Author Topic: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front (Read 5172 times)

YO7_A66 · « **on:** June 21, 2016 - 09:23:00 AM »

I have been running Monroe Gas-O-Matics for the last 10+ years on my Challenger. The rears started making some popping noises a couple of weeks ago and now they are both leaking. I am looking at just replacing the rears with the Bilstein RCD's here real soon (maybe this week)! I sent an email out to FF this morning but I want some suggestions before I purchase the rears.

This coming Fall, my thoughts are to purchase either the RCD's or the Viking Double Adjustables for the fronts.

Would this setup be decent for a street setup with the DA in front and the RCD's in the rear, or just go RCD's all around?

(#043 rear springs [6-1/2 leafs per side], & 3/4" rear sway bar, .92" torsion bars with stock front sway bar)

Note: My plans later this year will be front shocks, then 15x8 rear wheels, then new tires.

Thanks

Mopar Mitch · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2016 - 02:22:18 PM »

You won't go wrong with the RCD's Bilsteins... but.. the huge advantage of dbl-adj shocks is that YOU can fine-tune the ride... I'm planning to replace my old RED Koni shocks (twist adjustable) to the Viking dbl-adj.... they're a real bargain... and they originate their design from the QA1 shock company (same town... Mnnpls, MN)... and the Vikings are less expensive than the QA1s because Viking ONLY makes dbl adj shocks... keeping their overall costs down.

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2016 - 02:53:53 PM »

Mitch,
Does it make any sense to run the DA's in the front with the RCD's in the rear, versus running the RCD's both front and back?
Or should I keep the same type of shock all around?

I don't have the budget for the DA's all around right now and these current shocks are blown out which makes the drive a little shaky. So I though of purchasing the RCD's for the rear now and then save up for the DA's up front if it does any good on a street car.

Thanks

Mopar Mitch · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2016 - 04:03:34 PM »

Personally, I don't like to work on the cars any more often than I have to... in other words, I'd do it right the first time.... (not to spend your $$, but... perhaps... make extended 0% interest payments if you can find a way to do it and get the dbl-adj shocks.... (I know the feeling of having the wants but not the cash)... IF you intermix shocks, just adapt to what you do. Today's low-cost Vikings are a bargain price for what they offer.

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2016 - 08:25:37 PM »

I took a drive tonight just to feel out the shocks. I may have the time to wait a little longer to save up for the DA's on the rear for now. Then maybe get the front DA's this winter.
Thanks Mitch!

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2016 - 01:04:30 PM »

Since my long term goal (this Winter) was to upgrade the shocks and tires, I decided to go ahead and get an early start on the shocks.
I just purchased the Viking DA rear shocks today since I know that the existing shocks are bad. I will then buy the Viking DA front shocks later on in the year as the budget is available.

Thank you for the reply.

shawge · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2016 - 11:44:13 PM »

Where did you pick up the Vikings? The "Warrior", correct?
Any specs on the extended and compressed length? My car sits a little low - wouldn't want to bottom out brand new shocks.

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2016 - 03:09:15 PM »

I bought them directly from Viking. Their websight has the "sales" email address that I used.

I do not have the dimensions in front of me, but this is a picture that I took this morning of the old Monroes with the Viking. These are the standard Viking shocks (#B217), and not the high hp units. They bolted directly in the rear of my 70 Challenger with no issues!

I installed them this morning and I picked some numbers from the "general range" that was in their description for "handling". I started with 6 (comp) and 8 (rebound) and took off for a drive. My car was BOUNCY (about like my previous drive with the blown out Monroes), so I pulled over and tried 6/12 (not knowing any better). Then I found it bounced even faster and pulled over again and tried 8/14. It was still very bouncy so I tried 10/14 and it bounced even faster down the road. So I wanted to test one more setting before going back to the garage and tried 12/16 which bounced so bad that I thought that I was in a low rider!! I was laughing at the time but it was very dangerous to drive.
So I got back to the gargage and pulled out the sheet from Viking and assumed that I was going in the wrong direction on the settings. Then I lowered the settings to the Ride Quality/Street range and tried 3/5. This was a huge difference and it felt real nice at slower speeds and up to 75mph. It did have a slight bounce to it but nothing like the earlier settings. I liked this setting so I kept it there for the rest of the morning. I did not try any aggressive driving around curves, but I did make a rolling start WOT hit and it left twin black marks as I pulled away form around 20mph or so.

Tomorrow morning I might try 2/4 to see how it feels for ride quality and I might try some idle to WOT hits to see how it reacts.
These numbers are right in line with Vikings recommended Ride Quality/Street suggestions (0-3/2-5) and they are also in line to their <600hp Drag Racing suggestions for the rears (0-4/4-10).

I was a little worried at first when I was playing around with the settings, but when I got more serious and started following their instructions, the car felt nice to drive.

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2016 - 10:08:02 AM »

This morning I wanted to see if I could tweak out the rest of the "bounce" and adjusted them from 3/5 to 2/4. This took care of all of the bounce and makes the car ride very nice. I drove over country roads to interstate roads and the car felt nice all around. I am going to keep this setup.

This is with the #043 leaf springs (6-1/2 leafs), and P255/60-15's on the rear. Do the 60 series tires have anything to do with the bounce, or is it just the shock settings that I was testing?

Thanks!!

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2016 - 09:32:03 AM »

""Any specs on the extended and compressed length? My car sits a little low - wouldn't want to bottom out brand new shocks.""

I found the specifications:
Ride Height Front (#B202): 12-3/8" - 13-1/2" [Comp Height: 10.24"] [Extend:15.31"]
Ride Height Rear (#B217): 18-3/8" to 20-1/4" [Comp Height: 14.85"] [Extended 23.54"]

Mopar Mitch · « **Reply #10 on:** June 29, 2016 - 02:18:34 PM »

Y07 -- T/Anks for the update.... next you'll be getting the front dbl-adj Viking shocks?

Question -- where are the measuring points that you're indicating for ride height?

As for your question on 60-series tires/bounce, there may be some concern... the taller sidewall initially gives more forgiveness to impacting any road hits (pot holes, etc). I suggest you try different psi setting for the tires. On my own Challenger, when I drive on the street/hwy with my 15x8 minilite rims having 255-60-15 fronts and 275-60-15s rear (all 4 BFG T/As), I find a pretty good psi setting at 28 f, 26 r (sometimes 30f, 28 r). My suspension is very stiff (1.24" dia torsion bars, 225#/in fiberglass leafs having 5" uncompressed arch)... and I'm using old red Koni D shocks that were rebuilt a little stiffer... set at full stiff front, ~2/3 stiff rear. The ride quality on the street/hwy isn't bad t all (street doesn't really count... low speed and sometimes a little rough for a short time/stretch... I prefer the hwy driving as the roads will typically be much smoother)

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 29, 2016 - 09:35:12 PM »

Front Vikings are on my wish list for the Fall.

The measurements were copied from an email from the Viking tech guy.

I am currently running 28psi in the rear tires. This gives me a full contact patch with the 255's.

The Viking tech told me that he suggests 1/4 for rear settings for street cars and hot rods for smooth ride. I like the 2/4 setup and I might try slightly tighter 3/4 just to test. One click on these makes a difference!
Thanks

YO7_A66 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2016 - 08:32:12 PM »

I tried another test this evening to see if I could tighten up the ride just a bit. I swapped from 2/4 to 3/4 knowing that the previous 3/5 setting was ok but still with a bounce. The one click to 3 stiffened it up. There was a slight bounce at low speeds and no bounce at highway speeds. I may try 3/3 next.

shawge · « **Reply #13 on:** July 02, 2016 - 07:32:26 PM »

Thanks Y07_A66 for the measurements. My car sits at 13" front and 18" rear right now, I'll be giving Viking a call after the holidays to pick up a set.

Mopar Mitch, Viking's online catalog has their procedure for shock ride height measurements. For the E-Bodys, it's the distance from the top washer to the middle of the bottom eye for the fronts, and middle of the eyes for the rear.

Viking's catalog
http://www.magazinevolume.com/17689BF/

The section on measurements
http://www.magazinevolume.com/17689BF/#/8/

shawge · « **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2016 - 10:14:02 PM »

FYI, rear shock B237 for lowered rear ends has a ride height range of 16-5/8� to 18-3/8�

Author Topic: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front (Read 5172 times)

YO7_A66

RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

Mopar Mitch

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

Mopar Mitch

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

shawge

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

Mopar Mitch

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

YO7_A66

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

shawge

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front

shawge

Re: RCD or Double Adjustables Shocks Front