working on custom drag shocks

[malloynx]

well if some of you don't know; i work at BILSTEIN as a "motorsports shock tech". Basically i build race shocks all day long. My co-worker and I are working on a custom set of drag shocks for the mk3 supra.

These are going to be 1 of a kind and you will not see these anywhere else. Were still playing with valving and trying to get the compression and rebound correct.

today we dyno'ed at set of the stock bilstein shocks and as yuo can see there is a ton of rebound. This is not good for launching. Hopefully i will have a set done next week and i can get them on the car. these will work awesome and the car should hook great.

were going to drop gas pressure, change the bleed and mess with the compression and rebound..


here is a dyno graph of the stock shocks :) :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/malloynx/bilstein.jpg

[skim1040]

Wow, very cool! Must be a nice job, and let me know if you me to test out any shocks! :D

[Slow66]

Any chance on having a set of fronts in about a month? Or are you just doing drag rears?

Thanks

[malloynx]

hey brian, we are doing a full set. the fronts are going to be stiff and the rear will be nice and soft.

i'm going to shoot you a pm. maybe you can you these more than me :)

[Slow66]

cool, im def in for a set of fronts. Any chance of a spring package too? I would liek something that slams the front as low as possible, yet still "stores" some energy to transfer to the rear. Probably too much to ask for without doing a coil over setup, but i suppose it couldnt hurt to ask. :)

[cruzinbill]

ok here is where i think ive been wrong all along.. wouldnt you want a nice hard set onthe rea... and a softer set for the front

[figgie]

ok here is where i think ive been wrong all along.. wouldnt you want a nice hard set onthe rea... and a softer set for the front

no

you WANT the weight to trasfer to the rear

otherwise all you get a lots of noise and smoke

and actually a stiff front is not good either. It has to give to transfer to the back.

[cruzinbill]

how about a softer shock with a stiffer spring in the rear then

[figgie]

how about a softer shock with a stiffer spring in the rear then

what would that do? the spring is the give. the shock helps in controlling the resultant vibration.

[dbsupra90]

im interested.

esp if you could bring the nose down a little. but i wouldnt want too much b/c im not going for the 1984 camaro rake.

are this going to be designed for stock springs or otherwise? wasnt sure if the stroke would effect anything.

thanks!

[dbsupra90]

update?

[WeDgE]

Why not just take existing drag shocks for other applications (similar in length, etc. to the Supra) and manufacture mounts for them?

[fstlane88]

I'm so down for these, I've been wanting something similar for at least a couple years now.

[Slow66]

I could really use these in like....2 weeks.....any chance of having them that soon??

[fstlane88]

Brian what car are these going on, I was under the impression they were for MKIII stock suspension setups...are they going your 88?

[Slow66]

They would be going on the front of the 87. Its all still stock up there :)

[malloynx]

hey slow,,, i've been swamped at work since it's race season.. when i got to work on tuesday i'll see about valving up a set real fast...

[Slow66]

Thanks!

[malloynx]

slow sent you a pm

[dbsupra90]

dont forget about dave! haha. im not in a hurry tho. would just like some info.
thanks

[Nick M]

Why not just take existing drag shocks for other applications (similar in length, etc. to the Supra) and manufacture mounts for them?

I think that would be a starting point. But each engine and chasis has a different weight. The hardcore guys need adjustable units. Along with adjustable links.

[fstlane88]

So did you get some sent out to Bryan?? If so I want details!!!

[flubyux2]

the Mk3 has a different suspension geometry than other cars. the point at which the shock bolts to the unsprung area can drastically change the lever advantage of the control arm. im pretty sure thats how to explain it. one combo might work for a camaro but when putting it on the mk3, it may be too soft. i know this is the case for the front of our car since the shock bolts further inboard, away from the centerline of the wheel than other cars. this puts more leverage advantage on the suspensoin compared against if the shock was bolted right to the back of the hub.

mike... how are things going w/ those shocks? i still havent got that set of bilsteins from my friend, but once i do... you got more work ;)