smokinhot]

very nice man

 

[L36 SS]

Ballin!

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

tight dude. how was removing all the compressor and airbags?

what about how they where talkn about on tbssowners about if you hit a bump and the rear unloads the spring can come out... how do you prevent that? shorter shock travel to not allow it to come out?

 

[syP]

swingin...

 

[Smokinhot]

swingin...

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

thats not much shock travel....but looks good!

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

tight dude. how was removing all the compressor and airbags?

what about how they where talkn about on tbssowners about if you hit a bump and the rear unloads the spring can come out... how do you prevent that? shorter shock travel to not allow it to come out?

The airbags were very easy to take out. Just remove the shocks and lower the rear axle with a jack. The bottom side just rests on the mount and the top needs to be rotated out of a keyhole type slot . Disconnected the air lines at the compressor and removed thats it. Everything was apart in about 20 minutes.
As far as keeping the spring from jumping out, I havent done anything yet. I ordered some longer springs so that the shock travel at maximum extension still has the spring compressed and unable to just fall out. It rides just a bit lower than I would like, and will definitely sag too much when its loaded up with people. Im still probably going to get some steel cable to loop through the coil spring, then the top and bottom mounts. It will limit the suspension travel and keep the spring from coming out.

thats not much shock travel....but looks good!

With the new springs I ordered it should be a bit better. Also, the shock isnt mounted vertically, it is angled rearward. Due to the geometry of it, the shock doesnt travel as much as the axle does vertically. My springs will coil bind before the shocks are completely compressed.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

sweet. pics are deceiving i guess. i assume those fit many applications not just yours? i see that it has a threaded body.

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

Yup. They are just a universal coilover shock. Cant run them as coilovers though because the springs would hit the frame.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

yea i see that. just get those springs tied down so they dont pop out!

looks good though!

 

[EmersonHart13]

Awesome! Race truck for sure.

 

[smug]

looks nice

 

[greasy]

That truck was sitting low last night, but it looks really good

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

Looks nice lowered. Those tires are not looking so good.

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

I really like where the truck sits as far as height, but its going to be too low and probably bottom out with any weight in the back at all. Tires are on my list of things to do as well.

 

[smug]

Yokohama Parada Spec-X from Tire Rack.......do it.

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

knowsomeonewhoworksatdjusttiresandcangetmeanythingatcost.

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

Here are my $5 suspension limiters. About 4' worth of 1/8" steel cable and 8 cable clamps. This is just temporary until I put the new springs in. The spring mounts on the bottom conveniently have a nice hole and I just found a hole on the crossmember to thread the other side through. The cable is rated @ 400ish lbs load and it will be slacked all of the time except at maximum extension of the suspension. It should last a while but looks like it will eventually rub through. Some thicker cable or chain, and threading an eye bolt through the frame would solve that problem for a more permanent solution.

 

[SRT41320]

i like

i wish i could have a race truck