916LS1

iTrader: (4)

I just finished my suspension rebuild, I got Hotchkis sways front & rear, the pro-kit, and Koni SA's. The car isn't a DD, and I want it to handle the BEST it can, I don't care about the ride comfort. Is the stiffer the better front and back? I've got the fronts on 5, and the rears on 8.5. Whats the best combo?

Screamin_Z

iTrader: (2)

u need to talk to Sam, he'll tell u exactly what to set ur shocks to match ur other suspension mods

May Spin

Final Setting's and fine tuning is usually reserved for customers. I doubt Sam set this car up. Anyway... If you want the "best", call Sam Strano and see what you can do about ditching that rear bar.

BAD99TA

I just installed Koni SAs so I haven't played around with them yet. For the fronts I turned them all the way down to 0, then advanced them 5 towards firm. For the rears I turned them down all the way to 0 and then made one full turn on each towards firm.

Ojustracing

iTrader: (4)

5 sweeps sound correct for the front. 8.5 for the rear is way too much in my opinion. Max for my car is 1.5 and that after going to rod ended LCA.

Later John

916LS1

iTrader: (4)

I wanted the rear very stiff to help with bottoming out, it seems to be working in most cases, but it does get me to thinking if that is causing the wobbling feeling while turning hard under acceloration. I was thinking about getting a panhard bar to eliminate that.

Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

You wanted to keep it from bottoming out so you maxed out the rebound damping... think about that one and try again.

Andros

iTrader: (5)

tuning the konis is up to you really. The rear shocks are ez to tune its the fronts that r a pain. but its all worth it in the end.

916LS1

iTrader: (4)

Basically what I'm trying to get at here is, is stiffer better for handling, and soft for dragging? I'd like maximum handling when I'm not at the drag strip, but adjust them for dragging when I do that. A lot of you seem to think theres a happy medium, but I'm trying to look at it on either extreme end of the spectrum. Or, did I just answer my own question?

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Engineers work on what damping factor is right for a car for a long time. Hard to say really.

I don't think stiffer is always better. Turning it all the way up on a race car doesn't make sense because you probably have less weight than what the max weight the strut was designed for as many different setups were considered when the thing was engineered. Makes sales better.

I would go over the biggest bump you normally go over and adjust the struts to travel about 20% of the max travel. Thats pretty sporty in my opinion. Just becareful that the struts aren't doing all the work. I am sure you paid a lot for them!

If you are dragging. Stiff in the front, soft in the back, right? Just adjust it to where enough weight is shifted to BARELY take the front wheels off the ground.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

okay, since you have adjustible shocks and you intended to make somewhat ideal for drag racing when at the strip, then for handling when you drive home, then plan on using different settings for both situations.

For drag races, turn them down to 0 for your first run, record times, then turn each damper up for the appropriate setting on the appropriate corner. After several runs, you then compile your times to then sort out what are the best settings for optimal drag racing with the Koni's. It is time consuming at first, but then again, welcome to the improved world of damper adjustment.

For handling when driving home, some will suggest using the streets for that, however I'm against that for some very obvious reasons. If possible, see if you can set up an AX course of sorts on a closed off parking lot with some realistic turns that you would do on the street. Again start around 0, gradually work your way up, compile times, then select the better of the settings to use as a final setup.

For both of these, you'll end up with two of your settings that you are used to, one for the strip, the other for the street.

dailydriver

Foxxtron; I agree with all you've stated, except, shouldn't he keep the fronts at 0 all the time for drag racing?? One wants/needs the MAX amont of weight transfer off of the front, and given that the SAs already have more rebound at O than the stock De Crapons (and most, if not all adjustable drag shocks), I would think this would be the case (with the fronts only, of course).

May Spin

Ultimately it is the the dampers compression rate which is going to decide on how quickly the weight is to be transfered to the rear springs. How long that weight remains there is decided by the rebound rate. With Koni SA's we have no control on how quickly a given spring rate is compressed. So.... all we can do is control at what rate that spring tries to recover. So obviously softening the rears are going to have more of an effect than the fronts.

Scott.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

May spin beat me to the punch.

dailydriver makes a lot of sense when it comes to leaving the front 8241 SA's at 0 for drag racing, however the reasoning behind my suggestion to experiment with increasing the fronts is due to knowing what effect it has to have excessive rebound with concerns to having a "ceteris parabis" vehicle and driver when recording times.

May spin is correct AFA concerning compression.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Actually both the spring and damper do that. The spring is the first order function and the damper is the second order function. They do the same job but to a different magnitude. A system with a second order factor can reach the equilbrium point faster and with less displacement. Otherwise there would be no use for a strut.

What's it really matter though.