Help! QA1 shock leaks through adjustment knob

[parsonsj]

I'm getting ready for an autoX this Sunday, and I thought I'd stiffen my shocks. I've been running them at the soft setting, and I thought I'd stiffen them up.

3 of the 4 no problem. But one of them was stuck, and I couldn't make it any tighter. So I backed it out to find the bottom adjustment "click" and count from there. It felt a little funny, and then fluid started running out. I quickly turned it back in, and the leak stopped.

I pulled the shock out of the car and I've got it on the bench.

So ... any advice? Is the fluid already lost going to cause me headaches? Should I take some vice grips and force the adjustment knob past the "tight" spot?

Buy a new shock?

Anybody?

jp

[ProdigyCustoms]

Call Pat at QA1, 952 985 5675, tell him I told you to call (he will probably hang up, LOL). Let him know the car is heading to Year One (he will be there), and you will be kickin his................., LOL! Seriously, see if he can get you a shock overnight

[Bill Howell]

I had the same issue with one John, In fact the new one is sitting on the hood of the goat right now, waiting for me to find time to change it between now and next week.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I had the same issue with one John, In fact the new one is sitting on the hood of the goat right now, waiting for me to find time to change it between now and next week.

What! Sitting on the hood! You are so fired! Go get that shock off of that bench (hood) right now! That thing is royalty!

[Bill Howell]

Actually, it is on the radiator support, still in the box. Relax.....hehe

I forgot to mention in the other post though that I do have 4900+ miles of driving on mine, including some rough ass Northern roads last year on the Power Tour, plus probably that many more in a trailer. Remember the thread a couple weeks ago somewhere about tieing the car down in the trailer? I think that may have caused my issue on the way to Indy, too much bind on the front suspension.

[parsonsj]

Thanks guys.

With tender loving care and with the use of vice grips and a hammer (lol), I got the adjustment knob to loosen up. I was able to screw the seat back down, and the shock has full adjustment again.

Now ... how bad was losing some fluid? No biggie? Huge problem?

Me and shocks ... we've no time together. I don't know anything about them.

jp

[David Pozzi]

They can lose a bit of fluid and work fine.
What was loose? a seat below the knob?
We have these on my wife's 73 Camaro, so I'm curious.

I hear some negative comments on them but they made our Camaro work a lot better.
David

[parsonsj]

David,
Yes, there is a seat below the knob. It looks like it is supposed to be tight against the shock body, and the shaft for the knob comes through the seat. Then the knob is attached to the shaft via a simple set screw.

I was able to run the seat back into the shock body by driving it around with a screwdriver (I mean punch, lol) and a hammer. It went easy for at least 2 turns, then got tight immediately. I think I got it tight. Once that was done, I tapped the shaft with a hammer, and then it started turning pretty easily. I put the knob back on, and then I could get the nice clicks I got from the other 3. It's not leaking, and seems OK.

Perhaps I saved it. Maybe I ought to have a spare around just to be sure?

jp

[parsonsj]

One other thought: this exact problem might be the majority of the leaky QA1 shocks you hear about.

We'll see how it holds up at the autoX.

jp

[TitoJones]

Pssst- John. There is a shock known as Penske's, and they will not leak on you. Look into it.

Tyler

[parsonsj]

Penske eh? Sounds familiar.

Know a retailer that might fit me up? :)

jp

[nbecker]

I had the same problem with one on my forth gen,I took it to Naake performance to get it fixed,And told me it has to be completely tore down to fix it.They only charged me 20 bucks witch is half the price of a rebuild so i dont think they were after my money,So i think you should call Qa1 to make sure its going to be ok

[parsonsj]

I talked to Pat at QA1 today. He said that I probably lost too much fluid for the shock to be reliable, and recommended I get it checked out. There is a place in Tampa that is an authorized repair facility (United SpeedWorld). Phillip Jr. is the guy.

In the meantime, since I want to be on the track in Lake County on Sunday, I ordered another one from Summit. It will be here tomorrow.

jp