Bracket Talk
Racing Shocks on Dragster

This topic can be found at:
https://drr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/80760912/m/6377083007

July 04, 2023, 06:05 PM
1320racer
Racing Shocks on Dragster
I don’t think so, his chassis have been breaking uprights for at least 20 years!
July 04, 2023, 06:41 PM
WHOMPWHOMP
quote:
Originally posted by SmokeEm:
I am leaning towards trying the Ohlin shocks. Does anyone have a part number and/or a contact that you are happy with so I can get going in the right direction? Looks like you cannot buy direct from Ohlin and I need a dealer to help me buy two shocks for a four link RaceTech dragster.
Dixie Racing Products….
July 04, 2023, 09:02 PM
seabass
Matt Cooke is who i used


J.R. Baxter

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July 05, 2023, 05:00 PM
Bucky
Afco. Support the car in the trailer. Every 10 years or so send em in for a rebuild for no particular reason. They will adjust them for you for free as well if you need it. Works in my dual shock and our mono shock car. Just don't let the car bounce along for hours at a time in the trailer unsupported. Unless you like to pay for shock rebuilds. Then for sure leave the bladder out.


Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
July 06, 2023, 08:31 PM
SmokeEm
Bucky I do support the shocks and chassis .I have old afco they
said cant be rebuilt.
July 06, 2023, 08:46 PM
SmokeEm
any one have any feedback on set of S5007A strange shocks
July 06, 2023, 10:01 PM
1320racer
As I stated over 2 months ago...

quote:
Originally posted by 1320racer:
99.9% of bracket dragsters are going down the track with either Afco or Penske out of the box shocks, without issue.


and your car has had Afco shocks so why aren't you buying new Afco shocks?
July 06, 2023, 10:40 PM
SmokeEm
just trying to get feedback. On other brands. I my buy AFCo dont no yet. This is a discussion form right.
July 07, 2023, 04:51 AM
1320racer
buy whatever you want, no one cares but there is no magic shock and no shock that will have your car running quicker nor faster.
July 07, 2023, 05:30 AM
Bucky
quote:
Originally posted by SmokeEm:
Bucky I do support the shocks and chassis .I have old afco they
said cant be rebuilt.


I had that with my old car. Bought an Afco new style to replace it. They aren't crazy with rebuild prices and turn them around quickly.


Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
July 07, 2023, 05:34 AM
1320racer
1. Afco does not rebuild their shocks, others do.

2. My drgaster chassis goes down the road, unsupported and with the nose 5 feet in the air



and the Penske shocks on my dragster have never been rebuilt in 10 years! Further My door car never has the chassis supported and those shocks had never been replaced or rebuilt in 18 years!
July 07, 2023, 07:19 AM
BD104X
For what it's worth....
I have a 2003 RaceTech dual-shock 4-link with Afcos. A few years ago I opened the trailer after a long tow at the end of the season and found one of the rubber bumpers from the shock had broken in a few pieces and fell off. I'm sure the bumpers were old & brittle but something had to hit it to break it so I assume at some point during the trip the shock probably bottomed out & hit the bumper which definitely isn't normal, so I sent them to Competitive Suspension (Shane at the time). C.S. said my shocks looked ok & appeared to be working but were showing their age (he said the oil was like water). I forget what he charged but it was reasonable, they turned them around quick and they looked like new when I got them back. I can't really say I noticed any improvement in performance or consistency but I figured it was still money well spent since they had a lot of years & runs on them. I also ordered a chassis stabilizer and I use it every time I tow now. I used to use a stabilizer years ago but I guess I got lazy... that changed when I saw that crumbled shock bumper on the floor of the trailer.


Billy Duhs - BD104X@gmail.com
July 07, 2023, 07:35 AM
1320racer
Billy, fyi, the oil in our shocks is like water to begin with 2.5 - 5wt, it does NOT break down, does not lose it's viscosity, they never see enough heat nor cycles to do so and that's why you saw no improvement on the time slip.
July 07, 2023, 08:08 AM
BD104X
quote:
Originally posted by 1320racer:
Billy, fyi, the oil in our shocks is like water to begin with 2.5 - 5wt, it does NOT break down, does not lose it's viscosity, they never see enough heat nor cycles to do so and that's why you saw no improvement on the time slip.


No doubt but like I said, my car is old so it was worth the piece of mind - plus I needed a new jounce bumper. I think the towing does more to wear the shocks than racing does. I'm told the shocks will feel warm after a long rough tow. My trailer is an old leaf-spring trailer too and I'm sure that doesn't help... I don't have a snazzy internet-famous trailer like you! You also back the dragster in which makes a big difference because the front of the trailer doesn't bounce nearly as much as the back.


Billy Duhs - BD104X@gmail.com
July 07, 2023, 08:40 AM
1320racer
the jounce bumpers on my 18 y/o rear Afco shocks had been falling apart for years due to being old and brittle as you stated with yours, NBD

quote:
Originally posted by BD104X:
I'm told the shocks will feel warm after a long rough tow.

internet forum, myth, rumor and hearsay! I've shot the shocks with a heat gun before and after a tow and there is no significant difference. That said, if the ambient temp in the trailer goes up as you tow, so with the temp of the oil in the shocks but so with the temp of the oil in the engine as well the water in the engine.

As to the snazzy internet-famous trailer, it was built specifically to do what it does. The dragster has to be backed in to haul both it and a door car. I can't take credit for dreaming this scenario up, that goes to Motorsports Trailers and Ron Ciglar with further help from Shawn Fricke.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,
July 17, 2023, 11:03 PM
SmokeEm
quote:
Originally posted by SmokeEm:
any one have any feedback on set of S5007A strange shocks
no one has ran this shocks
July 18, 2023, 04:35 AM
racerdude2054
quote:
Originally posted by SmokeEm:
quote:
Originally posted by SmokeEm:
any one have any feedback on set of S5007A strange shocks
no one has ran this shocks


Spend a couple of hundred extra bucks and buy a set of JRI double adjustable sportsman shocks custom tuned from competitive suspension (Dave)
July 18, 2023, 06:30 AM
434 olds
I had Koni`s in my car from 1984 all the way up to 2014. They were pretty beat up. I now run Menscer nitrogen filled shocks. They are nothing like a Afco shock but definitely require a different set up and settings on the shock. Penske shocks are the top ones to have especially for a dragster but some door cars would require a specific shock for the application.





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