If you're serious about optimizing your car’s performance, you’ve come to the right place. Before diving into this advanced guide, I strongly recommend checking out our previous blogs on one-way and two-way adjustable shocks. You’ll need that foundation to fully grasp the concepts we’re going to break down here.
In today’s post, we’ll explore the world of three-way, four-way, and even five-way adjustable shocks. These high-end dampers offer an incredible range of tuning possibilities, but they also present new challenges. Let’s walk through how to properly adjust these advanced shocks without falling into the common trap of over-adjusting and making your car slower.
The Basics of Three-Way Adjustable Shocks
A three-way adjustable shock introduces a whole new level of control by offering three independent settings:
- High-Speed Compression: Governs the damper’s response to sharp, quick inputs—think potholes, curbs, or high-frequency bumps on the track.
- Low-Speed Compression: Affects body roll, squat, and dive, often referred to as “platform control.”
- Rebound: Controls how quickly the suspension returns to its resting position after being compressed.
When adjusting a three-way shock, it’s critical to set the high-speed compression first. This setting controls the initial response to quick shocks, like when you hit curbs or apex bumps on a track. You want to increase the high-speed compression until the ride starts to feel harsh, then back it off by a click or two for a more compliant ride.
Next, adjust the low-speed compression, which manages the car’s handling balance during slow chassis movements like cornering or braking. Turn it up in increments until the car feels too stiff, then back it off slightly for optimal grip and control.
Lastly, fine-tune the rebound. Start with a softer setting and gradually increase it until the car begins to feel harsh or bouncy over bumps, then back it off until it feels just right.
Moving to Four-Way Adjustable Shocks
With a four-way adjustable shock, you gain another level of control: high-speed rebound. This setting primarily helps fine-tune how quickly the car settles after a high-speed impact.
Four-way adjustable shocks are incredibly useful when you frequently change your spring rates. If you increase your spring stiffness but don’t adjust the shock’s rebound, your car may struggle to control the stiffer springs. With high-speed rebound adjustment, you can easily match the shock’s behavior to the new springs without needing a full re-valve, saving you time and effort.
To set up a four-way shock, follow the same steps as the three-way:
- Set the high-speed compression first.
- Adjust the low-speed compression next.
- Fine-tune the low-speed rebound.
Then, tweak the high-speed rebound last. This adjustment can be particularly beneficial for cars running aero packages or extremely high spring rates, as it helps manage how the car handles the increased downforce and weight transfer.
The Elite: Five-Way Adjustable Shocks
For those at the highest levels of motorsport, five-way adjustable shocks add yet another dimension: super high-speed compression, also known as a “blow-off” valve. This setting is crucial for cars encountering extreme high-speed impacts, such as aggressive curb-straddling or rough surfaces at places like Pike’s Peak.
The super high-speed compression valve allows the shock to bleed off excessive pressure when the damper hits extreme shaft velocities, preventing the chassis from bottoming out or becoming unsettled.
Setting up a five-way adjustable shock follows the same process as three- and four-way setups but with an additional focus on dialing in the blow-off valve. This setting can make or break performance in cars with significant downforce or those running on unpredictable surfaces. It smooths out the transition when hitting curbs or major bumps, keeping the chassis more stable.
Advanced Tips for Shock Tuning
Now that you know how to adjust these advanced shocks, let’s talk about fine-tuning for specific scenarios:
- Sharper Turn-In: Increase high-speed compression on the front shocks to make the car more responsive when you first steer into a corner.
- Better Corner Exit: If the rear of the car feels unstable on corner exit, decrease the high-speed compression in the rear to help the tires dig in and generate grip.
- Reduce Squat or Dive: If the car squats too much under acceleration or dives under braking, adjust the low-speed compression accordingly to maintain balance.
- Avoid Packing Down: Too much rebound damping can cause the car to “pack down” over a series of bumps, reducing travel and making the ride harsh. Run the minimum amount of rebound necessary to maintain control without excessive stiffness.
Why Data is Key
If you’re serious about extracting every ounce of performance, consider using data acquisition systems to monitor how your suspension behaves. By reviewing data from shock pots (sensors that track suspension movement), you can see how much time the car spends in different damping zones, helping you optimize your settings. Look for trends like packing down or bottoming out, and adjust accordingly to ensure your car is using the full range of suspension travel without harsh impacts.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're running a dual-purpose street and track car or a full-fledged race car, learning to tune three-way, four-way, or five-way adjustable shocks can be a game changer. These advanced shocks allow you to dial in the perfect balance of control, comfort, and performance, but they also require a methodical approach to avoid over-adjusting and losing performance.
As always, start soft, take notes, and only adjust one setting at a time. With patience and practice, you’ll be able to extract the maximum potential from your suspension system.
Stay tuned for more advanced tuning tips, and be sure to subscribe for updates on our next installment, where we’ll dive even deeper into suspension tuning strategies!
