When it comes to getting the most out of your car's handling, shock adjustment is key. Yet, many drivers—whether seasoned racers or weekend warriors—struggle with setting up their coilovers or shocks properly. The result? Poor handling, loss of grip, and a less responsive car on the track or street.
In this blog, we’ll simplify the process of adjusting your shocks so that even if you’re new to suspension tuning, you’ll walk away with a solid understanding. Let’s break down what shocks do, how to adjust them, and what to watch for, starting with basic single-adjustable coilovers.
The Basics of Shock Adjustment
Your shock absorbers (or dampers) have one job: to control the movement of your car's springs. They prevent your car from bouncing excessively after hitting a bump, and they help manage weight transfer during cornering, braking, and acceleration.
The primary adjustment you can make with single-adjustable coilovers is the rebound damping. Rebound controls how fast the shock extends after being compressed. More rebound slows down this movement, while less rebound allows the shock to extend more quickly.
Step 1: Avoid Common Mistakes—Don’t Go Too Low
One of the most common mistakes when setting up coilovers is lowering your car too much. Sure, a slammed ride looks cool, but it sacrifices performance. When you lower the car too much, you reduce wheel travel. This leads to bottoming out the suspension—where your shock hits the bump stop and essentially locks up.
When that happens, your car’s spring rate jumps to an extreme level, making the car unpredictable. In corners, this can cause sudden understeer or oversteer, depending on which end of the car bottoms out. To avoid this, leave at least two inches of travel in your shock to ensure it can compress without bottoming out.
A simple trick: use a zip tie on the shock shaft to measure travel. After a hard drive, check the zip tie’s position. If it’s pushed all the way to the top, you’re bottoming out—raise the ride height or increase the spring rate.
Step 2: Start Soft and Work Your Way Up
When adjusting shocks, it's tempting to crank up the stiffness. But in most cases, softer settings lead to better grip and control. The goal is to find the minimum amount of damping needed to control your car's weight transfer while still maintaining good ride quality and traction.
Start with your shocks set to full soft (turn the adjustment knob all the way counterclockwise, or check the manufacturer’s directions). Then, take the car for a test drive. If it feels too soft and bouncy—especially during cornering, braking, or acceleration—gradually add damping by turning the knob clockwise a few clicks at a time.
Keep adjusting until the car feels responsive, but not harsh.
Step 3: What to Avoid with Too Much Rebound
Cranking up the rebound damping too high can cause your suspension to "pack down." This means the shock doesn’t extend fully before hitting the next bump, gradually lowering the car until it’s sitting on the bump stops. When this happens, you lose traction and handling becomes inconsistent.
Signs of too much rebound include:
- A harsh ride: The car feels stiff and uncomfortable over bumps.
- Skipping: The tires lose contact with the road, especially during cornering or braking.
- Poor cornering grip: The car may understeer on entry or oversteer on exit, making it difficult to drive smoothly.
Step 4: Don’t Forget About Alignment
Whenever you adjust your ride height or install new coilovers, you must realign the car. Lowering or raising the car changes the suspension geometry, which can affect camber, caster, and toe angles. Failing to realign the car can lead to poor handling and uneven tire wear.
Step 5: Experiment on Track
Once your car feels balanced on the street, it's time to test it on the track. If you notice the car rolling too much or not responding quickly to your inputs, consider adding a click or two of damping. Just remember—less is more. It’s better to make small adjustments and gradually improve handling rather than making big changes that could throw off the car’s balance.
When you're at the track, take notes after each run. Record how many clicks you adjusted, and what effect it had. This way, you'll learn how your car responds and be able to fine-tune it in future sessions.
The Bottom Line
Shock adjustment doesn’t have to be intimidating. By following these steps and keeping your changes measured, you’ll find a setting that gives you the control and performance you want. Remember, start soft, avoid lowering your car too much, and don’t be afraid to experiment—your car will handle better, and you’ll feel more confident behind the wheel.
With practice, you’ll gain the skills to dial in your suspension like a pro—and who knows, maybe you’ll even start helping your friends with their setups!
