[200q20v] Suspension advice for a wagon

[TM]

Bernie,
Being able to adjust the rebound damping will give you a little
bit of tweakability in terms of the handling characteristics of the
car.

Are you trying to say that there is only one "right" setting, and so
there is no need for adjustment once you get that "right" setting?

If this is the case, then disregard my comment about adjustability
for autox purposes. I simply do not know whether I am totally correct
or totally incorrect- that was my understanding.

As for you comment re: shock dynos, etc., it was my understanding that
you need this equipment in order to properly tune a shock valving,
although the real-world in-car feel is what should drive the tuning
first and foremost. How else can you quantitatively measure the shock
and spring settings?

Per your statement, I can infer that the OEM shocks (when brand new)
are ideally configured for the stock spring and wheel/tire package,
along with any other suspension variables (bushings, etc.). If this is
true, you would want to setup the Koni/Bilstein/whatever shocks to
replicate this setting exactly. However, there are many other variables-
if you change your wheels/tires or springs, the shock valving (ideally)
would need to be changed as well.

My understanding of this is that the shock is there to control the
spring
so that the tires are in maximum contact with the road at all times,
loaded evenly to distribute weight as the car designers had envisioned.
If this general principle is incorrect, then I need to learn what are
the
basic goals of suspension design in passenger cars.

Taka