Quote:
Originally Posted by Calum
How do you calculate the damping as being critically, under, or over damped when the springs compression curve is linear and the damper has a force vs. speed curve, and that curve is different for both compression and rebound? This is an honest question, and something that has been bugging me for a long time.
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When people say 65% critically damped...
generally this means it is 65% critically damped in the low speed range (0-2 inch per second or so) for rebound and compression. It may be higher or lower in the high speed range. It isn't necessarily the same throughout (it rarely is honestly).
Some like a little higher than 65% for low speed piston velocity and then closer to 65% in the higher speed range. Some like 65% for low speed and 50% for high speed piston velocities.
I'm all about theory as a starting point but to me it is a starting point. Not a hard and fast rule. Calibrated butt dynos are excellent tools.
Feel, driver preference, and driver confidence can be very important too...and sometimes drivers adapt and end up faster. But I do really like having a starting point over a wild-ass guess.
Bottom line and this is what I think CSG Mike was getting at: sometimes we see numbers way beyond or way below what they should be and that's a problem. Get near 65% in the low speed range and you're at least close.
- Andy
Disclaimer: I am not a shock engineer and I defer to others often. I just try really really hard to learn from them. It hurts my brain too sometimes.