For Street Stock drivers facing those pesky claim rules, Pro Shocks has an aftermarket adjustable shock for Street Stocks, and it only costs $69.
PENNY HOLDER
On the rebound side of things, it is the same principle: You do not want to run a lot of rebound on the left sides when the track is wet, because you want the weight to transfer to the right side easily. However, on the right side you might want to have a little more rebound because you want to keep the weight from transferring back to the left side of the car once you enter the straightaway. By running a lot of rebound in the right-side shocks, you can keep that weight pinned on the right side of the car.
Some shocks like this one have an external reservoir that fills with fluid as the shock is compressed. The reservoir also has a compression adjustment that uses the same click format mentioned previously.
JOHN GIBSON
RecommendationsHere are some basic changes recommended by Ohlins Shocks to improve the handling of your dirt car:
Loose In1) Decrease compression on RF
2) Decrease rebound on left sides3) Increase compression on RR
Loose Middle1) Increase compression on LF
2) Increase compression on LR
Most shocks have a mechanism that allows adjustment of compression and rebound by simply turning a knob on the bottom of the shock. Each turn is known as a click. Ohlins Shocks recommends a 3 to 4 click change when making adjustments.
PENNY HOLDER
Loose Off1) Increase compression on LR
2) Decrease rebound in both fronts
Tight In1) Increase compression on RF
2) Decrease compression on LF
Tight Middle1) Increase rebound on LF
2) Increase rebound on both fronts3) Decrease compression on LR
Tight Off1) Decrease rebound on RF
2) Increase rebound on LF3) Decrease compression on LR
4) Increase compression on RR
Adjusting shocks correctly can be extremely frustrating. This is why Ohlins recommends only making small changes. If you have adjustable shocks, move them only 3 to 4 clicks. Or if you have the air pressure adjustments, adjust only 10 to 20 psi. It all comes back to keeping a steady notebook with the shock changes you have made and the track conditions that you tried them on. Make sure you test these shock combinations in your car before you race them so that you know how your car is going to respond.
For Street Stock racers who have those pesky claim rules, and who do not want to invest hundreds of dollars into each individual shock, Pro Shocks makes an adjustable Dirt Street Stock shock for only $69. This will give you the adjustability you are looking for without having to fork out the dough. These shocks are meant to replace your OEM units, but if you just want a good set of aftermarket shocks that will improve your handling, they offer the same shocks without the adjustment for only $58.
Here is a dyno sheet for a Dirt Late Model shock. Notice each change involved four clicks, but more importantly notice how much the rebound changes with those clicks.
RE SUSPENSION
That being said, if you are buying shocks, I would advise investing in a set of shocks that are adjustable. That's because, let's face it, there is only one way to learn how your car responds to different shock adjustments, and that is by trying different numbers in the shocks. You can learn what works with your car and what doesn't. It's that simple. The teams that have figured it out didn't do so by hiring an expensive shock specialist. Instead, the crew tried different adjustments and learned firsthand what works.
Make no mistake about it-there is major speed in shocks. Some teams look at shocks as band-aids and that is not the case at all. Shocks can make or break your weekend, but they can only get you so far. If your setup isn't up to par, or your engine package is lacking, then it doesn't matter how great your shocks are because you will not see marked improvement in your race program. If, however, you have every other piece in place, the right shock package might be the piece that puts you out front. And isn't that where we all want to be?