DOUG @ ECS

DCS SPORT and RIDETECH Announce
NEW MagneTuner Electronic Suspension Controls



RideTech and DSC Sport have announced their partnership in the field of electronic suspension controls for the C7 Corvette Market.
DSC Sport of Jessup, MD has developed a replacement suspension ECU that will directly replace the OEM suspension ECU in the 2014-2017 C7 Corvettes.

Direct interface with OEM MagneRide system on 2014-2017 C7 Corvette
Coming soon: MagneRide on 2016-2017 Shelby Mustang and Nissan GTR
20 minute installation…direct plug in to OEM suspension ECU
Enhances ALL suspension modes…Eco, Weather, Touring, Sport, and Track
Increases both ride quality AND handling performance by optimizing shock tuning to keep the tires in better contact with the track / road
Transforms unpredictable OEM shock corrections into driver instinctive actions…makes the car far more predictable and comfortable to drive aggressively
If you have a late model Corvette, Cadillac, or Shelby Mustang, you know you would really like to optimize the magnetorheological suspension control that the OEM’s have integrated into these vehicles. You want to improve ride quality as well as enhance the handling characteristics of your vehicle. That is what racers and hotrodders do!

Now you can!

Why?

The OEM suspension engineers do a good job of tuning these suspensions for a wide range of customers, climates, driving styles and road/track conditions. BUT…many of these imposed tuning strategies may or may not apply to you or your particular car. If you routinely take your Corvette, Cadillac, or Shelby to the track for example, you may not want to endure the compromises that are programmed into the suspension for more “civilian” driving styles…you may want to optimize the tuning for track use. The MagneTuner is how that is accomplished!

How?

The MagneTuner is an integrated suspension ECU that directly replaces your OEM suspension ECU. There is no modification necessary to your car. It comes pre-programmed with a calibration that not only GREATLY enhances the handling and stability of your car, but GREATLY improves ride quality as well! The same tuning strategies that allow the tire to remain in contact with the track act to enhance ride quality. It is truly a NO COMPROMISE solution!

Applications

C7 Corvette – Z51 and Z06 Shipping Jan 2017

2016-2018 Shelby Mustang Shipping Jan 2017

Nissan GTR Shipping Jan 2017

How much?

$1290 for the ECU

Kamran

Considering mostly the track mode, any chance you could elaborate with a little more detail what changes were actually made to tuning (e.g. More/less rebound/compression/damping, etc and where/what situation).

Where DSC exactly saw deficiencies/shortcomings and what algorithm exactly they changed/tuned to make what improvement. If you could address a few various scenarios where they feel they have improved on OEM and describe how they attained the stated improved settings, I'd appreciate it so I can better comprehend the benefits.

I understand individuals can DIY tune it, but not knowing where OEM settings were or left off, it'd be a nightmare to start without a solid base map or background settings from DSC. So I'm more interested in the base map.

Last but not least, I see tuning for Z51 and Z06, but not for GS. Any plans supporting 2017 GS?

DOUG @ ECS

Excellent questions!

I think the GS is covered since they have the magnetic shocks, but I'll double check that.

As for the rest of the paragraph I am going to see what kind of info I can get from the engineers over at Ride Tech so I have a more informed answer for you.

Thanks for your interest.

0ridetechbret

The OEM MagneRide system, for whatever reason, has a very narrow range of adjustment...almost to the point of being passive instead of active. GM writes programs for each of the different modes to "optimize" the performance metrics for each of those modes, and does not really seem to make full use of the various sensor inputs available.
The MagneTuner imtroduces a much wider range of adjustments, and makes full use of the G sensors, ride height sensors, steering angle sensor, vehicle speed sensor and wheel speed sensors. One of the big differences in tuning strategy is that we look at not only sensor position, but the actual rate of change to predict what the car is going to do and then to make damper changes to accommodate that.
Your MagneTuner will come with a suspension tune already loaded. This tune will be such a dramatic net improvement that it will be quite a chore to make real improvements on that. BUT, for the people who want to, the software is downloadable from the website so you can make tuning changes yourself.
The base tune still accommodates all of the different mode settings. The calibration was done on a 2015 Z06 and validated on several other Corvettes before release. It has not yet been validated on the GS, but will be shortly. We do not anticipate any problems or changes for the GS.

I expect that as time goes on, a cottage industry of electronic suspension tuners will develop, just like there is for EFI. Everyone will have their favorite guy, every racing format will have its specialists. In the early days of EFI (which I was able to participate in with DFI and BDS)cwe were restricted by low sensor resolution and low computing speeds. We no longer have to suffer from those problems so electronic suspension controls will make much faster progress than EFI did 25 years ago. Stand by!

joemosfet

Wow that's awesome. I had considered the magride a very capable setup as it is, I can only imagine how much better it can be when managed to its full potential.

This is definitely tempting.

0ridetechbret

BTW...the shipping dates listed above are pessimistic...we may be shipping as soon as next week.

joemosfet

Is the install at all difficult? What about when it comes time to update the software, do you see that as something that can be done between laps at the track? I really like the idea of a user-customizable system.

0ridetechbret

The OEM ECU is located behind left front wheelwell liner. It'll take you 15 minutes to install. Software updates and/or tuning access, should they be needed, can be done via a mini usb cable, or via wifi if you select that upgrade on the ECU.

Kamran

If I may, I'd like to go back to my question asking to please expand on algorithm adjustments made to accomplish the improvements and what advantages are gained.

If we take a cornering scenario as an example, could you elaborate where oem has left off and where your system picks up. Say trail braking, mid corner speed, and throttle on exit, any of these. Where do you take advantage of various sensors, where OEM overlooks, and what algorithm changes (increase/decrease) and optimizations are made, for various sensors or damping/rebound/compression, to make the car more stable and smooth in comparison to OEM.

I understand in general terms the premise of this system is improvement over OEM and it is expected to perform better, but how?

If you don't wish to elaborate publicly please pm me. Thanks

0ridetechbret

A passive damper is tunable by force versus velocity...it will create a specific force when it sees a certain piston speed. In addition, by manipulating the precise design of the piston and shim stack, you can influence the length of time that this force is available (within a very narrow window) It doesnt really know what G load you are in, how fast the car is going, nor if the brakes are on or off.
With an electronic damper (MagneRide or otherwise), not only can you create a specific force, but you can do it as a function of g force, brake pressure, steering input, and vehicle speed. AND you can hold that force for as long as needed. Example...trailbraking is a technique used to keep the car on its nose through a corner to increase front grip. With a passive damper as soon as you let up on the brakes, the damper releases the rebound force and the nose comes back up and you start to loose front grip. With the OEM tuning, its even a little worse...trail braking tends to confuse the antilock brake system and you can get an ice mode or rock hard pedal situation.
Now imagine tuning the system so the rebound is not released until it sees a decrease in G force, a decrease in steering angle, and an increase in throttle position. At the same time you are releasing rebound force in the front, you could be releasing compression force in the rear to allow the car to transfer weight and increase grip to the rear for better accelleration.
Another example...a slalom. A slalom is simply a series of abrupt corners strung together very quickly. Such a scenario doesnt really exist in real world driving. Passive dampers struggle with this scenario...by the third cone you are typically slowing up to keep the car under you. Since OEM tuning is so narrow the results are not much better, sometimes worse if the stability controls get involved.
We can tune each corner of the car independently, AND extremely quickly...and in a wide range. Magnetorhealogical fluid will turn from water to peanut butter and back to water in less than 20 milliseconds. If the entry to the slalom is to the left, we may increase the compression on the right front and increase the rebound on the left front and left rear. As the car transitions to the next manuever to the right, we start to reverse all that...more compression on the left front, more rebound on the right front anf right rear....as determined by G force, vehicle speed, steering angle, and throttle position.

NoOne

Well there goes the last straw in doing a widebody vs buying a GS.

The MRC programming is different and now there is an option.

I assume that the unit will have canned tuned available? Meaning if I wanted I could pull the settings off of the GS and put them on my Z51?

I'm doing a WB this winter and would probably do the GS springs if they are different than the Z51.

Will we get better separate, faster, and better data logging from the unit also?

Be able to visualize in real time what is happening?

Don't you guys make something similar for Porsche? I swear I've seen that box before.

Kamran

Thank you for your explanation.

I read Tadge's answers to many of our questions, if they don't do something, he always comes back to two things, tuning for "compliance" and "reliability/longevity". Are there any cons with this system, i.e. more wear, reduced life, etc on any parts.

Also, do you have any base line comparison with a plug and play install (i.e. no further custom tuning by you or the individual)? I know you guys are pretty involved with Porsche guys, so the base line comparison could be a Porsche if not a Corvette. I know already Greg Fordahl has good things to say about your work with Porsches.

0ridetechbret

The short answer is, yes, we have a canned calibration.
Because the OEM tune is very narrow in scope, it is very component sensitive...meaning that they have a different calibration for every combination of springs, bushings, tires, and swaybars. The MAgneTuner tuning is heavily influenced by the sensor input. This means we care more about the end result [G loads, steering input, piston velocity, brake pressure,etc.] than what components were used to get there. The end result is a MagneTuner calibration that will have a wide range of applications and not be nearly as sensitive to changing tire pressures, sway bar diameters, etc.
As an example, our engineer and I have completely different driving styles. He is smooth and deliberate, I am more forceful and abrupt. Although we usually end up within a couple tenths of each other on most tracks, we cannot adequately drive each others set-ups. With the MagneTuner calibration, we found that we could easily drive the same calibration. This is because we drove in different areas of the tuning map. His smooth and deliberate style lived in one area of the tuning map...mine lived a little deeper in the scale. It is likely hard to understand without some familiarity of the software.
Another thing I have found is that my Corvette is much more adaptable to the various grip levels on different tracks. I don't know if there is such a thing as an "optimum" set-up, but this comes as close as anything I have driven yet.

0ridetechbret

Michael Levitas at DSC Sport / TPC is the Porsche guy [and the calibration guy] so I will let him speak to that.

The MagneRide damper is a pretty simple piece inside...just some expensive fluid and a fixed orifice piston. Not much to go wrong there.

As an opinion, the reliability/longevity comments by Tadge may refer to the OEM's [necessary] tendency to tune for the masses. Civilians tend to get into mischief with 450-650 HP under their foot. By creating a "safe" calibration, they may think they are extending the longevity of the car itself by scaring the driver off from greater speeds. Just a theory. Same reason they created horrendous amounts of understeer in their cars in the 60's. We had to fix that too

Kamran

Do you have base line comparisons for Corvettes by any chance, without further tuning?

It seems it'll be a while before the public learns how to effectively tune this system beyond the canned tune, since we don't have access to your shop and personalization of the tune, just like you and your counterpart with different driving styles.

0ridetechbret

As with any new technology, it does take awhile to cover all the bases. I agree that a direct back-to-back compare would be informative, but only to a point. What is much harder to quantify is the increased level of driver comfort and confidence in the car.

We will work toward creating these type of direct comparisons, and other answers to all questions. Winter in Indiana [RideTech] and Maryland [DSC Sport] is not necessarily conducive to the expediency of this, so we may do some more testing and videos in AZ and Cali.

Kamran

Understood. Winter here in seattle also gives us a "lot" of chance to pownder and overthink things!

A base line comparison of 911 would do just fine. I'm sure the driver comfort is a big part of it and will be reflected in the time comparisonn.

joemosfet

Any possibility of upgrading non MRC cars to MRC?

TRANS DAMM

maybe I missed it, any drag mode setting?

AmmoVet

Would this system allow for setting the car for autocross then a quick change to something softer than the current tour mode to satisfy a spousal unit who thinks the z51 is to firm?