Critical analysis of dampers - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

CHAOS · 11-03-2007, 08:38 AM

saw this on IWSTI... i dont know jack about suspension dynos and such... but i figured this might be good for someone who does
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/suspensi...trol-more.html

DaveSTi · 11-03-2007, 11:48 AM

I talk with stretch over PMs a lot on there. Basically from the data thats out there, we've determined two things:

1.) Name brand stuff is crap.
2.) No-name stuff is crap.

Now, we're trying to sort out why it appears that way once the data is analyzed. For example, the stock STi struts look alright on a dyno, but we all know they're junk in the real world. We gotta figure out the gap.

That thread has very high potential for finding out WHY things don't feel overdamped on the street when they dyno in a hilariously bad way.

CHAOS · 11-03-2007, 11:51 AM

yea that has HUGE potential to become a great thread... full of solid info...

i for one am on the train that says my supposedly over damped ohlins with rce's are stiff but worlds better than the stock struts

sisforsurfing · 11-03-2007, 12:13 PM

Thanks so much for the link. What damper/spring combo (and how much it costs, haha) I'll run has been the thing preventing me from finishing up my suspension, so this will be interesting as they continue to put together data.

For people who haven't ever seen it, i definitely recommend looking at Dennis Grant's site (http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html) which is linked in one of the posts. The part regarding "buying shocks" is interesting in a tuning world where so many people run the shocks that he rips on. As harsh as it is, this quote regarding Koni's makes me laugh: "They are, by far, the best budget shock and better than any of the crap coming out of Japan. JIC, GAB, Tokiko, Tein - synonyms for "crap"."

DaveSTi · 11-03-2007, 08:25 PM

DG is a great factual read, but keep his ranting in the context of a guy who wants to setup a highly competitive autocross race car.

DaveSTi · 11-03-2007, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHAOS

yea that has HUGE potential to become a great thread... full of solid info...

i for one am on the train that says my supposedly over damped ohlins with rce's are stiff but worlds better than the stock struts

There is a definite disconnect right now with what these things are dynoing like and how they ride on the street. I think that will be the biggest benefit we'll get from that thread.

sisforsurfing · 11-03-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveSTi

DG is a great factual read, but keep his ranting in the context of a guy who wants to setup a highly competitive autocross race car.

Oh definitely. Plenty of the stuff he calls crap is fine for 90% of people who modify their cars, but I like people that express their opinions without reservations. It's even better that he has the knowledge, research, and experience to back it up. And in a thread critically analyzing dampers his series is appropriate.

I'm also curious to see the correlation between dyno and actual performance, glad this thread was linked.

11-03-2007, 08:38 AM	#1
CHAOS TST Ruined My Life! Banned Join Date: Jun 2006 Member #2120 My Ride: 1984 Cadillac Brougham iTrader: (1)	Critical analysis of dampers saw this on IWSTI... i dont know jack about suspension dynos and such... but i figured this might be good for someone who does http://www.iwsti.com/forums/suspensi...trol-more.html

11-03-2007, 11:48 AM	#2
DaveSTi Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Charlotte Member #1591 iTrader: (0)	I talk with stretch over PMs a lot on there. Basically from the data thats out there, we've determined two things: 1.) Name brand stuff is crap. 2.) No-name stuff is crap. Now, we're trying to sort out why it appears that way once the data is analyzed. For example, the stock STi struts look alright on a dyno, but we all know they're junk in the real world. We gotta figure out the gap. That thread has very high potential for finding out WHY things don't feel overdamped on the street when they dyno in a hilariously bad way. __________________ Member Journals: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

11-03-2007, 12:13 PM	#4
sisforsurfing Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Mar 2005 Member #267 My Ride: 2003 WRX wagon iTrader: (2)	Thanks so much for the link. What damper/spring combo (and how much it costs, haha) I'll run has been the thing preventing me from finishing up my suspension, so this will be interesting as they continue to put together data. For people who haven't ever seen it, i definitely recommend looking at Dennis Grant's site (http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html) which is linked in one of the posts. The part regarding "buying shocks" is interesting in a tuning world where so many people run the shocks that he rips on. As harsh as it is, this quote regarding Koni's makes me laugh: "They are, by far, the best budget shock and better than any of the crap coming out of Japan. JIC, GAB, Tokiko, Tein - synonyms for "crap"." __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.*

11-03-2007, 08:25 PM	#5
DaveSTi Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Charlotte Member #1591 iTrader: (0)	DG is a great factual read, but keep his ranting in the context of a guy who wants to setup a highly competitive autocross race car. __________________ Member Journals: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. / To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

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11-03-2007, 11:51 AM	#3
CHAOS TST Ruined My Life! Banned Join Date: Jun 2006 Member #2120 My Ride: 1984 Cadillac Brougham iTrader: (1)	yea that has HUGE potential to become a great thread... full of solid info... i for one am on the train that says my supposedly over damped ohlins with rce's are stiff but worlds better than the stock struts