Shocks Question, How do they affect handling? Options

[Joe Ricard]

So now I see the MAJOR difference from Koni red externally adjustables versus the new Koni yellow sports.

Both are only adjustable in rebound. So what is it that is actually happening and what is the theory behind slower (firmer) shock dampening on handeling of the car.

The way I see it acceleration causes weight transfer to the rear of the car (if it gets to sliding mash the gas) squats the rear end and compresses the shock.

mash the brake and weight transfers to the front compressing the front and lifting the rear. Does the more dampening you have slow the weight transfer?

I know spring rates further complicate the whole thing.

So what I noticed/discovered was the effect that moving from 17mm to 21mm torsion bars and new Koni's in front reduced the nose dive under braking and somehow reduced the unloading of the rear wheels. Rear shocks Koni reds externally adjustable were full firm as always. fronts we set to 1/4 from full soft. seemed pretty good so we just left it alone.

[phantom914]

Oversimplified: As far as turns, damping will affect handling balance at the moment you turn into a corner. As the car takes a set, the springs and swaybars affect the handling balance. So on an AX course, if you make the rear dampening very stiff, the car will oversteer more on quick direction changes.


Put another way, the handling balance on a skidpad (i.e. steady state cornering) can be tuned with springs and swaybars, but not shocks. Handling balance in quick directional changes are tuned with shock dampening.

The realtionship is the same as with springs and swaybars, stiffer dampening in the rear means balance towards more oversteer in quick transitions and vice-versa.

OK. I'm too lazy to type more, but if you want more confusion, I can probably arrange that. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)


Andrew