Bilstein Damptronic pics.

[DougW]

Just got back from VIR and all I can say is WOW what a fun car, I don't know from a comparison how much different it is than stock since I haven't tested it stock on a track but with this setup we were able to stick to a prepped Cayman through the Ss. I will have a video up as soon as I finish editing all the BS out. The setup was the one I had on Austin's car with 350 front springs and 450 rear dropped an 1-1/2 with -2 camber the program in the DSC box was the one from the Porsche's we developed as a starting point and with only minor tweaks to add a little more to the front on entry it was really good out of the box. This has been a long process with some more to go. I need to work on the rear shock mounts to quite them down to get the perfect street/track setup that rides good and can stay with a Porsche in the Ss at VIR, just need more hp to stay with them on exit. I should be at Road Atl at the David Murry HPD event May14/15 if anybody wants to take a look. I'm really psyched again all it takes is a day at the track to get the blood moving again. May have to buy a helmet and some Advil now.
Thanks
DougW

[DAEMANO]

@DougW

Time for the 30 day check-in Doug. News? Teaser pics? We're still here brotha.

[Anthonytpt]

I hope it's seen some development ahead of the David Murry HPD event he cited for today and tomorrow.

[Michael Blue]

Subscribing...

[DougW]

Just got back from Road Atl this has got to be the most fun car it just needs more HP for atl. I had Mike Levitas and Randy Pobst test driving along with me driving around 80 miles. We made some program tweeks from VIR just dialing in the track to a very good balance with a touch of throttle over steer. I still don't like the torsen diff I think it's great for gas mileage but really hurts stability. I've ended up with 400 front 550 rear springs which for these tires is about right maybe a little to much. The camber plate bearings and spring bearing creak while turning and rattle on bumps so for me this still needs to be worked on. The shocks themselves work great just trying to make 2.5" springs OE with a 2" drop is what's left. If I buy somebody else's kit the it becomes cost prohibitive so we will just keep at it. My business partner is working on the web site and retail stuff so some things are moving along. I myself after 30 years of not driving took one more fix today at Road Atl and while I can't turn my head or feel my right leg I'm grinning from ear to ear maybe a IMSA car would make a good test car hum?
DougW

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by DougW

Just got back from Road Atl this has got to be the most fun car it just needs more HP for atl. I had Mike Levitas and Randy Pobst test driving along with me driving around 80 miles. We made some program tweeks from VIR just dialing in the track to a very good balance with a touch of throttle over steer. I still don't like the torsen diff I think it's great for gas mileage but really hurts stability. I've ended up with 400 front 550 rear springs which for these tires is about right maybe a little to much. The camber plate bearings and spring bearing creak while turning and rattle on bumps so for me this still needs to be worked on. The shocks themselves work great just trying to make 2.5" springs OE with a 2" drop is what's left. If I buy somebody else's kit the it becomes cost prohibitive so we will just keep at it. My business partner is working on the web site and retail stuff so some things are moving along. I myself after 30 years of not driving took one more fix today at Road Atl and while I can't turn my head or feel my right leg I'm grinning from ear to ear maybe a IMSA car would make a good test car hum?
DougW

You are testing on stock tires?

[DougW]

Well they aren't stock anymore they have been beat to hell but yea stock, sticky tires while more fun would tend to cover up balance issues, oh damn I stepped into that your wrong no your wrong argument again. My point is if it works on less grip it will work better on more grip. The Porsche's we tested with at Road Atl have big fat sticky rubber and the same shocks and controller working great, so our data is coming from many different cars at different tracks.
Thanks
Dougw

[DAEMANO]

Originally Posted by DougW

Just got back from Road Atl this has got to be the most fun car it just needs more HP for atl. I had Mike Levitas and Randy Pobst test driving along with me driving around 80 miles. We made some program tweeks from VIR just dialing in the track to a very good balance with a touch of throttle over steer. I still don't like the torsen diff I think it's great for gas mileage but really hurts stability. I've ended up with 400 front 550 rear springs which for these tires is about right maybe a little to much. The camber plate bearings and spring bearing creak while turning and rattle on bumps so for me this still needs to be worked on. The shocks themselves work great just trying to make 2.5" springs OE with a 2" drop is what's left. If I buy somebody else's kit the it becomes cost prohibitive so we will just keep at it. My business partner is working on the web site and retail stuff so some things are moving along. I myself after 30 years of not driving took one more fix today at Road Atl and while I can't turn my head or feel my right leg I'm grinning from ear to ear maybe a IMSA car would make a good test car hum?
DougW

The man has sacrificed his body in the name of zoom.



I think most will be using upgraded tires so I wouldn't worry too much about the rates being a tad high. Will you be able to provide lets say a matrix of recommended settings for softer or stiffer springs or will you be keeping the package dialed in for one set spring package?

Personally, I'd be quite happy with a 1.5" drop as the roads in Cali are horrible. Also not sure at what point the suspension geo would need roll center correction and/or diff/subframe risers.

Thanks for working to keep the costs down. As much as we love our cars, $4-6k suspensions knock on the door of 20% of the vehicle value and that starts to not make sense for double duty daily drivers that see weekend track sessions. Also I think the AST active setup will come in at around 3k and the Tein EDFC Active (while not being the same) will come in at around $2.5k when pared with their new MonoSport damper.

Definitely keep the updates coming. There are more peeps watching this thread than post in it.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by DAEMANO

The man has sacrificed his body in the name of zoom.



I think most will be using upgraded tires so I wouldn't worry too much about the rates being a tad high. Will you be able to provide lets say a matrix of recommended settings for softer or stiffer springs or will you be keeping the package dialed in for one set spring package?

Personally, I'd be quite happy with a 1.5" drop as the roads in Cali are horrible. Also not sure at what point the suspension geo would need roll center correction and/or diff/subframe risers.

Thanks for working to keep the costs down. As much as we love our cars, $4-6k suspensions knock on the door of 20% of the vehicle value and that starts to not make sense for double duty daily drivers that see weekend track sessions. Also I think the AST active setup will come in at around 3k and the Tein EDFC Active (while not being the same) will come in at around $2.5k when pared with their new MonoSport damper.

Definitely keep the updates coming. There are more peeps watching this thread than post in it.

I would hope this will end up like my other products with forum supported maps that people can swap around and create there own. Unfortunately starting life with Porsche shocks takes a big bite in price before all the rework, I think AST's are 3 k each last time I talked to them at SEMA. Crowd source an IMSA FR-S?
DougW

[Boxer486]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I love to have my cake and eat it too but it seemed this was intended for the street first originally with track performance providing acceptable performance within the parameters of the original tune? If that's the case, let me say 2-2.5 inches of drop is waaay too aggressive for the street. I was thinking 1-1.5 as a sweet spot. When your car can't clear and scrapes on everything, your enjoyable DD becomes a not so enjoyable sometimes driver.

Let me also say that I've been in some track setups where even on the street the wheel rates were so well matched to the suspension you just float along like on a Rolls or dare I say, new McLaren lol. One of the appeals for me with this Damptronic system would be to help get that sort of street and track performance in a product that had the widest envelope and range of performance.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Boxer486

Correct me if I'm wrong, I love to have my cake and eat it too but it seemed this was intended for the street first originally with track performance providing acceptable performance within the parameters of the original tune? If that's the case, let me say 2-2.5 inches of drop is waaay too aggressive for the street. I was thinking 1-1.5 as a sweet spot. When your car can't clear and scrapes on everything, your enjoyable DD becomes a not so enjoyable sometimes driver.

Let me also say that I've been in some track setups where even on the street the wheel rates were so well matched to the suspension you just float along like on a Rolls or dare I say, new McLaren lol. One of the appeals for me with this Damptronic system would be to help get that sort of street and track performance in a product that had the widest envelope and range of performance.

You should live on a 1500' gravel washed out driveway, You are correct that the intent is for the street market with many ride heights, I have to go to both extremes first before my customers do. This setup so far does both real well, the 1.5" drop means I have to have travel another 1.5 on each side of that. Everything runs out on the stock chassis around 10.5" center to fender so I have to have the bumps stops etc set there not the shock body same goes the other way so it doesn't yank the shock apart on droop. Plus I got to get just one more race fix.
DougW

[cdrazic93]

Bump for the coolest suspension option being tested as of yet.

[choi0706]

any update?

[OICU812]

So any chance of reality before fall / snowfall?