How to tell if the shocks are bad

[rstackjd]

Might be a self answering question -

I posted a while back that the front end appeared to be binding becasue when I step down on the beam it doesn't fully rebound.

Took off the shocks and made sure all the grease fittings were greased - give is a step and bounces up just fine.

Put the shocks back on and still seems to bind, or at leastbe VERY slow in coming back up.

I suspect it's the shocks, but before I run out and buy new ones, is there a way to check these? The current shocks say "PRO Shocks" but I have earthly idea how old they are.

Thanks

[hardingfv32-1]

Slow rebound is not the usual sign of wear. Could be the normal rate of rebound for these shocks. Now for the difficult question: How did the car handle is say a 120 deg or greater turn? We are only interested in the first 25% and last 25% of the turn, when the shocks play a role in how a car is handling.

Brian

[rstackjd]

Slow rebound is not the usual sign of wear. Could be the normal rate of rebound for these shocks. Now for the difficult question: How did the car handle is say a 120 deg or greater turn? We are only interested in the first 25% and last 25% of the turn, when the shocks play a role in how a car is handling.

Brian

Well, what started the inquiry was that all of a sudden at the last races at Blackhawk (July 11-12) I started scraping my nose in just about every turn. So after race I stepped on the beam to see and sure enough, it bascially "stopped" 1/2 up the rebound. So I'm assuming that under braking the weight transfer is compressing the front end and then not rebounding.

Then again, I'm a newbie so . . . .

It does seem that grease helped loosen things up but again . . . newbie.

I guess I'm assuming the spring pack is ok since on removing the shocks she bounces up and down and settles back to the starting point. Is there something else I should be looking at in the springs (bear in mind I've never opened up the beam and have no idea at all how the spring pack works - was going to try to figure that our over the winter. But if I need to dig into it now . . well I guess)

[Bill_Bonow]

Bob,

I'll be at the Mile and I'll be glad to take a look at your beam/front suspension set up. My bet it that the shock valving is off.

[rstackjd]

Bob,

I'll be at the Mile and I'll be glad to take a look at your beam/front suspension set up. My bet it that the shock valving is off.

Thanks Bill - See you at the Mile

[smsazzy]

As you get faster, everything will change on the handling of your car. You will find that you may scrape in some areas, bottom out in others, stuff like that.

This is not abnormal, as long as it is not severe and consistant. If it happens all the time, you will need to adjust something. Spring rate, shock valving, ride height, etc.

That's all part of the fun!

SS

[rstackjd]

As you get faster, everything will change on the handling of your car. You will find that you may scrape in some areas, bottom out in others, stuff like that.

This is not abnormal, as long as it is not severe and consistant. If it happens all the time, you will need to adjust something. Spring rate, shock valving, ride height, etc.

That's all part of the fun!

SS

I wish I could blame it on getting faster! I think it was partly due to poor maintanence on my part (honestly never dawned on me to grease the beam and torsion arms - live and learn - it seems to be a bit better at this point. We'll see how she is in Milwaukee.

So - where else are there grease fitting that I need to be concerned with?

[smsazzy]

Depends on the car.

Primarily, the front beam.

My Tsunami also has grease fittings on the zero roll upright pivot points. Some may have a grease fitting on the shift linkage and steering shaft supports.

That should be about it.

[rstackjd]

Depends on the car.

Primarily, the front beam.

My Tsunami also has grease fittings on the zero roll upright pivot points. Some may have a grease fitting on the shift linkage and steering shaft supports.

That should be about it.

Thanks - I'll take a look

[brian]

Your spring may be getting a bit tired. I'd test the shocks in a vise manually. If they go in and out ok it may be just enough friction to over ride your old spring. If the shocks are gas filled they should extend themselves to full length.

[wroché29]

Everything aft of the firewall on my car is liberally lubricated by the front pulley (sprinkler head) on the engine!!

[remmers]

which also lets everyone else know just how aerodynamic their cars are without going to a wind tunnel, just look for the drip patterns on the front of the car
by the end of my 12 lap WGI race against 3 other vees in the pack, you almost couldn't see what my onboard camera was taking for footage it was so blurry.