Re: boge pro gas shocks and non-stock suspension settings for v8q

[Carl DeSousa <desousa@cisco.com>]

Eliot

>From: Eliot Lim <eliot@u.washington.edu>
>now as many of you know, the v8 carries over 400 pounds of hardware
>in front of the front wheels, not exactly the receipe for razor
>sharp turn in responses.  i am now concerned that with stiffer
>front shocks i have increased the propensity for understeer.

My advice is to back up from the whole idea of putting these shocks in.

Do you really want to start suspension upgrading without having a plan
for what end result you might acheive?

You're right to be concerned about more understeer cause thats what
you're going to get.  If you want to get the attitude of the car to 
handle more neutral I recommend less dampening in the front and more
in the rear.  Go for the increase in front negative camber.  I use -1.5 on
the 4000Q and I still get the outside of the tire to wear first.  But
I do not have a rear sway bar.  And it all depends on your style of
taking corners.  The V8 is probably roughly similar in weight
distribution from front to rear.  

I would look in to having an anti-sway bar made for the rear, if it
doesn't already have one.   Then possibly making a larger one for the
front.  

I worked for a suspension shop for a couple of years and did many
alignments.  Our specialty was to make comfortable killer handling
street cars.  We did lots of Audis but there were no V8s back in 1982.
The general concept was to minimize body roll and balance the front
to rear handling attitude through sway bars.  While keeping springs
and shocks mild to maintain ride quality.  Then, last but not least, throw
in real performance tires with short sidewalls.  Most of our customers
including many Beemers and some Mercedes drove away with big grins on
there faces.

I know there isn't much available for the V8 but thats all the more 
reason to be very selective about how you affect the handling attitude.

Carl DeSousa