Tokico VS QA1 front shocks.

[Blaze86Vic]

Tokico HP Blues (HE3667)
QA1 Street Stock (3057-3)

Well, I haven't driven with them yet so I'll reserve that judgment for a later post.

However, the Tokicos obviously feel way cheaper (since they are half the price). The shock main shaft is noticeably smaller on the Tokicos, however, they are also notably larger than most stock shocks.

However, note that the QA1s are designed for circle dirt track use and are by no means an OE replacement. They are race shocks designed to use stock mounting configuration to get past car regulations for circle dirt track. So they are designed much stronger than a OE or performance OE replacement. It's been so long since I had a OE shock I don't really have any comparison to a stock shock.

I plan to go back to the QA1s if I can affordably re-valve them to 8/8.

[mrltd]

Both are good shocks. My Afco's are also huge compared to stock, the shaft size is like double the stock shock.

[P72Ford]

Would you happen to know the exact shaft diameters (of the QA1, and Tokico)? Those are the Tokico HP's correct? Is the diameter equivalent to the diameter of the stock cop shocks. I ordered the Tokico HP's, but they have yet to arrive.

Also, Blaze, might I ask why you are switching from the QA1's to begin with? Aren't they a better unit?

[mrltd]

He blew the QA1's with the heavy springs. The tokico's won't last long at the spring rate he is running.

As for the shaft diameter, I doubt that's the difference in the PI shocks. The difference will be the valving.

[P72Ford]

He blew the QA1's with the heavy springs. The tokico's won't last long at the spring rate he is running.

As for the shaft diameter, I doubt that's the difference in the PI shocks. The difference will be the valving.

PI shocks have a larger shaft; that much I am sure of. I have never seen shocks with such a large shaft on a car before. I will take pics when I remove my OE cop shocks.

The HP's should be okay with my stock PI springs right?

[Blaze86Vic]

Both of these shocks are significantly above OE replacements, including police model stuff. And as MRLTD said, the PI shocks are probably just stiffer valving.

I'm not entirely sure I blew the QA1s, but either way I needed to get them revalved to a stiffer setup, since they are currently valved very weak on the rebound (was intended for the RF corner of circle track cars for quick weight transfer to the rear). Downside is when the action gets heavy the car starts to actually rise in ride height because it rebounds quicker than it compresses.

[mrltd]

PI shocks have a larger shaft; that much I am sure of. I have never seen shocks with such a large shaft on a car before. I will take pics when I remove my OE cop shocks.

The HP's should be okay with my stock PI springs right?

of course they will, your PI springs are very soft. About half what Blaze is running.

As for the shaft size, have you compared them to a stock vic one? No difference on any of the replacement ones I've used, with the exception of the Afco's.

[P72Ford]

of course they will, your PI springs are very soft. About half what Blaze is running.

As for the shaft size, have you compared them to a stock vic one? No difference on any of the replacement ones I've used, with the exception of the Afco's.

The PI shocks have a much larger shaft, compared to stock CV socks. Exact replacements of these shocks could never be bought from Ford. You shall see pictures of the old shocks when I remove them.

[drock96marquis]

FWIW, I can't speak for boxes but on the 92-02s I've personally removed and installed both stock base shocks, and CVPI shocks and the shaft sizes were the same. The difference between was the valving. Tokico was the OEM for both shocks and continues to be the OEM for panther shocks. TRW is the OEM for the springs.

[P72Ford]

Listen to me. I know that the PI shocks have a larger shaft. I will prove this to you. My shocks are here, but won't be installed for a while yet.

Any shocks that you buy for the PI nowadays will likely have the same shaft. I know this for a fact. Back in the early 90's my dad had a customer with an '87 CV (civilian). When the shocks went on it, my Dad tried to buy the PI shocks from the Ford dealer. He knew that they were far beffier. The parts guy ordered them and when they came in, they were nothing special. It was an autolite number, and the shocks were the same as civilian units, externally. Upon further research, the parts guy deduced that those shocks were not available for sale, and told my Dad so.

This may sound like BS, but believe me, I know for a fact that the PI shocks (the OEM units, not some shit you buy at the local parts store) are beefier. Maybe I can get a pic of the shaft on the car. I can see it, and have compared it to my '88 CV civilian parts car. I have removed the OEM cop shcoks from my old '88 CVPI, and noticed the huge difference when I swapped on some shitty KYB's. There is a huge difference. You shall see when I change them on this car (maybe not until spring at the rate I'm going)...

[Lincolnmania]

pi shocks have a larger body and piston

[P72Ford]

pi shocks have a larger body and piston

Thank you Scott. I take it you're removed the originals?

[mrltd]

well, it's friggin rare to find any PI's with stock shocks 20 years later. Not many of us have a car that has been that neglected. So, not many of us have seen them.

[torquelover]

I remember the originals on mine as well. They were big compared to what replaced them. I put in some Gabriel Reds from Autozone for PI's. They had much smaller shafts and bodies, and were a lot softer in compression and rebound, even compared to the old shocks with 120 or 220k on them. Pretty comfy, but the handling suffered big time.

[Lincolnmania]

no i use kyb pi shocks on all my builds