Viking Double Adjustable Shock Settings

Discussion in 'Race car chassis tech' started by Todd Borland, Jul 16, 2019.

  1. Todd Borland

    Todd Borland Buicktodd

    Wondering a good starting point on the settings for Viking double adjustable shocks. Part # VIK-B204 & VIK-B220

    69 GS 464 Stage 2 pin on glass hood otherwise all metal @ 3500 lbs with me

    Moroso trick springs front and rear

    Art Morrison adj uppers with no-hop bars

    Southside Machine lowers without drop down brackets

    HR Parts & Stuff bar in back no stabilizer bar in front

    Todd
     
  2. BrianTrick

    BrianTrick Brian Trick

    The only red flag I see so far is your rear springs. I think the Moroso rear springs are a “squat” spring,and all of your other parts are “lift” style. They will act against each other. I would just swap the rear springs for a good HD spring,like what came in the GS cars. I run the 501’s in 3 different cars.
    Usually if you run no-hop bars,you don’t need the lower lift bars,or vice versa,but you can run them together. It just brings the instant center back even further.
     
  3. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    You should be able to slow the squat down with the shock a good bit,..but I ran a stock rear GS spring

    I'd start with 2 clicks from full loose on rebound and 2 clicks from full compression in front. You want the front to come up and stay up for the first 100ft

    And 4 clicks from full compression and 2 clicks from full rebound iirc I had mine somewhere close to that,..most your adjusting will be done on the rear. Your after a quick squat and a slower rebound so it will hold the weight there obviously the stiff compression in front and stiff rebound of the rear are what manage this

    I had mine working so well it would pull the front a couple in on a dry street and hold it there for several ft
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  4. Todd Borland

    Todd Borland Buicktodd

    Thanks Brian,

    On the Southside Machine lowers I'm not running the drop down or lift brackets and the length was the same as stock.
     
  5. Bens99gtp

    Bens99gtp Well-Known Member

    Ethan I have the shocks still waiting to go on my just as they came from you, so I can verify setting if needed. I'm almost ready to fire up here, can't wait to get a couple days if track time on the new converter first, then put the shocks on to see the change.......1 change at a time though
     
  6. Todd Borland

    Todd Borland Buicktodd

    Thanks Ethan, have a set of Moog 5401's on the way.
    Hoping to improve my 60' time a bit, 1.52-1.56 usually and 124 - 126 mph @ 10.7x - 10.9x depending on the air.
     
  7. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Yea that mph should get you some 40's and some 1.38's
     
    dan gaither likes this.
  8. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

    Here's how I see traction tuning work....
    Alf Webe has a rear suspension setup that plants the rear tires for absolute best 60 ft times. He uses very short stiff rear springs. Now that is strip only stuff. No smooth ride here.
    So the theory goes like this. Lift bars and no-hops cause seperation (lift), no squat. The car body lifts away from the rear axle at the launch, and stuffs the tires downward.
    A tall soft rear spring would do for the rear what one does for the front and ruin the tire planting effect. If you jerk and press 300 lbs over your head with tall-soft springs mounted under them, you do not add 300 lbs to your shoes. Short stiff springs that lift the 300 lb weight up to your waste would still force you to lift the weight over your head with 300 lbs on your shoes. For street and strip driving you need full spring action so what do we do about that. Well I know a couple of guys that have phenomenal 60 foot time for their ET and MPH. They both use no-hops with Moog C501 "progressive" rear springs with some soft coils and some stiff coils. They have part stiff coils to keep the car from slamming down and to maintain a stock ride height, however the part soft coils give very little help on the separation (lift) motion from ride height upward and results in lots of pressure downward onto the tires.
    My Viking shocks work well with 3 compression (from full soft) and 7 rebound (lift) (from full soft). On my car the 7 acts like our fellow weight lifter is pressing the weight upward but there is a shock absorber attached and he cannot just pop it over his head. He has to work even harder and longer to get it there. In other words you put duration in the lift motion to prevent jerking the car body up then going to tire spin mode.
    What works for my car may not work yours, but you can try 3 compression and 5 rebound, 6 rebound, 7 and so on.
    That 126 mph should go 1.40-1.42 60 ft.
    1.52 x 126 mph=191.5 score and 1.42 x 126 mph = 178.9 score .... any number below 180 is really good. A 175 is exceptional. Just like ET, lower is better, how low can you go?
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2019
  9. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    My last combo went 1.44 at 120 so a 172,..and I wasn't happy I wanted a 1.42 ha,..knew I should have left that car alone
     
  10. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

    Hugger, you were putting down some awsome 60 ft times. 172 ... wow!
    I came up with this little math formula so 60 ft times could be evaluated.
    Otherwise, we could waste our time and money in futile efforts, or spent time working on the front (hp) when we should be working on the back (traction) or vice versa.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2019
  11. badbuik

    badbuik Well-Known Member

    Did you buy these shocks new from Viking? What tire are you running? Tuning for a slick is different than a drag radial.... Viking will usually tell you a starting point... I have a reference from my buddies Mencer shock adjustments, may help ya.. If it a drag radial, I can give ya a staring point, I’ve been 1.22 60ft. on the rear tires.......
    Good luck
    Gary G
     
  12. badbuik

    badbuik Well-Known Member

    Form my buddy running slicks. Car has been quicker than 1.20 in 60ft.. I’m pretty sure these are all From Full Tight...
     

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    Last edited: Sep 22, 2019
  13. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

    Good info badbuik
    My Viking shock settings......for a slow car...
    My settings of 3 compression and 7 rebound were for MT drag radials, and my "Warrior" viking shocks are the lower price double adjustable. (I got 1.63 60 ft and 7.52 ET at 92 MPH in 8th mi.)
    Slicks and high horsepower should be using the higher price "Crusader" shocks for 700 hp and up. Settings will likely be much stiffer.
    Here is a good explanation of the difference between the Warrior vs Crusader.
    https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/viking-warrior-shocks-vs-viking-crusader-shocks.22521/
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2019
  14. Bens99gtp

    Bens99gtp Well-Known Member

    As of now I have our viking set at front c=10, r=4, rear c=6, r=11.

    Next time out going up 2 click on both settings up front.

    With to much rebound in the rear it was very rough out of the hole.

    Best 60' so far is 1.459 and a 6.693 in the 1/8th.

    I think my converter isn't right yet
     

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