The FRF Shock Shootout! All pre event details and discussion here

[BlueSVT]

When I did the tuning on my Icons, we found a suitable stretch of whoops in Barstow and I ran it repeatedly with the cruise control... Which even works with off road mode! Haha

That way I knew my impressions weren't going to be compromised by speed variables. Same could be done for the testing on certain sections.

 

[pat'sRAPTOR]

got a good point there pirate! like you said the novice or beginner driver will become comfortable and push it a little more each day....BUT wouldn't that help the testing cause he will begin to learn how to drive faster and hopefully better and know the track so at a higher speed the shocks will perform differently. so your second suggestion of regulating speed i think is the best way to keep them from becoming too comfy and end up balling up the truck cause they got cocky! kudos good sire kudos!

 

[pirate air]

When I did the tuning on my Icons, we found a suitable stretch of whoops in Barstow and I ran it repeatedly with the cruise control... Which even works with off road mode! Haha

That way I knew my impressions weren't going to be compromised by speed variables. Same could be done for the testing on certain sections.

Cruise control for the win lol!

got a good point there pirate! like you said the novice or beginner driver will become comfortable and push it a little more each day....BUT wouldn't that help the testing cause he will begin to learn how to drive faster and hopefully better and know the track so at a higher speed the shocks will perform differently. so your second suggestion of regulating speed i think is the best way to keep them from becoming too comfy and end up balling up the truck cause they got cocky! kudos good sire kudos!

Thanks! I can't imagine each shock will be tested on the same day but more like each shock will have a dedicated day of testing. The install time limits the amount of test time left in each day and I didn't even see re alignment added to the install time when different shocks possibly give different static ride heights which will affect alignment angles. Maybe not noticeable enough for the off road portion but I would hope the alignments are roughly the same for the on road portion. IF shocks are tested by day, that last day should feel strangely fastest...

 

[BigJ]

Ok. I agree. One leaf spring for all tests. Lets leave 'which' leaf springs a little flexible. Remember, we're looking for a volunteer truck, so the less restrictions we put on that truck the more chance we have of finding a volunteer.

pirate, you raise some really great points. Stuff we need to consider and account for, for sure.

I like the idea of an accelerometer. I will add it to the "stuff we need" section.

In terms of all the valid points related to speeds and driver skill, and their comfort as the test progresses? I think what we need here is the following:

-each driver gets to drive the "course" as many times as they want, before any actual test. For lots of reasons, not the least of which are these tests, there can't be any surprises for drivers, or any unexpected whatevers. I think they need to know the course as good as their experience level will allow. I want this to be "boring" for each driver, before the test starts (sorry guys, but this aint our truck and they aint our parts. We need to be respectful of each and not take chances we might otherwise have with our stuff.)

-each driver will be limited to a set speed (I love the idea of using cruise control!), TBD based on the "course" and feedback after the pre runs, but probably WELL below their ability to recover from something unexpected. Seriously, I don't think the expert driver should even sniff at the 80mph speed we saw in 'Tiz's recent video

-as for the "course" I'm really starting to think it should be made up of 3 or 4 different straightaways plus an 'around town' section. Each straightaway should have a starting line, an 'engage cruise control here' line and a finish line. Those stretches should include a washboard, whoops, fire road smooth dirt, and... ? And the around town part should be a set loop that includes a few stop lights, a bit of city driving and a little bit of freeway driving. If we use a pro shop, driving back to the dirt might take care of that part of the test even. I think any more than that and we're moving away from a relative shock test toward a driver's skill test. We don't want to go there.

Thoughts? If you agree regarding the 'safe and sane' part of this approach, do you still feel we're looking at a test that will generate some interesting results? Or are we having to dumb it down too far to be beneficial?

 

[pat'sRAPTOR]

no man i think you're right on there J let them get real familiar with the course and area so there wont be any surprises just let them feel the truck out at the stated test speed(TBD) and see how they feel and of course you're gonna have different feedback between beginner intermediate and advanced because each level feels for different things like the beginner might feel just the truck and how it handles where as the advanced guy might feel each shock move and how a certain part of the truck feels and be more in detailed about it if ya get what im sayin lol so setting the limits as far as speed course length and all will still give you great feedback but also different amounts of feedback from each class. just my .02 cents

 

[pirate air]

Ok. I agree. One leaf spring for all tests. Lets leave 'which' leaf springs a little flexible. Remember, we're looking for a volunteer truck, so the less restrictions we put on that truck the more chance we have of finding a volunteer.

pirate, you raise some really great points. Stuff we need to consider and account for, for sure.

I like the idea of an accelerometer. I will add it to the "stuff we need" section.

In terms of all the valid points related to speeds and driver skill, and their comfort as the test progresses? I think what we need here is the following:

-each driver gets to drive the "course" as many times as they want, before any actual test. For lots of reasons, not the least of which are these tests, there can't be any surprises for drivers, or any unexpected whatevers. I think they need to know the course as good as their experience level will allow. I want this to be "boring" for each driver, before the test starts (sorry guys, but this aint our truck and they aint our parts. We need to be respectful of each and not take chances we might otherwise have with our stuff.)

-each driver will be limited to a set speed (I love the idea of using cruise control!), TBD based on the "course" and feedback after the pre runs, but probably WELL below their ability to recover from something unexpected. Seriously, I don't think the expert driver should even sniff at the 80mph speed we saw in 'Tiz's recent video

-as for the "course" I'm really starting to think it should be made up of 3 or 4 different straightaways plus an 'around town' section. Each straightaway should have a starting line, an 'engage cruise control here' line and a finish line. Those stretches should include a washboard, whoops, fire road smooth dirt, and... ? And the around town part should be a set loop that includes a few stop lights, a bit of city driving and a little bit of freeway driving. If we use a pro shop, driving back to the dirt might take care of that part of the test even. I think any more than that and we're moving away from a relative shock test toward a driver's skill test. We don't want to go there.

Thoughts? If you agree regarding the 'safe and sane' part of this approach, do you still feel we're looking at a test that will generate some interesting results? Or are we having to dumb it down too far to be beneficial?

I like it. If drivers get to practice on the course to the point they're comfortable enough to give feedback, the lap when the cameras roll inside the truck should be fairly relaxed and basically just a review of what they've been doing/feeling.

I think the test areas are good. A jump to see rebound control would be nice but I realize safety and/or the truck owners discretion makes a jump questionable.

mild hard braking might be good to test front end dip.

Sway bar, no sway bar?

 

[Netix]

all i gotta say..... kings...

 

[BigJ]

pat, agreed 100%!

pirate, we'll feel out the truck loaner regarding jumps. Mild to hard braking makes sense. Good call.

As for the sway, that's another good question. What say you folks? What does the manufacturer suggest?

PS: vanilla_gorilla *might* be able to loan us his truck and act as a beginner driver! Very cool!! Can't commit 100% though based on scheduling and such, but I've marked him down in the first post just in case. Anyone else please don't hesitate to contact me.

 

[BlueSVT]

Sway bar installed. We're getting too crazy with setup.

My personal opinion is bone stock + shocks.

Even a bump kit is NOT needed if the course is properly scouted and pre-ran to ensure there's no surprise kickers. You don't need a bump kit for whoops!!!

 

[Raptizzle]

Sway bar installed. We're getting too crazy with setup.

My personal opinion is bone stock + shocks.

Even a bump kit is NOT needed if the course is properly scouted and pre-ran to ensure there's no surprise kickers. You don't need a bump kit for whoops!!!

A course without a kicker here and there isn't much of a course. Let's see these shocks run through the full gamut. I think a bump kit should be mandatory assuming the truck will be properly pushed.