front shocks?

[Archangel]

Well, I'm sick of bouncing around, and I have some money set aside, so I'm about to get new shocks for the front. Trick is, my 1050lb/in springs combined with the weight of the car (remember those bull-bars I have?) will beat the shit out of anything that is not extra-heavy valved... Sooo, what are my options here? I know about Afco 1020s, then Speedway offers the Carrera II Street Stocks... Anything else? Keep in mind I wanna keep cost under $150 for the pair (car doesn't get raced, no justification for expensive adjustable shocks), and there might be a spring rate increase towards the 1300-1400lb/in area soon, so shocks should be able to handle those springs too. Discuss please.

[Archangel]

Something interesting:

- Afco 1020s at StockCarProducts are rated as extra-heavy valved, but Summit says they have #7 valving
- Carrera IIs at Speedway are rated as "heavy" valved, but they have #8 valving

I know the higher the valving #, the stiffer the shocks is, so the Carreras are stiffer than the Afcos then?

[Archangel]

After a search in Speedway's website I also found:

- QA1 Street Stock, part #7213058 - extra heavy #8 valving, listed for GM & Ford mid and full size cars

- Pro Street Stock, part #582SS100 or 582SS100A - lsupposedly extra heavy valving again, no exact numbers though.

So assuming the Afco 1020s with their #7 valving won't be able to handle the 1300lb/in springs, I have a choice between the Pros, the Carreras, and the QA1s, last ones being slightly over my budget - suggestions or experience you may wanna share?

[DuceAnAHalf]

The valving numbers vary by company. the only way to tell which is actually stiffer is on a shock dyno. They should all be about the same damping force.

[mrltd]

You read the sticky?

But, yeah any of the shocks you mentioned should be fine. I love my afco 1020's with the 1000lb springs.

[Archangel]

Ya, I read the sticky, how do you think I know about Speedway Motors So that's one vote for the Afco 1020s, I know Dave runs them too so that makes two votes... Duce, what can you say about those Carreras you have, what springs you use them with and how do they perform? Also they look pretty fat, they fit through the lower control arm openings, right?

[DuceAnAHalf]

Ya, I read the sticky, how do you think I know about Speedway Motors So that's one vote for the Afco 1020s, I know Dave runs them too so that makes two votes... Duce, what can you say about those Carreras you have, what springs you use them with and how do they perform? Also they look pretty fat, they fit through the lower control arm openings, right?

They are a large body shock so they are thick, but they fit in the arm just fine. Im using them in the 97 with stock police springs and i had them in the 85 with cut police springs. They have great control, but i want a stiffer spring in the 97. With the original police springs the front of the car would start to feel loose at about 115mph, now i can run it to 130 and the front feels solid.

[turbo2256b]

Ya, I read the sticky, how do you think I know about Speedway Motors So that's one vote for the Afco 1020s, I know Dave runs them too so that makes two votes... Duce, what can you say about those Carreras you have, what springs you use them with and how do they perform? Also they look pretty fat, they fit through the lower control arm openings, right?

What shocks and springs do you run in the back?

[Archangel]

Rear has the TRW CC819 coils (supposedly 225lb/in, although they are variable rate), shocks are Gabriel Hi-Jackers - not planning on changing that setup, I use the car as a truck sometimes and I need the load-carrying capacity.

[turbo2256b]

Rear has the TRW CC819 coils (supposedly 225lb/in, although they are variable rate), shocks are Gabriel Hi-Jackers - not planning on changing that setup, I use the car as a truck sometimes and I need the load-carrying capacity.

So whats the lenght of your shocks installed with no air in them. Then figure the max and min travel if your not in the aprox middle of the shocks travel you might have a problem with the front and rear fighting each othere causing the bouncing. Also the air shocks could be the wrong vaving agrivating the problem

[mrltd]

The info I have on the cc819 is 200lb/in.

[turbo2256b]

I might have the 819s too or did.

[mrltd]

The 819's are the only listing I see...For both the wagon and sedan.

[turbo2256b]

There are or were non variable rate TRWs too I have a set.

[Archangel]

Yep, there are straight-rate coils, selection is quite big actually.

Dave, I'll try and measure shocks tomorow, but I'm pretty sure they are kinda close to their maximum extended length as axle doesn't seem to sink down too much when car goes up on the hoist. As for valving I have no idea what the Gabriel Hi-Jackers come with.