I put QA1 coilovers on my 66 mustang and it was night and day difference. Love the ease to install, and if you look at al the components involved with the stock setup compared to QA1 its not that big of a price difference. Glad to see you upright and providing great information on our classic chariots!!
Another great video Jeff - thanks! Honestly I went back and forth on the shocks for my ‘65 Falcon and ended up with Bilsteins at the suggestion from John at Open Tracker Racing. But I also bought his whole suspension setup and he thought they worked best for that setup.
Boy... You almost have a post-covid glow, Jeff! Rear end is this winter for the Bonneville. I think it'll be KYB monotubes and a buddy is gifting me his lightly used rear springs after buying coilovers. Boxing trailing arms, new bushings and adding a 1" sway also. I'll have his setup save for the Vi-Kings and I was in love with how planted his rear end felt.
On my 67 Mustang gt, the previous owner has Gabriel gas shocks with coil overs front and back. Ride is stiff, like an old buckboard wagon. However, it was an 8 sec race car. Nice to know this info Jeff. Thanks for sharing sir.
Many people that I know who've installed KYB Gas-A-Just shocks do not like them due to being too stiff. To me, they are a budget shock with budget valving/technoloogy, and the result is a harsh budget ride. That said, I don't think one needs to use oil shocks to achieve a good ride, nor do I think there is much merit to the belief that one should use oil shocks in old cars simply because it's what they were originally designed to use. Damping technology has evolved lightyears beyond where things were in the '60s, and old cars can still reap the benefits.
I just finished a complete suspension install front and rear on my 68 Cougar (haven’t even had it on the road yet). Competition leafs and 1” drop coils with a Shelby drop. It has new KYB gas adjust shock in now and though it sits level front and rear I was surprised the front was up as high as it is after 1” drop coil and Shelby drop. I love to see the difference with QA1s in the front.
I love my KYB adjustable gas shock. I have 68 mustang 289. The car rides better ( a little stiff) we like. At all speeds it holds the curves and stable cruising at 70+. We replace rear leaf springs and added 1/2 inch for a great level ride. Love your show.
The biggest difference between cheap and expensive shocks is the ride/handling balance. I run Koni's in my '73 Aussie Falcon and Bilstein's in my other late model Falcon's. You can get good handling cheaper shocks or good riding cheaper shocks, pick one. Expensive shocks have a refined, comfortable ride with excellent handling, and once you've had it you can't go back. It's cost me a damn fortune over the years! 😂Glad that you are firing on all 8 again Jeff.👍
I installed Bilsteins on the front of my 63 Falcon, they raised the front enough to take it out of alignment., and the ride was not good , replaced with cheap monroes and ride and front end alignment got better but had to do a re alignment, purchased some hydraulics and plan to install them in the future
A suspension shop I went to said for a street car a monotube shock like a bilstein can't be beaten. I had no idea what they meant but I've got bilsteins on two cars and they ride pretty nice.
I see a lot of people throw out KYB and such, but I've used Gabriel ultra gas shocks on 2 64 galaxie's and a 99 grand marquis. They are a little stiffer than stock but still have a nice ride and definitely improve the handling of all 3 cars a little bit. And they didn't cost a fortune either. Fun fact, a 99 grand marquis uses the same part number shocks as a 64 galaxie front and rear.
Great video guys !!..To me KYB is the only thing i can say will last i stopped liking the other common brands i will not buy any other thing but kyb any more and progressive rate springs are nice to upgrade
Still waiting on that T5 and hydraulic clutch swap video! Could really use that to figure out what to do with my own.. can’t find any detailed videos on RU-vid either.
Modern Drive just posted a video 2 weeks ago on installing a T5 in a 65 Mustang. I’m in the middle of converting my FMX auto to an TKX manual in my 69 Mach 1. Good luck on your build.
Good episode. You state with your example that changing back to oil shocks alone dropped the front end an inch. If I understand that correctly - the oil shocks make the spring take more weight/compress more, effectively reducing spring rate. Ok, so gas shocks are stiffer, but if I can get it to a ride height I like why is it a negative? I guess I'm trying to understand your statements "Ford Engineers designed your suspension for oil shocks" & "Gas shocks ... change how it(your suspension) sees things going down the road" How does having a stiffer shock change things, other than being stiffer. Does it affect alignment, ball joint angle (excessive wear, etc), put more stress on parts, etc? Basically what is the impact of the stiffer shock on the suspension. I may be overthinking this, or maybe I've dove in to deep (I've been known to do that), maybe I just don't understand suspensions well enough. I'm not trying to be a jerk or a troll, I think your vids are great.
Man, i wish I had seen this before I rebuilt the front end of my T-Bird with the Gas-A-Justs 😅 She's sitting so high I was confused and raised the rear end an inch and still it sits nose high. Now I know why!!
I know you were taking about cars but as you also have f100 on here to I've used pro comp es9000 shocks for over 25 yrs on my pickup I've had for 32yrs I found they were the only ones that last an give a good ride an I tried most but billsteins an Rancho shocks
To be honest I have always used the kyb gas adjust for years, its just a good budget shock for handling and they've been around for a long time which says something. It is harsh don't get me wrong but that's the price you pay for wanting to go fast around the corners. And from numerous videos like this an forums I decided to try a oil shocks on my falcon and if I did it again I wouldn't go that route not worth the money for stock suspension. But if I was running coilovers then it be worth it the spent. Just my personal experience not looking to bash anyone.
If the springs are old and a bit week on the wagon, I would put air shocks to take a bit of roll and sag out of the old springs. Cheap air shocks on a heavy back end ride nice if you don't put too much pressure. Just level the old wagon back out and it takes some roll out of it.
Jeff, what are the part numbers for the front and rear QA1 shocks you used. I want to install them on my 68 Torino. The big block springs are ridiculously tall. The gas shocks are waaaayyy to stiff.
These are QA1 part numbers: Stocker Star Single Adjustable SKU: TS503 Rears for a wagon are different as they have a hoop not a spear (don't tell anyone but I went with Viking on my rear shocks). Rear Torino Stocker Star Double Adjustable SKU: TD601
@@AutoRestoMod Thanks for this. I changed my fronts to the single adjustable QA1's. I pulled out the $20 Monroe Gasmatics. One had some charge in it, but not like new. My ride height didn't change any with the QA1's, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the difference it makes in ride quality. With the Monroes and 428 springs, I felt like I was driving a 4000 lb. wash board around. Just ordered the QA1's for rear, which is the same as the Mustang/Falcon part. I thought about Viking, but I worry about mix/match suspension components creating odd handling qualities.
What about the KYB Excel-G? It's a twin-tube, low-pressure gas shock, and less expensive than the GR-2 which is a mono-tube, high-pressure gas shock which is stiffer...
I just have not tried the Exel-G. Don't want to speak to something that has not graced my cars. I've used the GR-2s and the Gas Adjusts. Some call the Gas Adjust "sporty"....
I own a 71 Galaxie,, Standard they are as floaty as a boat. As a long time racer I wanted some degree of handling. The first set of shocks, Gabriel I bought improved the car for a short period then turned to crap. The old gas rear shocks from my racecar went onto the Galaxie and that at least stopped the wallow. And did NOT raise the car though the ride was far better. Then a supplier had a special on 7 rate Afco street stock shocks. With gas bags. Which resolved the front. A world of difference. Coupled with 4 deg of caster and a hint of neg camber it now has decent manners and will out handle many more 'sporty' models. The Aussie Falcons and Fairlanes used the same basic suspension as 60s US Falcons and Mustangs. By the early 80s Ford had them very well sorted with gas shocks and variable rate springs front and rear. Even utes, Vans and wagons with leaf springs had better manners Though the front shock has major inherent problems as it is very small and short so can overheat when worked hard, more so with stiffer springs. My racecar, an 84 Falcon is using 5" stroke large alloy body Proshocks. Built for the application. Set up as a coilover. Works well as do the rears 6" Pro with 7" shafts. Are they ideal?? No but for the price very good. I have had the dumb gas shocks on a couple of used cars. Bloody terrible. Near undriveable. And I have not even seen them in a decade. But most decent gas shocks on the market do not have those issues but do firm up the suspension. AFAIK QA1 race shocks have gas bags. The ones I have used defenitly did. Though speedway shocks with rod ends. And are a decent thing. While I am talking these things do NOT use 'poly' bushings in these old classics. Or any modern car either. They bind the suspension in some cases causing broken caster arms and pick up points and in scenarios where the bush is supposed to be bonded to the sleeves and main bodies just flop all over the place. Useless!! Auto adjusting suspension,,NOT. Ford used rubber for a reason, a very good reason, it has enough 'give' to resolve binding up and gives a good ride. And is hard to beat. And lasts a long time. I use it on all front suspensions, road car and [production based] racecar.
Maybe you can help me! I have a 73 Lincoln mark iv and the brake booster is leaking. They don't make them anymore. I can send it out for rebuild,but it's the only car I have. Drive it every day. Can you help? Thanks love the channel!
@@AutoRestoMod I can get a 5473150. I think it's the same just look a little different. The bolt patterns looks the same. But I'm not for sure. What do you think? Thanks for your time. 🤘💯
Almost every shock on the planet right now is either a semi gas or an all gas shock… oh there's one there the only companies I know that are making non gas shocks are QA1 and Viking and Viking and Koni also offers a non gas shock for the Mustang line.
@@AutoRestoMod You are correct. I spoke from old information. Another place gas shocks don't work from my experience is in the axle control position on SN95 Mustangs. I installed KYBs on my 98 Cobra and the rear had no give, resulting in two bent wheels. I replaced the KYB axle control units with Monroe-Matic oil shocks in that application which solved the problem, but that was perhaps 8-10 years ago. I do in fact have QA1s on my 1966 Fairlane. It had gas shocks when I bought it, and they were needed to increase effective spring rate. When I replaced the springs, I switched to the QA1.
Non nitrogen charged twin tube shocks cavitate then over heat the longer you use it....there is a reason why 99% of shocks are pressurized and dont lose dampening. Bilstines are about 360psi of nitrogen is not low pressure its all about the valving in the quantity shocks.
Gas shocks add spring rate. ? So for the price of a set of oil shocks, i can get a cheap kyb or koni AND a set of new springs. Remember 50 year old coils are 99% wasted and need to be replaced anyway. Why not use "cheap" shocks, NEW 10% weaker coils for less $$ than oil shocks?
