[DeTomaso] Shock recomendations

pantdino at aol.com pantdino at aol.com
Sat Jan 10 15:36:26 EST 2009


You'll have to decide what spring rates you have now and what rates you want.? You can't just pick numbers that sound good without upsetting the handling balance of your car, as spring rates and sway bar size determine the understeer / oversteer balance.

When I contacted one of the manufacturers he looked up the spring rates he supplies to the Pantera vendors and the rates were all over the map, mostly too stiff for street use.

The rates should be proportional to the weight on that end of the car

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: JDeRyke at aol.com
To: ihannington286720mi at comcast.net; detomaso at realbig.com
Sent: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:24 pm
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Shock recomendations



In a message dated 1/10/09 10:59:17 AM, ihannington286720mi at comcast.net 
writes:

> So my question is, am I better off getting one of the vendors new aluminum 
> coilovers for a few bucks extra??
> 
1)- Go for new ones. If you stick with Koni's (which I personally like), 
you'll be getting high-pressure gas-shocks that still have single adjustment 
capabilities like your old ones, and will allow you to balance the chassis by 
changing corner loads with adjustable spring platforms. And they drop a 
significant 
amount of weight per shock, are physically smaller and thus mount the rears 
further away from the exhaust pipes so heat doesn't affect the damping. See the 
POCA Newsletter article Aug 07 on the advantages of adding gas-Konis to a 
street Pantera.
2)-Aluminum-body shocks save an additional 3/4 lb per shock for $100 or so 
extra per shock. Dual-adjustment shocks are more $$$ besides, and allow you to 
become thoroughly confused from the number of choices.... IMHO, most street 
cars never get readjusted once a reasonably good setting is found. So the 
external damping adjustments are usually only a potential source of leaks.
3)- all the vendors sell shock packages that will work, but only D. Quella 
sells Konis. IMHO, he almost always include racing spring packages that are too 
stiff for the street; something to check before ordering. To help defray your 
costs, Pat Michael at Future Auto in MA sometimes buys old style orange Konis 
and black Aristons. 
4)- Buy a real shock spanner to adjust ride height rather than mauling the 
aluminum adjusting nuts with screwdrivers and hammers.
Good luck- J Deryke


**************
A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See 
yours in just 2 easy steps! 
(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%2
6hmpgID=62%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62)
_______________________________________________

Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA

Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/


DeTomaso mailing list
DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso




More information about the DeTomaso mailing list