Guys using non-race (stock type) front shocks with success come in!

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LXguy

LXguy

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Hey:

I'm thinking the Calvert fronts are too loose/violent for my car, and would like to test some conventional shocks in the front. Certainly they don't improve the 60' and now the car is doing herky jerk on launch.

Sadly, about two weeks before coming to this decision, I pitched my others after they'd been sitting on the floor for more than a year.

Any recommendations/brands?

Thanks,

Steve
 
Cheep, stock, shocks have made more passes down the drag strip than any other kind.

They have been used by everyone over the last 5 decades.


Head to your local parts store and pick out something in the $20 each price range.
 
Sure, of course that had occurred to me.

BUT I figured since the forum was here I would ask instead of going in totally random.
 
I have been using Lakewood 90/10s for the past 20 years with excellent sucess. My car is very similar to yours and runs similar times. Have you tried lowering the front to reduce the torsion bar tension and allow more travel to soften the hit when it reaches the stops? I am guessing that is what your describing. Also if you call Calvert he is very helpful.
 
I ran the cheapest shock from my parts store running 11.8's went to the 90/10 and saw no change. Played with some settings and took the adjustables off and sold them. I figured with my set up I didn't make enough torqure/Hp for the adjutables to help.
 
I once tried the cheapest OEM replacement shocks I could find and didn't like them. Not only did they pop up too quick, they let the front end dip a lot when braking. Very little resistence to compression, which is good for a smooth ride on the street. The oil pan did not like that but it did hook ok! I have Koni internally adjustable shocks now and like them.
 
Thanks for the responses.

I have my front end pretty low already. This gives the car a bit of a rake, which looks cool, but isn't the best idea.

What it seems to be doing is maybe giving too much weight transfer and wants to bog, or maybe its shocking when it hits the stops. The car has a TON of front end travel. (If I remember its 9").

Here's a video:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8HuFq3BJ6U"]71 Dart 11.86 @ 112 - YouTube[/ame]

You can't see it really well, but the car feels like it stops when the shocks reach the top of their travel-sometimes it is worse than in the vid. Varying burnout and clicking around with the rears hasn't really helped. It didn't do this with the shocks I threw away, though I do seem to remember the front diving during braking at the top end of the track.

I don't think my oil pan is in the same danger yours is Myron- haha!
 
I run QA-1 12 way adjustable,you can always slide under and click to your likeing for race or street driving.Pricey,but best of both worlds in just 10 seconds.
 
I have the Lakewood 90/10s and slant six bars in the front of my Duster. It feels pretty solid out of the hole and has run 60-foots down to 1.60 flat. Not bad for running 12.20s at about 109-110.

I thought about trying the Calverts, but my shocks seem to be working well.
 
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