Drag Racing Tech - afco da shocks setup

bought a set of afco double adjustable shocks for the front and rear of my camaro with afco 325 springs on the front. I have 275/60/15 mt radials on the car whats a good starting point for the settings on the shocks?

Many factors.

How about posting up background info....

Transmission
Rear (including gearing)
Race Weight
Suspensions Mods
Previous track time w/ 60 foot.

flt stage 5 4l60
yank 4000 extreme converter
moser 12 bolt 3.73 gears
wole anti roll bar
madman lca
lca relocation brackets
adj panhard bar
spohn body mount ta
racecraft kmember
racecraft upper and lower control arms
3890 with me in it
heads and cam ls1 leaving on 150 shot
made 602 at the wheels with 150 shot

Try two off full tight in the front on compression, 20 off full tight in the front on rebound, 18 off full tight in the rear on the rebound and 10 off full tight on compression in the rear. Those settings will put you in the middle if your shocks have 38 adjustment clicks on rebound and 22 clicks on compression like mine do. Tight is clockwise, loose is counter clockwise.

If it spins loosen the rebound till it hooks. If it wheel hops tighten the compression. If you still can't seem to get it to hook by loosening the rebound, take it back to 18 off tight and start loosening the compression. Loosen 2 clicks at a time when you make an adjustment.

Put a picture or video of how the car launches in here on those settings.

Added: How many holes are there for the front of the TA that attaches to the body? 1, 2 or 3? Which hole is it in? Also what hole are your LCA's in in the rear?

ta has one hole lca have 2 they are in the bottom.
with a 3200 converter and slicks I was 60 ft 1.43 I changed converters and put radials on it and just blows the tires away

ta has one hole lca have 2 they are in the bottom.
with a 3200 converter and slicks I was 60 ft 1.43 I changed converters and put radials on it and just blows the tires away

Yea upping the stall speed and going to a radial will make it harder to hook.

How old are the M/T's? I know money doesn't grow on trees, but the Hoosier Drag Radials in the 275/60 size are a night and day difference over the M/T on a less than excellent track and even better on a great track.

What settings did you have with the slicks? 28x10.50 ET Drag?

Looks like you have bought stuff from MADMAN. Give him a call and he will set you up with a baseline.

the radials were bout last Sep and I ran them four times. ill have to find my book were I wrote it down on the settings. the slicks I had were hossier 28x10 they always did great.I got a deal on the mt radials a buddy had bought them for his car and then he sold the car before he put them on so thats why I went with these. I'm bout ready to throw a slick back on

o yea madman great I have talk to him he's has tried to help but over the phone its just hard to do I just wanted to see what everbody else has there's set at

one thing I'm confused about is the adj. knobs, the one on bottom is compression and the one on the top is rebound is this right or do I have it backwards?

one thing I'm confused about is the adj. knobs, the one on bottom is compression and the one on the top is rebound is this right or do I have it backwards?

Which way is the end of the shock pointing that has the rod end on it? Which way is the body of the shock pointing?

Meaning in the front and rear is the body of the shock closer to the ground and pointing towards it and the piston end/rod end of the shock pointing upwards and towards the sky?

If that is the way they are mounted then yes compression is on the bottom (body of the shock) and the rebound is mounted on the top(rod end/piston end) of the shock.

yes body is on the bottom rods on top

I just stumbled onto this thread and wanted to say thanks to Fbodyjunkie06 for some very detailed and informative posts. Good info!! :thumb:

Ok heres my take. You want a softer hit with a drag radial so...

1 Frim the frt rebound so it takes longer for the frt end to rise. If your runing near stock weight or 275 - 300 "lb springs then soften it some for weight transfer.

2 Frim the frt comp. This will keep the rear tires planted longer and help keep the frt end from bottoming out or bouncing when coming back down. If you wheel stand. Soften them up till you wheel hop or bounce then go back a couple clicks.

3 Frim the rear rebound. This will soften the hit on the tires and allow the body to seperate more. Soften this up if the track has good bite and good prep.

4 Frim up the rear comp. this will hold the tire to the track. If you soften the rear rebound you can also soften this setting.

5. Try this. Set the shocks full soft. Then the mid settings. Then full frim and see how the car reacts. Adjust from there.


Drag radials aren't as soft as slicks ( duh..) Most mid power cars can't wrinkle them thus they react and unload faster then a true slick. There fore the shock settings are different.

I have Affco's on my car with a built street type suspension. I don't have a rear drag bar but have been 1.36 and usually 1.4's on a 16" Hossier slick. Not with a drag radial. I have run both MT's and now a NTO5 and I have to walk it out of the hole. So what do I know:chug: Good luck lets us know what works.

thanks guys going to try it tomorrow just hope they prep the track ill update yall when I get back

Radials vs. Slicks big difference but a lot of what you posted can work 1lejohn.

I just stumbled onto this thread and wanted to say thanks to Fbodyjunkie06 for some very detailed and informative posts. Good info!! :thumb:

Anytime.

Radials vs. Slicks big difference but a lot of what you posted can work 1lejohn.

F Slicks :devil:

F Slicks :devil:

All day!

What LEjohn said about the front shock settings is right on, the rear set-up is different on a radial though.

f slicks :devil:

lol !!

Same thing I say about radials... I like my junk to have the ability to recover if it spins. That, and the prep where I usually run, the only thing that's consistant, is that it's inconsistant. Trying to get a car to run right on radials with the amount of variance we deal with is more work then the return would be. Slick tire, you can make a 1 or 2 click adjustment or a lb of air in and out and still get down the track at about 99% of what you're capable of. Radial tire, one day you'll be blowing them off and the next day, putting it on the bumper, same track.

Guys that have the luxury of running at places that do alot of bigger radial events, or prep for weekly radial classes have track prep. Not much of that once you go north of atco.

Guys that have the luxury of running at places that do alot of bigger radial events, or prep for weekly radial classes have track prep. Not much of that once you go north of atco.

Could not say it better, bring that junk up to LVD and we will see how good that radial is. I can tell you, you won't be doing any PB's and I'll even spot you some Corrected DA.

Could not say it better, bring that junk up to LVD and we will see how good that radial is. I can tell you, you won't be doing any PB's and I'll even spot you some Corrected DA.

Don't get your vagina hurt. You can tell me whatever you want and I'll still say F slicks.

BTW I think all 3 of the "junk" radial cars in this post don't need the spot but thanks anyways.

BTW I think all 3 of the "junk" radial cars in this post don't need the spot but thanks anyways.


LMFAO!!!!!

They pumpin' KOOL AID SON!!!

Back tire for life!

What JL said is right though. When I got this car from Josh@KYturbo the shock settings he had in the car would blow the tires off one pass and then chatter the shit out of them the next.

I took the car home, talked to some fast radial guys and a couple suspension guru's got their information took a baseline and ran a 1.31 60' off the trailer first pass. Did some tweaking ran 1.30 and 4.09 to the 330'. Third pass tweaked one more thing took it back out and ran 1.29 60' 4.05 330' off the footbrake.

Next week out those same shock settings that did so well, blew the tires off again. Made a adjustment and it was on the back tires for 50' out and I hit 2nd in the air. Next pass tightened the front shocks up and ran consistent 6.40's all day.

It's all about knowing your combo and knowing what that shock adjustment will do to the car's suspension. You can have someone give you a "golden" suspension tune up on one track one day, but the next time out it will not work unless your at MIR or SGMP where the prep is consistent as JL said.

LMFAO!!!!!

They pumpin' KOOL AID SON!!!

Back tire for life!

What JL said is right though. When I got this car from Josh@KYturbo the shock settings he had in the car would blow the tires off one pass and then chatter the shit out of them the next.

I took the car home, talked to some fast radial guys and a couple suspension guru's got their information took a baseline and ran a 1.31 60' off the trailer first pass. Did some tweaking ran 1.30 and 4.09 to the 330'. Third pass tweaked one more thing took it back out and ran 1.29 60' 4.05 330' off the footbrake.


Next week out those same shock settings that did so well, blew the tires off again. Made a adjustment and it was on the back tires for 50' out and I hit 2nd in the air. Next pass tightened the front shocks up and ran consistent 6.40's all day.

It's all about knowing your combo and knowing what that shock adjustment will do to the car's suspension. You can have someone give you a "golden" suspension tune up on one track one day, but the next time out it will not work unless your at MIR or SGMP where the prep is consistent as JL said.

I know, I was just having a little fun and I guess it was at the expense of other people. You're correct on knowing the setup and I guess I'm fortunate to have good people helping me when I'm on a crappy surface. However, I ain't pumping no Kool-Aid when it comes to someone calling my shit "radial junk". He can have the bump, wiggle, shake, break, or whatever he needs.

We have spun the tires at MIR and SGMP.
We have also went right down at Capitol (terrible track).

We can get down anywhere, just won't be as fast on the bad tracks is all.

Don't get your vagina hurt. You can tell me whatever you want and I'll still say F slicks.

Keep it up I may have to slap you with my Vagina. Maybe only chance you will ever get to feel one. :gay:

:cheers:

Slicks have their place, radials have come a long way. When they start running them in Top Fuel, then I guess I'll care.

:corn:

Keep it up I may have to slap you with my Vagina. Maybe only chance you will ever get to feel one. :gay:

:cheers:

Slicks have their place, radials have come a long way. When they start running them in Top Fuel, then I guess I'll care.

:corn:

Speaking of gay jokes, how fast is your car? Like I said, you're Top Fuel Trans Am has the back tire for life.

We have spun the tires at MIR and SGMP.
We have also went right down at Capitol (terrible track).

We can get down anywhere, just won't be as fast on the bad tracks is all.

When your at a track like MIR or SGMP you can really stand on the tune-up to see what the track will hold.

At a shitty track your in the mindset of going a to b and the thought of standing on the tune-up doesn't even cross your mind really.

I don't have to tell you that though Wayne you guys are "gangster's" with the nitrous tune-ups:D

BS machine did you know that power management in a Top Fuel car is VERY much similar to power management on a high hp radial car like a X275, Outlaw 275 or ODR car?

It's a situation where both set-ups have WAY more power than the tire can hold.

That's why they slip the clutch for half the pass on top fuel cars and don't engage lock-up till the 660', just like an ODR car not coming on the boost until 200-300' out on an 1/8th mile track.

Power management is the name of the game in racing no matter what the tire, some just make it easier than others. If you know how to tweak your suspension and tune-up the right way it doesn't really matter the surface.

Shocks like Afco double adjustables make that possible on a 275 radial.

Speaking of gay jokes, how fast is your car? Like I said, you're Top Fuel Trans Am has the back tire for life.

That had a zing to it!:angel:

That had a zing to it!:angel:

That's just my smartassness. I learned it from some guy named Widow_Maker.

That's just my smartassness. I learned it from some guy named Widow_Maker.

Hmmm, never heard of him:D Must be a real asshole!;)

Speaking of gay jokes, how fast is your car? Like I said, you're Top Fuel Trans Am has the back tire for life.

My junk is slow and that wont change any time soon, but I get to play and be around fast shit so long story short slicks have their place.

Btw between you and Fbody Junkie, which one is the sack and which one is the rider??

---> :sack:
All
So anyways I like radials and I like slicks certains classes will work better than others, and radials will be faster if you don't spin and cutting the same 60' foot but thats the trick. Fact is though some tracks will ruin your day if you actually plan on racing events and last I checked most don't drive and spend money to lose and "have a good time".

All kidding, and gay jokes aside....

New season has started and do expect to see some if not all DR records easily broken. So I am leaving it there and yes "F" slicks is funny now that I get to think bout it.

It was all in good fun, us radial guys stick together!

We take personal offense to anyone calling our rides "radial junk" as you can see.

A car that hasn't had a lot of care or time in the suspension can slap a slick on and go fast any day of the week on any shitty track in the country no doubt and that is a huge advantage.

I know one thing though. I get a HUGE sense of pride when people come up to me on race day asking me how in the hell I get my 275 radial tired car down the track with the front tires 3' in the air for the first 60' on a track that is greasy and mediocre at best.

It takes a really good tuner and really good understanding of your suspension to make it work with a radial tire. I just enjoy a challenge.

And I am not by any means saying guys that run slicks are taking the easy way out or there accomplishments don't mean anything because that is FAR from the truth they have to play the power management game just like we do.

Just my .02 cents.

OP have you tried taking the car to the track on the settings I suggested?

It was all in good fun, us radial guys stick together!

We take personal offense to anyone calling our rides "radial junk" as you can see.



I would be the same way. :cheers: