My approach is simple-I do not waste my time on all that pretentios scientific crap. I know that if I spin the **** on the shock, car handles and rides differently. I spin it until I like the results and sleep well.
I spend my time enjoying my car, not testing shocks and writing articles on the web.
It is definitely an overkill to be so **** about 40 second autocross run...but hey, some people eat their own boogers....

 

exactly. This is not a formula one race car, it is just a sporty coupe/sedan.

 

Yup, Tokico might not be that great and adjustable might be bull, but my car handles 10x better than stock and the tighter shock settings keep the springs from bouncing all over the place.

 

This is completely false. Like Jeff stated, adjusting a shock's compression/rebound(rebound for the d-specs) does not change how much total spring/shock travel there is AT ALL. The only thing it does is changes the force required at which this travel occurs. Using the same spring, changing the d-specs from soft to hard is a very minimal effect on initial spring compression, what is changes is how fast the spring uncompresses, like Jeff stated, "control". The total amount of travel possible remains the same though, it just takes more spring compression/release for it to counteract the compression/rebound control. The reason it feels stiffer as you crank the **** is due to the suspension traveling less due to the spring's movement being limited more by the shock control.

 

Exactly what I have been saying. But others claim stiffening up the shocks = better handling. At least that's what I THINK someone is claiming. Who knows what cryptic language he's trying to speak

Adjusting shock to match the spring rate = fine.
Adjusting shock to way beyond that match = not the correct way. Others will disagree

Making the shock stiffer/softer doesn't affect the travel length of the spring or shock. Given enough force, it WILL compress/decompress to it's full alloted travel length. But if you are saying that stiffening the shock will reduce the amount the spring compresses on a given downward force, yes that might happen. BUT that's not what the shock was desgined for. that's what the spring is desgined for.

 

Well according to Jeff and You, shock has nothing to do of how much the spring compresses. Now u are contradicting urself.

 

That much was very clear.

That's what I thought I was asking. A question to quantify your answer.


Whether or not any accusations were false or not, will continue to remain a mystery. Luckily, it ain't that a big of a deal.

Win? Congrats on being the most evasive?

 

No. We are saying the shock SHOULDN'T have a bearing on how much the spring compresses. (correct way of tuning)

Not that the shock CAN'T have the ability to do this. (incorrect way of tuning)

Just because you are able to adust it one way or the other, doesn't mean it's okay or recommended. For example, anyone is welcome to lower their car down the weeds and not use any camber correction. They will end up with 3-4 deg of neg camber? They might even swear up and down their car handles like no other now. But in reality, is that the proper way to lower the car?

 

Where did I say it has nothing to do with how much the spring compresses? I stated that it changes the force required for that to occur, but the TOTAL travel hasn't changed. You stated that by adjusting the the shock stiffer(compression or rebound? you never stated) that the travel would be less for the same spring. The TOTAL travel is still the same. This is especially true for shocks that only adjust rebound. It will be just as easy to compress the shock at soft or hard because you aren't changing this characteristic, you are changing how much the shock resists being uncompressed(rebound). This translates to a a "stiffer" feel because when cornering, one spring compresses while the other uncompresses, increasing the rebound effects this tendency, but your fundamental reasoning is wrong.

 

So are u saying by stiffening the shocks all it does is lagg the rebound of the shock therefore giving u the impression the car is stiffer???

One thing about lowering/camber kits etc... Yes more negative camber means more grip also faster tirewear in normal driving condition. I personally care about grip therefore as long as my toe is withing specs i could care less about a camber kit. I am okay going through tires every year.

 

Ok, now i see what u are saying...

 

What do you mean by stiffer, are you adjusting rebound or compression?

 

what do those ***** adjust on top of the shock? Do those clicks adjust the rebound or the compression. By reading this thread im guessing it adjusts the rebound.

 

It depends on the shock, some only do one or the other, some can do both

 

On the issue of camber the point is to maintain as much tire on the road as possible. There is a law of diminishing returns as it pertains to camber(and shock stiffness). More is better to a point. After that point more is worse.