Why dont H&R C/O's have adjustable dampening/rebound?
12-26-2002, 07:30 AM
#6
digressive damping has nothing to do with adjustability...
...in terms of adjustment, in basic terms there is rebound and compression adjustments. To what degree you can adjust each side, and at what velocity (shaft speed) is another level.
What the damper looks like on a shock dyno will tell you whether the damper is linear or digressive or progressive or some combination of each of those at different shaft speeds(measured in inches/second for my explanation).
Linear dampers increase equally in force as shaft speeds increase. So say for simplicity sake, the damper starts at 0 lbs. of force at 0 shaft speed. Then it increases by 10 lbs. for each 1 inch of shaft speed. So at 1", the damper has 10lbs. of force, at 2" is has 20lbs. of force and so on till you get to 10" where it has 100lbs. of force.
A progressive damper will only slightly increase in force until a certain point, where the damper starts making more force. So say at 1" the damper makes 10lbs., at 2" it makes 12lbs., at 3" it makes 14lbs., at 4" it makes 16lbs. at 5" it starts to change it's characteristics and makes 48lbs., then at 6" it makes 144lbs. then at 7" it makes 432lbs. etc.
A digressive damper is the reverse of a progressive damper, it starts strong, and then tapers off. So it makes increasing force in the beginning, and less force towards higher shaft speeds.
What the damper looks like on a shock dyno will tell you whether the damper is linear or digressive or progressive or some combination of each of those at different shaft speeds(measured in inches/second for my explanation).
Linear dampers increase equally in force as shaft speeds increase. So say for simplicity sake, the damper starts at 0 lbs. of force at 0 shaft speed. Then it increases by 10 lbs. for each 1 inch of shaft speed. So at 1", the damper has 10lbs. of force, at 2" is has 20lbs. of force and so on till you get to 10" where it has 100lbs. of force.
A progressive damper will only slightly increase in force until a certain point, where the damper starts making more force. So say at 1" the damper makes 10lbs., at 2" it makes 12lbs., at 3" it makes 14lbs., at 4" it makes 16lbs. at 5" it starts to change it's characteristics and makes 48lbs., then at 6" it makes 144lbs. then at 7" it makes 432lbs. etc.
A digressive damper is the reverse of a progressive damper, it starts strong, and then tapers off. So it makes increasing force in the beginning, and less force towards higher shaft speeds.
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12-26-2002, 04:52 PM
#10
comfortable can be had in any style of damper...
...the real issue is where you want the comfort/damping.
For example, a linear rate damper will have a higher amount of force at high shaft speeds than it will at low shaft speeds. Given that, any road inputs at high shaft speeds will be more harsh than those at low shaft speeds.
So the next thing to look at is what types of road inputs occur at low and high shaft speeds. A low shaft speed input would be something like making a turn on a smooth flat road. On the other end of the spectrum would be a pothole or pavement change/expansion joint. Those would be very high shaft speed road inputs.
I'm not saying that all linear rate dampers are harsh over potholes, like I mentioned, any style of damper can be comfortable. But when you add performance to the mix, and you are trying to get good response from the car at low shaft speeds (for good steering feel), in a linear rate damper you sacrifice the potholes and expansion joints at high shaft speeds.
Digressive will be better damped at high shaft speed movements (at least, will run less force than it does at low shaft speeds), so if you are looking for strong low shaft speed compression, but with little high shaft speed compression, then digressive is the way to go.
Linear rate dampers are the easiest and least expensive to produce, digressive and progressive dampers require more engineering and more technology to get the end result you are looking for.
Better or worse is really a matter of what end result you are trying to get out of the damper.
For example, a linear rate damper will have a higher amount of force at high shaft speeds than it will at low shaft speeds. Given that, any road inputs at high shaft speeds will be more harsh than those at low shaft speeds.
So the next thing to look at is what types of road inputs occur at low and high shaft speeds. A low shaft speed input would be something like making a turn on a smooth flat road. On the other end of the spectrum would be a pothole or pavement change/expansion joint. Those would be very high shaft speed road inputs.
I'm not saying that all linear rate dampers are harsh over potholes, like I mentioned, any style of damper can be comfortable. But when you add performance to the mix, and you are trying to get good response from the car at low shaft speeds (for good steering feel), in a linear rate damper you sacrifice the potholes and expansion joints at high shaft speeds.
Digressive will be better damped at high shaft speed movements (at least, will run less force than it does at low shaft speeds), so if you are looking for strong low shaft speed compression, but with little high shaft speed compression, then digressive is the way to go.
Linear rate dampers are the easiest and least expensive to produce, digressive and progressive dampers require more engineering and more technology to get the end result you are looking for.
Better or worse is really a matter of what end result you are trying to get out of the damper.