Shocks FX3 vs Normal Valving?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
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Shocks FX3 vs Normal Valving?
Let's talk shocks, is there any way to quantify what they do? Springs have a specific spring rate, is there any way to compare shocks accordingly so one could get an idea of how they react?
I was just looking at this page http://www.vettenet.org/susp_chart.html
to figure out which size sway bars I should have so I could order my poly bushings and it got me to wondering about the shocks. I noticed that for all intents and purposes my FX3 system is exactly the same as the regular system except for the shocks themselves.
What I'm basically getting at is assuming that there were two 92 cars, one with FX3 the other without. Provided that all the bushings and springs were all in good shape, how would the two cars compare. The FX3 has three settings, where does the non FX3 shock fall into that range? Is it a softer, worse handling ride than the FX3's lowest setting, is it somewhere in the middle?
Please keep it on topic and answer the question asked. I do not need to be told that the FX3 is over priced and better handling can be had by installing X brand shock, that is not at all what I am asking and such responses will not help anybody with anything, they are a waste of time.
I was just looking at this page http://www.vettenet.org/susp_chart.html
to figure out which size sway bars I should have so I could order my poly bushings and it got me to wondering about the shocks. I noticed that for all intents and purposes my FX3 system is exactly the same as the regular system except for the shocks themselves.
What I'm basically getting at is assuming that there were two 92 cars, one with FX3 the other without. Provided that all the bushings and springs were all in good shape, how would the two cars compare. The FX3 has three settings, where does the non FX3 shock fall into that range? Is it a softer, worse handling ride than the FX3's lowest setting, is it somewhere in the middle?
Please keep it on topic and answer the question asked. I do not need to be told that the FX3 is over priced and better handling can be had by installing X brand shock, that is not at all what I am asking and such responses will not help anybody with anything, they are a waste of time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,276
Likes: 3
From: Why are there squished peanut butter cups in my underware?
The closest I could come to answering this would be to use the FX-3 chart that is commonly found in the early years literature (89-91). Of the three settings, each has six different valve settings measured in degrees. As vehicle speed increases so does the firmness of the shock setting.
89-91 FX-3 settings
Tour
0* 0-50mph
10* 50-75
20* 75-100
40* 100-125
60* 125-150
100* 150+
Sport
60* 0-25mph
80* 25-45
100* 45-75
110* 75-100
120* 100-125
130* 125+
Performance
110* 0-25mph
120* 25-50
140* 50-75
145* 75-100
150* 100-150
160* 150+
The same charts say Z-52 (aka FE1 base) is equal to 40*, and the Z-51 is equal to 150*
So a FX-3 Vette under 100mph will feel softer than a base FE1 Vette.
89-91 FX-3 settings
Tour
0* 0-50mph
10* 50-75
20* 75-100
40* 100-125
60* 125-150
100* 150+
Sport
60* 0-25mph
80* 25-45
100* 45-75
110* 75-100
120* 100-125
130* 125+
Performance
110* 0-25mph
120* 25-50
140* 50-75
145* 75-100
150* 100-150
160* 150+
The same charts say Z-52 (aka FE1 base) is equal to 40*, and the Z-51 is equal to 150*
So a FX-3 Vette under 100mph will feel softer than a base FE1 Vette.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
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Originally Posted by Z-07 freak
The same charts say Z-52 (aka FE1 base) is equal to 40*, and the Z-51 is equal to 150*
So a FX-3 Vette under 100mph will feel softer than a base FE1 Vette.
So a FX-3 Vette under 100mph will feel softer than a base FE1 Vette.
Looks like I might really have to look into fixing that system eventually.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
One of the Corvette mags ran an article a few years ago about the FX3 system and how the selector switch settings and vehicle speed compared. IIRC, the test was on a 92 and the data was presented in graphs. I think the article mentioned that the Tour setting was slightly stiffer at high speed (100) than the Performance setting at slow speed (25). Not a lot but that was one thing that stuck in my mind.
I'll try to find the mag and scan the graphs and post them.
One thing I have heard is that Hib's suspension chart is not completely accurate. For example, the chart for 87 cars shows a 20mm rear sway bar for Z52 and my Z52-equipped 87 coupe has a 22mm bar. I measured the front and rear bars to make sure I was getting the proper poly bushings. Turned out the chart is wrong for that year and the bushing catalogs did show sizes that matched my measurements.
If you are considering a sway bar change, you might look at the Z07 bars as an upgrade. Do them as a set (30mm solid front and 24mm solid rear). The bars should not affect the ride quality a lot even with poly bushings.
I'll try to find the mag and scan the graphs and post them.
One thing I have heard is that Hib's suspension chart is not completely accurate. For example, the chart for 87 cars shows a 20mm rear sway bar for Z52 and my Z52-equipped 87 coupe has a 22mm bar. I measured the front and rear bars to make sure I was getting the proper poly bushings. Turned out the chart is wrong for that year and the bushing catalogs did show sizes that matched my measurements.
If you are considering a sway bar change, you might look at the Z07 bars as an upgrade. Do them as a set (30mm solid front and 24mm solid rear). The bars should not affect the ride quality a lot even with poly bushings.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
If you could find that magazine article that would be great.
I'm not really considering a sway bar change. The ride quality on my car does not really suffer at all right now, I just ordered the poly bushing set because I figured the car is 12 years old and it can't hurt.
I was curious about the shocks because my car has the FX3 system while Brian's car has the base suspension. His car hasn't ever felt as tight as mine does, but it has a lot more miles too. He also doesn't have a camber brace.
I was just curious, provided we both went over the suspension and repalced everything with new components, how the rides would compare.
I'm not really considering a sway bar change. The ride quality on my car does not really suffer at all right now, I just ordered the poly bushing set because I figured the car is 12 years old and it can't hurt.
I was curious about the shocks because my car has the FX3 system while Brian's car has the base suspension. His car hasn't ever felt as tight as mine does, but it has a lot more miles too. He also doesn't have a camber brace.
I was just curious, provided we both went over the suspension and repalced everything with new components, how the rides would compare.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 1
From: Chandler AZ
The measurement of shock absorbers is the force necessary to produce a given shaft velocity; either in pounds vs. inches per second, or Newton-Meters vs. mm per second. For a linear response it's just 2 numbers; for progressive or digressive though this damping force increases or decreases respecitively with shaft velocity- so you need graphs to understand the curves. Here's a good article with graphs:
http://www.circletrack.com/techarticles/82918/
http://www.circletrack.com/techarticles/82918/
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