Rancho RS Help...
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 346
From: Northern California
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,050
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From: Media PA
Ummmm yeah, I don't know if Rich's post is saying "OK! now we are talking shocks here! Thank you Pirate! That's just what I was looking for!" Or "I have no idea what I'm looking at on those Ranch spec links, I'm just looking to talk about shocks here in very simple terms".
Maybe adding a little more verbiage to your posts here will better answer your questions due to those questions being better asked. As you have seen this group is an awesome assemblage of very helpful members who are willing to help out in many ways with a very broad and varied knowledge base. You have a few threads now asking about shocks with lots of replies, take a couple of minutes to compose a post asking exactly what you want to know including how you use your EX, the type of ride you desire and of course the target budget. That should go long way towards getting answers that will be the most helpful.
New User
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 1
soft vs firm
The type of shocks you want is dependent on what type of ride you're comfortable with. Softer shocks will not dampen bumps as much which will allow the springs to do more suspension work. This will allow for a 'smoother' although less responsive ride, which can be dangerous in rough road conditions, as the vehicle body can sway and oscillate more. The tires will also spend less time in contact with the ground on rough roads.
Firmer shocks will absorb more of the bumps, and help force the tire back down to the road again faster. This results in a firmer more responsive ride although makes travelling on rough roads safer, because the tires are in contact with the road more. This is a very simplified explaination. Your suspension performance and comfort is also dependent on your spring rate, height, sway bar stiffness as well as steering geometry.
Ultimately you want to find a balance between rider comfort and best performance based on the primary use of your vehicle...
Firmer shocks will absorb more of the bumps, and help force the tire back down to the road again faster. This results in a firmer more responsive ride although makes travelling on rough roads safer, because the tires are in contact with the road more. This is a very simplified explaination. Your suspension performance and comfort is also dependent on your spring rate, height, sway bar stiffness as well as steering geometry.
Ultimately you want to find a balance between rider comfort and best performance based on the primary use of your vehicle...
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 346
From: Northern California
The type of shocks you want is dependent on what type of ride you're comfortable with. Softer shocks will not dampen bumps as much which will allow the springs to do more suspension work. This will allow for a 'smoother' although less responsive ride, which can be dangerous in rough road conditions, as the vehicle body can sway and oscillate more. The tires will also spend less time in contact with the ground on rough roads.
Firmer shocks will absorb more of the bumps, and help force the tire back down to the road again faster. This results in a firmer more responsive ride although makes travelling on rough roads safer, because the tires are in contact with the road more. This is a very simplified explaination. Your suspension performance and comfort is also dependent on your spring rate, height, sway bar stiffness as well as steering geometry.
Ultimately you want to find a balance between rider comfort and best performance based on the primary use of your vehicle...
Firmer shocks will absorb more of the bumps, and help force the tire back down to the road again faster. This results in a firmer more responsive ride although makes travelling on rough roads safer, because the tires are in contact with the road more. This is a very simplified explaination. Your suspension performance and comfort is also dependent on your spring rate, height, sway bar stiffness as well as steering geometry.
Ultimately you want to find a balance between rider comfort and best performance based on the primary use of your vehicle...
You have it backwards
A shock with soft or light valving provides less resistance and allows the suspension to cycle more freely. A firmer or heavy valving provide greater resistance and will not allow the suspension to move as freely or as far as the lighter valving for for a given force.
Either a light valving or heavy valving can increase or decrease tire to road contact depending on several factors such as total suspension travel available, sway bar setup, sprung and unspring weight.
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KennyG228
Brakes, Steering, Suspension, Tires, & Wheels
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Apr 9, 2004 09:35 PM