Shock Valving

Can someone please explain the different numbers of shock valving? I want to learn/understand them. Thanks.

I know I'm " on-line" and some people might say "google it", but I'm assuming they're many cars that that can be applied to.

100% depends on the shock mfg, fox is differant than bilstein, foa uses no numbers.... can only imagine how rancho et al do it.


http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/coilovers/Part_1/
not just about coilovers... but a long good read.

Thanks

The Bilstein numbers relate to the damping performance.
IE 255/70 is 2550 newtons rebound and 700 newtons compression at .5 m/sec. One step stiffer on compression would be 255/100.

The Fox numbers relate to a specific valve plate combination from their chart. So if you have a #30 then one step stiffer is a #35.

You might also hear someone say "an 8 stack". That would mean the plates in the stack are .008" in thickness. So one stiffer than that would be a "10 stack" with plates .010" thick.
If someone were discussing Bilstein with this method a "25 stack" would be shims .25mm thick and a "30 stack" would be .30mm thick.

Hope that makes sense.

:cheers:

RandomThoughtsRace said:

The Fox numbers relate to a specific valve plate combination from their chart. So if you have a #30 then one step stiffer is a #35.

You might also hear someone say "an 8 stack". That would mean the plates in the stack are .008" in thickness. So one stiffer than that would be a "10 stack" with plates .010" thick.
If someone were discussing Bilstein with this method a "25 stack" would be shims .25mm thick and a "30 stack" would be .30mm thick.

Hope that makes sense.

Click to expand...

Yes, except that in a .008 stack, one step stiffer would be one of the shims going to .010, then the next step stiffer would be one more shim going to .010. If the whole stack goes from .008 to .010 that's 4 or 5 steps stiffer.


Would be nice if shock valve notations were universal, but oh well. At least the bigger numbers are aways stiffer.

Goatman said:

Yes, except that in a .008 stack, one step stiffer would be one of the shims going to .010, then the next step stiffer would be one more shim going to .010. If the whole stack goes from .008 to .010 that's 4 or 5 steps stiffer.

Click to expand...

Very true on the shim stacks.

Is that chart from the Fox site?

ert01 said:

Is that chart from the Fox site?

Click to expand...

I couldn't find one on fox's site.
I just scanned one that was in a valve kit and have it saved on the computer.

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Fox-Shock-Valve-Kit-p-825.html

Goatman said:

Yes, except that in a .008 stack, one step stiffer would be one of the shims going to .010, then the next step stiffer would be one more shim going to .010. If the whole stack goes from .008 to .010 that's 4 or 5 steps stiffer.

Click to expand...

Correct .08 to .10 is multiple steps on the chart, thanks for clarifying.

If someone were ordering a stack for their shocks though they would not want to order just one step higher. If I had a #30 and wanted more valving I would order a #50. The new stack, combined with the #30 I have, can create every combination between 30 and 50.