DA shock starting point

[Ron Gusack]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

Start in the middle on both extension and compression. From there, tighten up the extension and see how that goes. If it's not going good, go the opposite. Once you find the happy spot, work the compression the same way.
Bad tracks need a loose extension (you are trying to work the slick harder to make up for the bad track). If your at a national event track surface, you have better bite on the track and you don't have to work the slick so hard. The compression adjustments are a fine tune. You don't want a situation were the extension is loose to help the slicks on a poor track and then the compression is also too loose. The slicks will hit the track hard and then bounce back into the body. Think all that through and you'll get it figured out. But the bottom line is you have to test. Nobody can tell you what adjustments you will have in the end as every component of your race car is different than the other guys.
As far as staggering the adjustments, yes, you may find that helpful. Ideally, you should have a race car with no preload on one ladder bar over the other. You will find most have pre-load on the right (passenger side). If you can, make up for the launch issues with your shock adjustments (or spring rate and or height). You can even out a launch with staggered slick pressure but since you have better than average shocks, make them do the work so you aren't trying to remember what both slicks are supposed to be set at.
FYI - I've found plenty of ET in rear shock adjustments from ladder bar cars to leaf sprung cars. I believe in quality shocks and they are well worth the money.

Thanks Jeff. I do have pre-load in the right bar. If I don't, the car will jump hard to the right. That's what it did with the leaf springs in it. I made 2 passes with the coil overs and the same pre-load. The car went straight but I had the front limiters tight on the first run and just a little looser on the second. In the back, I had the compression in the middle and the extension loose, but weight transfer wasn't like I normally run it.