2001CamaroGuy

iTrader: (6)

Before I start, please don't just tell me to "go buy someone else's set up....I would really like how to learn how to do this...

Ok...now down to business <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

Here is what I'm at so far.

the car weighs 3,440 lbs (empty tank and no driver)

Weight Distribution is about 55/45

so that comes to:

Front Left = 946 lbs
Front Right = 946 lbs
Rear Left = 774 lbs
Rear Right = 774 lbs

I am thinking of using:

Front springs = 650 lbs/in
Rear springs = 175 lbs/in
(both linear)

I have been working with some formulas I dug up from old books I had

front vertical stiffness per wheel = 390 lbs/in
rear vertical stiffness per wheel = 175 lbs/in

front natural frequency = 2.00
rear natural frequency = 1.48

formula for natural frequency:

3.13 (sqrt((suspension vertical stiffness per wheel)/(sprung weight per wheel)))

now....for the shock damping (with a ratio of .45) I used the following formula:

(0.45)(2(sqrt((suspension vertical stiffness per wheel)((sprung weight per wheel)/(32.2 * 12))))

What I go, was the following:

front = 27.81 lbs/in/sec
rear = 25.15 lbs/in/sec

now...that seems all fine and dandy...but the problem is...when I convert those damponing numbers to the shock manufaturer's lbs/25 in/sec.....I get:

front = 695 lbs/25 in/sec
rear = 628 lbs/25 in/sec

that seams REALLY REALLY high.....so high that it is way outside of what is even offered (they stop at a 600# comp. / 65# reb.)

so the ultimate question is....where did I go wrong? or did I?

Any help that you can give "pointing" me in the "right" direction would be really nice.

Thanks

Chris