Hi guys,
Just having my restoration shop install Justin's JMB stage-3 traction kit with the QA1 shocks. The kit is "OK", not bad, a little on the "budget" side. No instructions the first time, wrong shocks sent but ended out working OK as I ordered a 2" rear drop to suit my taste and the shocks we got. A few bolts missing on one of the leaf clamps and no instructions altogether for the stage-3 kit but yeah, my beef is with the fit of the front shocks. They are a very poor fit. They're universal but they could have been more suited to our trucks, not sure what the laws in the US are but these shocks are borderline non-warrantable in New Zealand. They were that bad the shop called to say the wrong shocks have been supplied because they were that far off. Sure they "go on" but don't fit. Not until I contacted Justin did we find out we had to "use the available adapters to make them work". Justin claims "he had nothing but excellent feedback from them, they are on the worlds fastest QC and RC as well as about 30-40 other trucks."
That's all nice and well, could be gold plated and on the Queens carriage for all I care it's not the point. If they fit like mine (same shock numbers etc) I'm not sure why no one has mentioned anything or come forward. My years on forums have also taught me to watch out for arse kissing: "BEST KIT EVER MADE!!!! Awesome!!!!!!!!!" when in reality it's not but no one says jack. I'm not saying in any way that this applies here at VTCOA. I just thought I'd share my experience. I'm sure they will function properly, just a poor fit and setup. I will drive it for a couple of hundred miles and keep checking for strains and if not happy will re-use the factory shocks which have stout and solid bolt mounts and are a solid fit. In terms of the kit, quality & fitment wise, I'd give the kit a 6/10 which is very fair in my opinion as a customer.
Problems: The sleeve that comes with it only fits halfway down the shaft and isn't a very nice fit, loose. The QAI bushings don't fit but Justin said not to use them but to use the factory ones, which we did but the fitment is still sub-standard. The bottom bolts are too small so the large washers supplied for the QA1 top bushings must be used at the bottom (see below). The shocks just don't fit nicely, simple as that. The shop said: "To be honest, there isn't much the shocks do have in common fitment wise to the originals, they're that far off". Great shocks, just wish there were, or was, a better set for OUR trucks as far as fitment goes. Plus the supplied nolathane bushes for the rear sway bar links were too small to fit over the link, so we had to purchase some locally. To be fair, I never mentioned this to Justin as it would just be a "hassle" for him and this kit seems to have bad/budget things popping up all over the show so I'm in recovery mode, "do what has to be done to fit this bloody thing." When you spend close to $1,000 for a kit, you expect the setup and fitment to be spot on, not have to run around and "make" it work. Last but not least, not happy at all with Justin's "service". Left a lot to be desired........
The large washers we had to use which were originally for the top.
Closer up.........
Hard to see, bad photo but the shaft is loose, not a tight fit......
Here is what the supplied stuff looks like on the left.....LOL........
Closer up.......if you guys class that as a great fit I'll be stunned.
Supplied QA1 bushing, Justin said they won't work, just showing how they are anyway
The factory bushings are used (as advised) but the sleeve doesn't fit well and it's still floating a little.
Just having my restoration shop install Justin's JMB stage-3 traction kit with the QA1 shocks. The kit is "OK", not bad, a little on the "budget" side. No instructions the first time, wrong shocks sent but ended out working OK as I ordered a 2" rear drop to suit my taste and the shocks we got. A few bolts missing on one of the leaf clamps and no instructions altogether for the stage-3 kit but yeah, my beef is with the fit of the front shocks. They are a very poor fit. They're universal but they could have been more suited to our trucks, not sure what the laws in the US are but these shocks are borderline non-warrantable in New Zealand. They were that bad the shop called to say the wrong shocks have been supplied because they were that far off. Sure they "go on" but don't fit. Not until I contacted Justin did we find out we had to "use the available adapters to make them work". Justin claims "he had nothing but excellent feedback from them, they are on the worlds fastest QC and RC as well as about 30-40 other trucks."
That's all nice and well, could be gold plated and on the Queens carriage for all I care it's not the point. If they fit like mine (same shock numbers etc) I'm not sure why no one has mentioned anything or come forward. My years on forums have also taught me to watch out for arse kissing: "BEST KIT EVER MADE!!!! Awesome!!!!!!!!!" when in reality it's not but no one says jack. I'm not saying in any way that this applies here at VTCOA. I just thought I'd share my experience. I'm sure they will function properly, just a poor fit and setup. I will drive it for a couple of hundred miles and keep checking for strains and if not happy will re-use the factory shocks which have stout and solid bolt mounts and are a solid fit. In terms of the kit, quality & fitment wise, I'd give the kit a 6/10 which is very fair in my opinion as a customer.
Problems: The sleeve that comes with it only fits halfway down the shaft and isn't a very nice fit, loose. The QAI bushings don't fit but Justin said not to use them but to use the factory ones, which we did but the fitment is still sub-standard. The bottom bolts are too small so the large washers supplied for the QA1 top bushings must be used at the bottom (see below). The shocks just don't fit nicely, simple as that. The shop said: "To be honest, there isn't much the shocks do have in common fitment wise to the originals, they're that far off". Great shocks, just wish there were, or was, a better set for OUR trucks as far as fitment goes. Plus the supplied nolathane bushes for the rear sway bar links were too small to fit over the link, so we had to purchase some locally. To be fair, I never mentioned this to Justin as it would just be a "hassle" for him and this kit seems to have bad/budget things popping up all over the show so I'm in recovery mode, "do what has to be done to fit this bloody thing." When you spend close to $1,000 for a kit, you expect the setup and fitment to be spot on, not have to run around and "make" it work. Last but not least, not happy at all with Justin's "service". Left a lot to be desired........
The large washers we had to use which were originally for the top.
Closer up.........
Hard to see, bad photo but the shaft is loose, not a tight fit......
Here is what the supplied stuff looks like on the left.....LOL........
Closer up.......if you guys class that as a great fit I'll be stunned.
Supplied QA1 bushing, Justin said they won't work, just showing how they are anyway
The factory bushings are used (as advised) but the sleeve doesn't fit well and it's still floating a little.
Last edited:
Were you dealing with me and Justin in our transactions? No, so how can you call me absurd when you know nothing about what happened. As others have done for his good service, I will voice my experience of his poor service - Or do we all bottle it up around here and brown nose? Not me.
