Second-Gen Camaro QA1 Coilover Kit - Camaro Performers Magazine

1. Here’s the cure for what ails our Camaro: the Pro Coil kit from QA1. This kit (PN GS501-10350C, $449.95 at Summit Racing) has been engineered for stock GM front-ends and includes Proma Star aluminum single-adjustable coilover shocks and springs. The springs included in this kit are 350-pound linear-rate units and are powdercoated silver. We also picked up a set of spanner wrenches (PN T114W, $19.95) and their thrust bearing kit (PN 7888-109, $29.95). The thrust bearing kit provides less bind on the attachment points of the coilover shocks, making life and adjustments much easier. Upgrading to double-adjustable shocks will add about $160 to the ticket.

2. We’re not going to bore you by doing a step-by-step on how to take off the old junk. We’ll just give the obligatory warning that care needs to be taken when removing the factory springs. They contain a lot of stored energy, and if you don’t remove them the right way you could end up becoming a very unhappy camper. We disconnected the upper control arm from the spindle. We then drilled out the lower shock mount holes a bit to accommodate the new bolts provided in the QA1 kit.

2. We’re not going to bore you by doing a step-by-step on how to take off the old junk. We

A bad stance can kill the looks of even the coolest car. A jacked-up rake and a gap the size of the Grand Canyon over the front tire just looks bad. Back in the day we would grab a torch and slice a chunk out of the front coils. Sometimes it worked and sometimes, not so much. I remember one time when we cut off too much and had to run spring spacers until we could find another set at the local salvage yard. In truth, even when we cut them just right we were still doing nothing for, and most likely hurting, performance and drivability.

Today’s aftermarket offers an endless array of widgets to help you get your Camaro sitting pretty. One way is by going with a coilover suspension. The only problem is cost since it’s often a pricey proposition involving new control arms and sometimes a bit of fabrication. When we spied this QA1 Pro Coil system we were intrigued. It offers the benefits of a full-blown coilover system in what they bill as an easy to install package that doesn’t require messing with the GM control arms. It sounded like a sweet deal, so we ordered up a kit, borrowed a buddy’s Camaro, and decided to see for ourselves.

3. Don’t freak out when you see how much shorter the new spring is compared to the behemoth you just removed. Keep in mind that the new spring doesn’t need to go all the way down to the lower control arm like the stocker did. The springs are offered in 250-, 350,- 450-, and 550-pound rates. For our small-block equipped Camaro we decided on 350-pounders.

3. Don’t freak out when you see how much shorter the new spring is compared to the behemot
4. This roller thrust bearing and washer kit wasn’t included with the Pro Coil kit, but it was $30 well spent. When we went to adjust the ride height, it was the difference between a pleasurable experience and an expletive-laced task, complete with bleeding knuckles. Cliff notes: Buy the roller thrust bearing kit.

4. This roller thrust bearing and washer kit wasn’t included with the Pro Coil kit, but it
5. The old KYB gas shocks did an OK job, but the new QA1 units will give us tuning benefits over and above their ability to change ride height. The new shocks have 24 valving options, from cushy soft to ultra firm. The one knob changes both the compression and the rebound simultaneously. The fact that they look nice is just icing on the cake.

5. The old KYB gas shocks did an OK job, but the new QA1 units will give us tuning benefit

6. With the shock assembled, we slid it into place. We made sure to set the rings all the way to the bottom of the shock for easier installation. To help the spring seat spin freely on the shock, we dabbed a little antiseize on the threads. Putting the lift near the ground, we used a floor jack to compress the new spring until the bottom of the shock lined up with the mounting holes. We then used the supplied bolts and lock nuts to secure everything in place.

6. With the shock assembled, we slid it into place. We made sure to set the rings all the
7. With the shock bolted in place and the control arm reattached to the spindle, we started adjusting the ride height. Given the shape of the lower control arms, the first few threads were hard to do, but after that the spanner wrench was much easier to use. We went with a starting point of 13 threads up from the bottom. Once the upper ring was where we wanted it, we locked it in place with the lower ring using the other, smaller spanner wrench. We then attached the sway bar and double-checked all the bolts. Total install time was under 2 hours.

7. With the shock bolted in place and the control arm reattached to the spindle, we starte
8. Before

9. After: All hail the new stance. Since this ride is destined for pothole-strewn city streets, we didn’t put it in the weeds. But we did knock the front end down a couple of inches. Since this car will spend most of its time on the street, we set the dial at five clicks, but if we ever want to dodge some cones at an autocross, we’re just a few clicks away from a more aggressive setting.

9. After: All hail the new stance. Since this ride is destined for pothole-strewn city str

SOURCE
Best of Show Coachworks 1011 Rancheros Drive Suite B San Marcos CA 92069 760-480-0227 www.bestofshowcoachworks.com	QA1 Motorsports 21730 Hanover Avenue Lakeville MN 55044 800-721-7761 www.qa1.net
Summit Racing 800-230-3030 http://www.summitracing.com

Second-Gen Camaro QA1 Coilover Kit - Attitude Adjustment

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