Coil Over shocks

timkins · August 09, 2009, 12:37:42 PM

My 32 Ford sedan has a Mustang II front end on it with Carrera Coil over shocks installed on it. Several years ago I replaced the stock A Arms with tubular arms from Speedway and I retained the strut on the lower arm. The Carrera coil overs are 7 3/4" closed to 11" open and are parts number P-3062 3336. When I wrote to QA1(Carrera) they said they had discontinued this shock. Can I replace these shocks with something larger in the open and closed aspect or will this screw up everything? If they can be replaced with larger, what would be a safe size to go with?

Fat Cat · August 09, 2009, 01:56:35 PM

In your case the limit your most likely going to experience is the overall height of the shock while collapsed. If this measurement is too long for your collapsed height of the suspension the shock will bottom out before the A-arm hits the bump stops. When that happens you will damage the valving mechanisms in the shock and could potentially cause it to fail while going down the road.

With that in mind what you need to find out is what the minimum and maximum height of the mounting points of your shocks are on the suspension. Those numbers would determine if you could go with a longer shock that what you have. Did QA1 have any suggestions about what you could use to replace what you had? I find it hard to believe that they do not offer some replacement that would not be within fractions of an inch in length to what you have. You could also check with other manufacturers to see if they offer a similar size to what you need.

wayne petty · August 09, 2009, 02:32:28 PM

as i understand... all QA1 shocks are completely rebuildable..

here is a link to their web site.. but i bet that you have been there...

http://www.qa1.net/

timkins · August 09, 2009, 04:40:40 PM

When QA1/Carrera replied to my e-mail, they said that this particular shock was discontinued and offered me one that was 7 3/8" to 10 3/8" in length but had eyelets at both ends rather than eyelet at the bottom end and a threaded shaft with rubber bushings at the top. That will not work.

wayne petty · August 09, 2009, 06:44:35 PM

i was looking at the QA1 web site... seems they have mustang 2 shocks..

but they seem to have rubber bushings on a stud on top and a ring on the bottom... maybe the guy who replied just does not have a clue...

i did not spend a lot of time searching... did you find the complete catalog download.

??
these are the part numbers from their mustang 2 web page...

RCMS4

   RCMS3375

   RCMS3500

   RCMS3600

   RCMS3700

   RCMS3

   RCMS1375

   RCMS1500

   RCMS1600

   RCMS1700

   RCMS1

here is a link to that page..

http://qa1.thomasnet.com/viewitems/sports-drag-and-street-performance-shock-absorbers/-and-street-performance-shock-absorbers-mustang-ii?&plpver=1001&sortid=1081&measuresortid=0

your measurements seem to be a little short... i wonder if they ran into problems with that length... and replaced it...

everybody could always use some extra length.. :oops:

timkins · August 09, 2009, 07:31:59 PM

I went to the site after you posted earlier and then sent an e-mail requesting further information about one of the shocks you mentioned as it did not have an open and closed measurement. Just wait for a reply sometime tomorrow. Thanks for your input Wayne, it helped a lot.

timkins · August 12, 2009, 02:59:34 PM

Well I finally got a reply from QA1. They indicate that the MSE 1500 coil over has a 8.125" compressed and 11.50" extended. As I mentioned earlier my current shocks are 7.75" compressed and 11" extended. My question is would the small difference in compressed (about 3/8")and extended (about 1/2") make a big difference if they were installed on my car?

wayne petty · August 12, 2009, 03:47:09 PM

with your car at ride height... can you see how much shock rod is sticking out... if you are in the middle or close to it.. you wont have a problem

whats wrong with the current shocks.>

? are they worn?

dented???

why not have them rebuilt...

i take it that these are the rebuildable type???

how hard is it to take the coil over out... you can always put it back in without the spring... but with 2 rubber bushings on the top pin before installing it.. throw a washer and nut on top... and without the spring.. cycle the suspension... see if there is any binding, bottoming out or topping out.

adding a second biscuit to the top should make it the same length as the new models...

chimp koose · August 13, 2009, 01:35:02 AM

The shock you mention has 3/8" MORE travel than the one you are using. I think you could mount it so it is 3/8" longer at normal ride height to ensure that you dont bottom out the shock.But I also thought all carrera shocks were rebuildable.(didnt know carrera changed to QA1 ,so I learned something on this thread)

wayne petty · August 13, 2009, 08:10:40 AM

how hard is it to take the coil over out... you can always put it back in without the spring... but with 2 rubber bushings on the top pin before installing it.. throw a washer and nut on top... and without the spring.. cycle the suspension... see if there is any binding, bottoming out or topping out.

adding a second biscuit to the top should make it the same length as the new models...
_________________

my thoughts got distracted.... this allows you to use your old shocks... to duplicate the stroke of the new shocks... to see if there is any binding...

one could even stick a tight rubber band or a Oring on the shaft.. and move the suspension through full stroke... to see if the shock bottoms out...

with 3/8" difference... unless you are running your shocks at the bottom of the stroke to do really low ride height... should not make any difference at all......

these shocks... are as far as i know... not like automotive shocks with tapered notches in the center of the stroke to bypass the valving.. giving the shock less damping in the middle of the stroke.... lets small bumps get absorbed while large bumps get damped...

timkins · August 13, 2009, 12:54:38 PM

When the weekend gets here I will take the shocks out and do some checking and let you know how I make out. Again thanks for the suggestions from all.

timkins · August 16, 2009, 09:21:03 AM

Let me explain what started this whole thing with the coilovers. Every time I hit a small bump or dip in the road I was getting noise from the suspension on the driver side. I had it narrowed down to either the coilover or the tubular A arms I installed a couple of years ago. I put the car up on jack stands yesterday and started to take it apart to perform some of the suggestions that Wayne made. Just for the heck of it I greased the fittings on the ball joints and lo and behold the noise has gone away. I cannot begin to tell you how much of a dummy I feel like. With all of the changes I made to the car over the winter I completely forgot to grease the fittings on the front end. Thanks again to all that responded with suggestions and comments.