When setting up a front-drive car for drag racing, what kind of shock valving would you use?
There are quite a few variables about the car that must be taken into effect, primarily power and traction. The valving required for a slick-tired, 500-horsepower Civic will be different from a lightly-modified, street-tire Civic. Generally, the theory is to limit and control weight transfer at launch while maintaining a drivable car for the high-speed end of the track. The laws of physics say that the harder you launch, the more weight will transfer from the front to the back of the car and unload the bite of the front tires. You can’t get away from weight transfer, but you want to try to control it the best you can. Ultimately, your 60-foot times are the tool to quantify your launching ability. Having an adjustable shock will allow you to tune your suspension and compare your 60-foot times to pretty easily dial in for the best results. By making very few changes to the car and making consistent runs, shock adjustments will show up in better or worse 60-foot times. As a rule of thumb,
