When adjusting the rear shocks, the idea is to force the rear tires onto the track surface as hard as possible (track conditions permitting). When the car bounces on the gear change, it’s coming down on the front suspension travel limiter and then bouncing back up again.ģ. If the car bounces on the gear change, the shock compression needs to be stiffer. Be careful-if you go too stiff on the extension setting, the front won’t move upward sufficiently to transfer weight and the car will bounce on the tires after the launch. If the car is violent on the launch and physically jerks the front wheels off the ground, the shock extension setting is too soft or loose. Bouncing and jerking motions don’t help the launch and will hurt elapsed times. When adjusting front shocks, the idea is to get a smooth transition in the car’s front end movement from launch through the first gear change. If the car rattles the rear tires, wheel hops, or has way too much body separation, adjust the rear shocks first.Ģ. If the car wheelstands excessively or bounces on the gear change, adjust the front shocks first. Determine which pair of shocks to adjust first. Here are some guidelines for setting up double-adjustable shocks:ġ.
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“Remember that the final setting that is best for your car must be found with some thoughtful trial and error and may change with track conditions.” “A good starting point for rear shock adjustment is to set the rebound (extension) adjustment tight and the bump (compression) adjuster loose,” race chassis builder Jerry Bickel said. Compression adjustment is critical since it determines how long the tires stay glued to the track after launch. A “bald” or poorly prepped starting line will mandate a softer shock extension setting so more downward force is applied to the tires so they’ll hook up.Ĭompression, or bump, is the shock’s resistance to the chassis moving downward or the rear axle housing moving upward or into the chassis. A stiffer rear shock extension setting on a well-prepped track can provide quicker vehicle reaction times by controlling wheel hop and tire shake.
Too much chassis separation can cause wheel hop and tire shake as the tires “unwrap” and try to return to their original form. Those forces are also causing the rear slicks to distort, or wrap up. Forces at launch push the car up and forward while the axle housing is being pushed down, planting the tires to the track.
From a drag racing perspective, extension can be used to control chassis separation-the point where the rear axle housing is pushed away from the chassis-at launch. To better understand how double-adjustable shocks can help you win more races, let’s take a look at how compression and extension affect a suspension.Įxtension, or rebound, is the shock’s resistance to being pulled apart. These are better known as double-adjustable shocks. The best adjustable shocks are the ones that offer both compression and extension adjustment. You can adjust their damping characteristics to suit varying tracks and/or track conditions to eliminate wheel hop and tire shake. Adjustable shock absorbers are becoming popular in drag racing.