Compression vs. Rebound Valving

[WannaB-class5]

I've been valving trucks for a few years now and have a pretty good idea what works. Today I called one of the huge shops in So Cal and ordered some shims for my baja bug. When I said I wanted stiffer compression than rebound he asked if I was sure and said no one runs stiffer comp than rebound.

Does anyone on here run a stiffer rebound valve stack than their compression? I have NEVER heard of this EVER but this is a huge shop so I figure maybe I just don't have as much expierience as I thought and we all know what assuming does right. Thanks!

 

[partybarge_pilot]

Depends on your set-up. This used to be the norm when everyone was running 2" shocks and huge springs. Things have changed a little since the larger shocks came along.

 

[D.Mavis]

typically there are fewer rebound holes in the shock piston than compression, this will make rebound stiffer with the same size shims. I think the rod area probably has less to do with it than the holes. Also in compression there is the spring force plus the damper force slowing down the suspension, in rebound its only the damper force so it has to work harder.

I always thought the rebound damping was more than compression.

Like the old lever shocks that were connected to the axle with a fabric strap, they clearly had no compression damping.

 

[cosmo]

Look at most of your Super Duty kits. Most have soft comp. amd heavy Reb. Pretty typical.

 

[Kritter]

If youve been valving shocks for a while tell them to mind their own F-in business. You may be running thicker shims on compression side but usually rebound side produces more force due to less flow area and maybe in the salesman's misunderstanding of shocks he was trying to help you out.

A stack of 20's on compression and stack of 8's on rebound doesnt nexessarily mean compression is "stiffer".

 

[Wendell #527]

My compression shims are thicker than my rebound shims. There's nothing uncommon about that.

 

[WannaB-class5]

Look at most of your Super Duty kits. Most have soft comp. amd heavy Reb. Pretty typical.

Yeah on a car or street vehicle fine. I am only talking about race vehicles with valvable shocks. Every shock I have valved has had a thicker shim pack on the compression side compared to the rebound side. I understand there may be a situation the reverse is needed, but he made it sound like I was nuts and all cars run it the other way around. (and I did tell him to mind his own...) I have always wondered why fox and saw shocks come from the factory with a thicker rebound than comp.

 

[tim_krueger]

I have NEVER heard of this EVER but this is a huge shop

huge shops hire $8/hr help you probably talked to one of the phone grabbers haha
most of the time they don't know I failed spelling
if they do they don't give a I failed spelling
but hay what ever it takes to make money