Anyone revalved their oem F355 Bilstein coilovers?

Might want to try RE Suspension in North Carolina . I just sent a set of Penske's for my Ex-Sprint cup car and was under $300 total including shipping back to me.

 

What piece of the chassis dynamics gave you this idea?

 

The Challenge cars used standard 355 shocks but did use the rears at both ends and changed the adjustment controller.


If you really want to change the shocks Delta Vee is very knowledgeable about chassis tuning and does a far superior job on the Bilstiens than Bilstien does.

 

+1
I had Rob do a set for me. Very nice guy, and knows his stuff.

 

I have heard of ROB but can you refresh my memory as to how we can get in touch with him?

Thanks much

 

Delta Vee/Internet website

 

Rob Schermerhorn
847-638-4226
www.deltavee.net

 

Common complaint of 355 drivers at speed. One reason they put rear shocks in front on Ch. We also used to adjust the nose down a little to keep more air on top and less underneath.

 

My shocks may or may not need rebuilding ...... but as it is now ............ the difference between the front to rear compression and rebound on my 355 is huge! The front is soooo much softer than the rear, it doesn't take a suspension 'expert' to validate this.

One can easily undertand why challenge cars would use rears on the front, as was stated above. That configuration may be too stiff for some on the street ........ but it makes perfect sense for track use.

 

Just wait until you take the same shocks and take 500 or more pounds of inertia off of them.

 

I have quite a lot of experience with exactly what you are talking about, and more. I will send you a PM. I am not selling anything, just avoiding arguments.

 

+1 ......... !!

 

There is a reason the rear end is set up on the soft side, this leaves much of the roll stiffness on the front. The stiff roll at the front causes understeer in turns and helps quell the inherent oversteer (mid-rear weight bias) and still allows for power on oversteer. The soft rear enhances rear traction under a variety of circumstances. The alternative was to use 285/35 or 295/35 rear tires with the 225/40 fronts. Those tires would not fit with the diffusers,.....

However, this stiff front, soft rear does take a slightly different driving style than the equally stiff all around typical race car setup (easly to slide, easy to recover). In particular, it requires a deliberate and slow inputs to the steering wheel, coordinated with throttle application; so the car turns and squats at pretty much the same time. In this turn and squat attitude, it has maximum lateral acceleration capabilities.

Back to shocks. A shock with too much compression and too little rebound will pump itself UP over bumps as the bump throws the car up and the rebound prevents it from recovering before the next bump. A shock with too little compression and too much rebound will pump itself DOWN. The shocks on my F355 (1995 with 62K miles) takes turn 2 at TWS (fairly bumpy; 90 MPH in 105 MPH out) just fine. However it did not when the ride height was incorrect (too low in the front).

So, next time you are out with your car, and you fnd a nice long sweeping corner that has a few bumps and can be taken with verve, safely and without constabulatory influence; drive the corner and see if you sense the car is pumping up on the shocks, pumping down on the shocks, of pretty much staying the same on the shocks. Drive it as many times as you like.

 

I had Delt-Vee rebuild my shocks and it made a huge difference. my car had about 10K miles, but is a 1996 and was about 11 years old. Rob told me all the shocks he rebuilds on 355's are usually in various states of internal deterioration

 

I suspect the springs at the front sag under time and under heavy braking. Mine was found to be similarly low a half dozen years ago.

I forgot to mention earlier, that a good deal of the softness at the rear is from the springs, which, in my opinion, are pretty well damped. So, I think if you want the rear firmed up with the benefits and detriments that accompany this, the correct step is to change out the rear springs--go up about 15%-20% in the spring rate.

{A gentleman from ?Sweeden? and I had a conversation on this from about a year ago, if my memory is still working... He went up 40% at all four corners if memory serves for a dedicated track car...}

 

Thanks for the public slam Dave. Next time I change timing belts on a car I will be sure to ensure the cars ride height is set correctly.

 

Thanks all

 

You know, I swapped my 348 fronts for 355's and I also have the car sitting a smidge (technical term?) lower than it did with the stock 348 SS versions. Think I'll go back to stock, but this gives me a place to send the 355 set for tuning.