Intuitive shock settings

[Mike Pearson]

Have someone video the car launch to see if the suspension is bouncing or the tire. You might have too much tire pressure causing the bounce. Good track tight shocks bad track loose.
What kind of shocks are you running front and back?

[joespanova]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

Have someone video the car launch to see if the suspension is bouncing or the tire. You might have too much tire pressure causing the bounce. Good track tight shocks bad track loose.
What kind of shocks are you running front and back?

Thanks for the replies.
Afco double adjustables ( with what they call Big Gun valving ). Sorry , not Santhuffs.
I just raised the ride height one hole on the floaters.......now the ladder bar is higher in the front and I get more separation , so I have to rethink the shocks........I did video and saw some things wrong.....which brings up another question.....if you LOWER the car you effectively put more "squat" in it.........which LOWERS the front of the bars ( because I have to raise the rear end on the floaters )....which I would assume plants the tires more...........OR , I can raise the ride height which RAISES the front of the bar "planting " the tires , also. I 'm not sure which is the best ( quickest) approach. Each direction requires different extension settings , apparently. Thoughts on that?

[Mike Mans]

Originally Posted by joespanova

Thanks for the replies.
Afco double adjustables ( with what they call Big Gun valving ). Sorry , not Santhuffs.
I just raised the ride height one hole on the floaters.......now the ladder bar is higher in the front and I get more separation , so I have to rethink the shocks........I did video and saw some things wrong.....which brings up another question.....if you LOWER the car you effectively put more "squat" in it.........which LOWERS the front of the bars ( because I have to raise the rear end on the floaters )....which I would assume plants the tires more...........OR , I can raise the ride height which RAISES the front of the bar "planting " the tires , also. I 'm not sure which is the best ( quickest) approach. Each direction requires different extension settings , apparently. Thoughts on that?

Big Gun valving is very aggressive, so those shocks have the inherent ability to get VERY tight. Your alteration in ride height changes a lot of things as you're finding out. Your effective "instant center" rises up significantly, which will alter how hard you hit the tire and it's a bit more aggressive from what I've experienced. A lower instant center will apply less force to the tire at the hit, but maintain a little more force to the tire for the duration of the run. If you feel that you need to hit the tire harder, a higher IC (or higher ride height in the instance of a ladder bar car) will assist in doing that. But if you're trying to not crush the tire and separate so much, you can counter that move with a much tighter extension setting on the shock.

I can't say that there is a strict right or wrong setting, it's really whatever works best with the application and combination you're working with. MOST big tire stick cars really seem to work well when they get the back of the car to squat instead of separate - so if it were me working with your car that's what I would work towards. Tighten shock in extension, and loosen it in compression.