Shock tuning using ChatGPT for funsies

[Hammond_fab]

Alright, I have some experience with shock tuning, but the information isn't typically shared. After using this AI software to create detailed outlines for my reports (going back to school), I had this thought: I wonder what this tool can do for shock tuning. After New Year's in Glamis, I about McFreakenHadIt with how rough and miserable this car was.

I opened Microsoft Word and wrote the most detailed blueprint of my chassis, suspension geometry, coil-overs, bypasses, and their tube-layout measurements, motion ratios, and so much more. I described, in as much detail as possible, what the car was doing and how it was reacting to the terrain.

It spat out some total BS, but with some corrections and setting parameters on the shim stacks available to work with. I finally came up with something that sounded believable. And an attempt to add some free bleeds to the piston. (I spent way too much time chatting with a computer)

Some vehicle specs:
3100 pounds
30% front 70% rear bias (low on fuel and without driver and passenger)
2.0 coilovers all 4 corners
2.5 3 tube front bypasses
3.0 6 tube rear bypasses (4 compression, 2 rebound)

 

[Hammond_fab]

Drilling freebleeds ended up being a royal pain in the arse. After breaking a drill bit I ended up having to purchase new pistons which added another wrench to the system. I added this information to my AI crew chief and it mentioned I should not add free bleeds it would be a better start. I agreed.

 

[Hammond_fab]

If you don’t take a shower in shock fluid did you really pull them apart.

This is the compression and rebound stack I came to. I was running a straight .02” stack which had terrible characteristics on the face of the piston for the low speed utv chatter bumps in the dunes and desert. It was good for g-outs but wasn’t the greatest at that either.

New stack has great crack pressure on low speed compliance. And it’s a very progressive stack that minimizes the hinge point that would just let a lot of fluid flow by…allegedly (made sense)

 

[Hammond_fab]

So all the valving changes were made. New pistons added (because I suck and broke drill bits in the old pistons). While I was at king of the hammers we were waiting in the pits for utv race and we were staged next to the MRT booth. I talked to him they had a great deal on some 37x11.00r15. I ditched my old mud terrains that had a similar hardness factor to 17-4 stainless.

So I took the car out to Barstow to test. And holy crap! The car handles so freaking good. We did a lap on the race course came back made a few tube tweaks made another run with something that felt very fast and predictable. I did not focus on trying to run the giant whoops that the trophy trucks hit down the normal shock tuning section.

I am so eager to see how it performs in glamis.

 

[Hammond_fab]

After everything, I think real hydraulic bumps, rather than the foam shaft bumps I am running, would be better. After testing in Barstow, the front coil crossovers need to be moved up. I could feel the transition from the dual-rate to the single-rate in the lower spring. It felt like this would happen on every whoop it would pop off of. It didn't seem too bad, but I feel it could be a little better.

 

[Goatpoker]

If you don’t take a shower in shock fluid did you really pull them apart.

This is the compression and rebound stack I came to. I was running a straight .02” stack which had terrible characteristics on the face of the piston for the low speed utv chatter bumps in the dunes and desert. It was good for g-outs but wasn’t the greatest at that either.

New stack has great crack pressure on low speed compliance. And it’s a very progressive stack that minimizes the hinge point that would just let a lot of fluid flow by…allegedly (made sense)

Shock oil is a great rust preventer and moisturizer!

What did you circle in the box? The stacks below make sense but not sure that that section means.

Also, agree that hydraulic bumps are really needed to keep the damping low enough in the shock for chatter bumps and still have safety margin for higher speed,

 

[Hammond_fab]

Honestly, cleans better than dawn dish soap.

The box above it was from a king shock parts needed for a new shim stack for a buddy, I had all my stuff out so I figured I’d take a crack at my car. Usually I just deal with the harshness but that new year’s trip with the wet sand was too much.

Yeah once I have the bump stops I will drill a single .03” hole for a free bleed and go from there. The hole should allow really low speed compliance and saturated once the shock moves fast enough to crack the main stack open.

 

[HozayKwarvo]

Alright, I have some experience with shock tuning, but the information isn't typically shared.

Seems to be some voodoo ritual performed by a secret society that is sworn to secrecy. Thanks for sharing the knowledge here and looking forward to the report from a Glamis trip!

 

[megadesertdiesel]

Honestly, cleans better than dawn dish soap.

The box above it was from a king shock parts needed for a new shim stack for a buddy, I had all my stuff out so I figured I’d take a crack at my car. Usually I just deal with the harshness but that new year’s trip with the wet sand was too much.

Yeah once I have the bump stops I will drill a single .03” hole for a free bleed and go from there. The hole should allow really low speed compliance and saturated once the shock moves fast enough to crack the main stack open.

Its amazing how bump stops are not used on offroad cars. They are fairly inexpensive and really help your shock work correctly.

 

[Hammond_fab]

Seems to be some voodoo ritual performed by a secret society that is sworn to secrecy. Thanks for sharing the knowledge here and looking forward to the report from a Glamis trip!

No joke! I am out here just playing on shocks to get data on 5 different cars just to see what they do. It's a good time and cool to see how much guess work can be taken out of your shock setup.

 

[Hammond_fab]

Its amazing how bump stops are not used on offroad cars. They are fairly inexpensive and really help your shock work correctly.

I agree I think for a majority of the 4 seaters or 2500 pound plus cars its a great addition to have. I love them on my truck.

 

[megadesertdiesel]

I agree I think for a majority of the 4 seaters or 2500 pound plus cars its a great addition to have. I love them on my truck.

yup, i made some for a few sxs and they really helped. I need to make a set for my pro r