[A4] suspension theory thoughts, questions, etc - grooved shocks

[Grant Lenahan]

Thanks, the pics and words were among the most useful I've seen.

However, I still dont see hwo anything in either affects spring length. 
In fact, it cannot.
To shorter the spring, one would have to compress it. To compress it, 
one would have to limit
its upward travel, whcih would make an ineffective suspension.

As you noted, Tien has created the $1000 washer (that was me by the 
way).

It does not pre-load* ... regardless of what they may claim.  The pic 
says it all!

Grant

* we will assume that pre-load means just that. To add a load to the 
spring to alter its
position in its travel.  Like sitting on your fender.  Or using lashing 
cables to tie down a car on a shipping boat.
Both of whcih do in fact pre-load at least one spring.

On Jan 12, 2007, at 10:07 PM, Kevin Hoff wrote:

> I had an elaborate note written with all sorts of stuff about adjusting
> corner weights etc but really everyone here can find better information
> about coilover setup by using google than what I can write.  Here's a 
> photo
> of a Penske race shock though:
>
> http://www.penskeshocks.co.uk/pics/series_81002.jpg
>
> This is probably the most used damper in formula car racing.  Notice 
> that
> there is just one perch on the bottom to adjust ride height and an 
> elegant
> fixed upper perch.  Here's a picture of a Tien shock with the "preload"
> style threaded body setup:
>
> http://www.autoall.com/images_products/gs300_tein_flex_b1097.jpg
>
> Both work, the Tien is just convenient in that it allows spring length 
> to be
> not as big a deal.  (notice that the top perch on the Tien is fixed.  
> Moving
> the top perch up or down just adjusts for clearance problems, same 
> effect as
> adding washers as another poster noted.) For normal people who don't 
> buy
> springs in multiple sets it allows a bit of adaptability, letting one 
> spring
> length work with more than one application.  It does give you more 
> ways to
> hang yourself with mistaken adjustments though...
>
> --Kevin H.
> Durham, NC
> 86 4kq, and a few Subarus
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com
>> [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Huw Powell
>> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:44 PM
>> To: thejimrose
>> Cc: quattro at audifans.com
>> Subject: Re: [A4] suspension theory thoughts, questions, etc
>> - grooved shocks
>>
>>
>>
>>> see here: a pic is worth a gazillion words.
>>
>> The site defaults to index, this works better:
>>
>> http://www.stasisengineering.com/Admin/MainImage/MSSusp1main.JPG
>>
>> Here's my next thought - instead of simply cranking on the
>> bottom perch to lower/raise the car, moving the shock out of
>> it's "sweet spot", you move *both* ends towards each other or
>> apart.  This keeps the spring "centered" on the center of the
>> shock travel.  I would make a diagram, but my head just
>> exploded and I have to clean the brain scraps off my monitor first.
>
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