Smoother Highway Ride for Coilover Conversion

[NOVA]

I have the Ridetech Coilover Conversion W/HQ Shocks,W/Truturn on A 72 Nova, its all original Ridetech components/shocks etc. that came with the Kit, nothing has been changed, I have tried some adjusting on the shocks, it does not seem to really do that much, kit has been on the car for about 3 years now, I think it is the latest/current generation, but not positive on that.

I do notice when I push down on the rear bumper for example there is very little give, very little travel ?
I am wanting a smoother Highway / Cruise ride, one thought I had was maybe a different (lighter?) spring rating OR is it shocks ?

I know there is a ton of knowledge here for some positive feedback, just looking for a few possible suggestions to accomplish a smoother highway / cruising ride for my Coilover set up.
I did do a search and found one link but it was from 2013, maybe there is some newer more current info on this subject.

Thank you

[dhutton]

First thing to do is make sure your shocks are roughly centered in their travel at ride height. Is your car super low? Post up a pic of your ride height and maybe pics of your shocks at ride height if you can.

Don

[NOVA]

First thing to do is make sure your shocks are roughly centered in their travel at ride height. Is your car super low? Post up a pic of your ride height and maybe pics of your shocks at ride height if you can.

Don

Yes it sits low, I would say not super low, happy with the ride height, I have no pics at the moment, I'll need to look at the shock positioning, Thanks for the reply / suggestions.
This pic is on the Ridetech site and for comparison wise this is pretty close to my height https://www.ridetech.com/product/coil-over-system-1968-1972-nova/

[CraigS]

As dhutton said checking how much travel you have is step #1. I like to have a little more travel in compression than extension if I can. If that is OK, then it's on to shocks or springs. You need to figure out exactly what springs and shocks you have so people w/ similar car and suspension can compare yours to theirs. SHocks adjustable?

[NOVA]

SHocks adjustable?

Thanks, yes they are adjustable & set at 6

[NOVA]

First thing to do is make sure your shocks are roughly centered in their travel at ride height..

Don

I was able to look and they are centered, thanks

[dhutton]

You could go lighter springs but then you have to run higher preload to maintain your ride height. I find that a lot of preload can lead to poor ride quality.

The reason shock adjustment doesn’t do a whole lot is because it’s rebound only. According to Ridetech the spring rate is so high that adjusting the compression damping has very little affect because the spring rate dominates. So they don’t offer compression damping adjustment which is difficult with a monotube shock anyway….

I put the whole Ridetech level 2 package with Truturn on my wife’s 69 Camaro. Hated the ride, it was harsh. Sold the car because of it.

Don

[NOVA]

You could go lighter springs but then you have to run higher preload to maintain your ride height. I find that a lot of preload can lead to poor ride quality.

The reason shock adjustment doesn’t do a whole lot is because it’s rebound only. According to Ridetech the spring rate is so high that adjusting the compression damping has very little affect because the spring rate dominates. So they don’t offer compression damping adjustment which is difficult with a monotube shock anyway….

I put the whole Ridetech level 2 package with Truturn on my wife’s 69 Camaro. Hated the ride, it was harsh. Sold the car because of it.

Don

I would agree with both adjustment & ride.
honestly, I cannot tell much difference turning the knobs one way or another, not really much there for adjustment wise to really make a significant difference, and the ride, not what I was thinking I would have as far as comfort, also agree about changing springs, I do not feel it would be worth it and do not think it would really change it that much to make a big enough difference in my case.

Now, it did lower it and it does handle like a slot car (I feel) but I do no course racing, it really is just a driver, but it does handle for sure.
Thanks

[dhutton]

I would agree with both adjustment & ride.
honestly, I cannot tell much difference turning the knobs one way or another, not really much there for adjustment wise to really make a significant difference, and the ride, not what I was thinking I would have as far as comfort, also agree about changing springs, I do not feel it would be worth it and do not think it would really change it that much to make a big enough difference in my case.

Now, it did lower it and it does handle like a slot car (I feel) but I do no course racing, it really is just a driver, but it does handle for sure.
Thanks

Yes it did handle well. But any discontinuity in the pavement was jarring.

Don

[SSLance]

I have the Ridetech Coilover Conversion W/TQ Shocks,W/Truturn on A 72 Nova, its all original Ridetech components/shocks etc. that came with the Kit, nothing has been changed, I have tried some adjusting on the shocks, it does not seem to really do that much, kit has been on the car for about 3 years now, I think it is the latest/current generation, but not positive on that.


You say above you have TQ shocks but mention rebound valving only later. Do you have remote reservoirs on the shocks and if so, the 2 knobs on them adjust compression valving which can really affect ride quality.

[NOVA]

You say above you have TQ shocks but mention rebound valving only later. Do you have remote reservoirs on the shocks and if so, the 2 knobs on them adjust compression valving which can really affect ride quality.

Their HQ not TQ - Thanks

[SSLance]

I'm assuming you have coilovers front and rear because you talk about pushing on the rear bumper. Can you tell if the harshness is coming from the front or the rear?

I would suggest the following to see if it helps before start to change out any parts. Soften rebound up fully, knob all the way counter clockwise on all 4 shocks and lower the air pressure in the tires some. If at 32 psi, lower down to 28.

Then test drive over a road you are familiar with and see if it makes a difference. If it's still harsh, to you...try to determine if it's coming from the front or the rear. Do you feel it in the seat or the steering wheel?

I've found everyone's ride expectations and sensations are different as are different cars as well, the nice thing is this setup is very tunable to your taste and preferences...you just have to decide which way you want to go.

[piratebaseball]

You could go lighter springs but then you have to run higher preload to maintain your ride height. I find that a lot of preload can lead to poor ride quality.

The reason shock adjustment doesn’t do a whole lot is because it’s rebound only. According to Ridetech the spring rate is so high that adjusting the compression damping has very little affect because the spring rate dominates. So they don’t offer compression damping adjustment which is difficult with a monotube shock anyway….

I put the whole Ridetech level 2 package with Truturn on my wife’s 69 Camaro. Hated the ride, it was harsh. Sold the car because of it.

Don

I could be wrong, but did you go with Art Morrison front clip and IRS rear suspension? How does it compare to the ridetech ride? I've got the coilover system and 4 link, but it is the older style from back around 2008. Not really pleased with the ride quality of it.

[dhutton]

I could be wrong, but did you go with Art Morrison front clip and IRS rear suspension? How does it compare to the ridetech ride? I've got the coilover system and 4 link, but it is the older style from back around 2008. Not really pleased with the ride quality of it.

I built two Camaros. A 69 vert for my wife with full Ridetech and a 69 coupe with Art Morrison IRS and front subframe. Difference was night and day. The AME car is the nicest riding first gen Camaro I have been in by a wide margin. The Ridetech ride was harsh and we sold the car because of it after trying several spring rates. Even had Brett drive the car after doing all the things he recommended. Biggest issue was any discontinuity in the pavement.

It’s a shame the Art Morrison IRS is so expensive because it could be a real game changer imho.

Don

[piratebaseball]

I built two Camaros. A 69 vert for my wife with full Ridetech and a 69 coupe with Art Morrison IRS and front subframe. Difference was night and day. The AME car is the nicest riding first gen Camaro I have been in by a wide margin. The Ridetech ride was harsh and we sold the car because of it after trying several spring rates. Even had Brett drive the car after doing all the things he recommended. Biggest issue was any discontinuity in the pavement.

It’s a shame the Art Morrison IRS is so expensive because it could be a real game changer imho.

Don

Thank you for the reply. How do you feel the Art Morrison compares to the Detroit Speed subframe and quadralink set up as for ride quality?

[dhutton]

Thank you for the reply. How do you feel the Art Morrison compares to the Detroit Speed subframe and quadralink set up as for ride quality?

I prefer the Art Morrison. You just can’t beat a quality IRS for ride quality imho. The C6 front control arms with stock rubber bushings also give a great ride.

I think Mary Pozzi proved the AME IRS can be a serious autocross setup also.

Take a look at the frame Roadster shop released for trifives etc that is focused on ride quality to see what they have. No Camaro version though afaik.

Don

[NOVA]

I built two Camaros. A 69 vert for my wife with full Ridetech, The Ridetech ride was harsh Biggest issue was any discontinuity in the pavement.
It’s a shame the Art Morrison IRS is so expensive because it could be a real game changer imho.
Don

I seen this post had come up to the top, and pretty much Don summed it up again....I have tried different things and I just do not see it getting a whole lot smoother, my bad for not riding in more similar cars with my set up and other suspension set ups before going this route.

[dhutton]

I seen this post had come up to the top, and pretty much Don summed it up again....I have tried different things and I just do not see it getting a whole lot smoother, my bad for not riding in more similar cars with my set up and other suspension set ups before going this route.

Only thing I can suggest is to significantly increase the rebound damping and see if it makes a difference.

Don

[pannetron]

IMHO too much rebound damping is sure to make the ride harsh.

[dhutton]

IMHO too much rebound damping is sure to make the ride harsh.

My thinking was that stored energy due to high spring preload was causing the harsh bang when traveling over drops in pavement. The spring fires off when unloaded over the drop. That’s why I suggested trying increased rebound damping. It’s just a theory and just something to try. Not a guarantee but I did find an improvement when I tried it on my wife’s car. Of course there is a sweet spot that may or not be easy to find. Ultimately I gave up and we sold the car.

Mandatory backyard hack disclaimer inserted here… :)

Don

[CraigS]

I find this thread curious. A given suspension style can't give a decent ride? What? First realize that one difference between an IRS and a solid axle is that the IRS will usually have some leverage built in so the spring or shock rate is not the effective wheel rate. The wheel rate will usually be much softer than the spring rate. The solid axle will have the two rates nearly identical. I mention this because (assuming the lengths would fit) a given coil over unit that rides great in an IRS car will be very much stiffer if moved to a solid axle car. Regarding ride comfort only, as long as both systems will allow 5-6 inches of wheel travel (without binding control arms or unwanted contact to frame or body) both can be made to ride well. The IRS will have the advantage when on rough pavement because of much less unsprung weight but, other than that ride can be nearly the same as IRS. There are a lot of other advantages to IRS regarding geometry but to say a solid axle car can not be made to ride reasonably is crazy.

[dhutton]

I find this thread curious. A given suspension style can't give a decent ride? What? First realize that one difference between an IRS and a solid axle is that the IRS will usually have some leverage built in so the spring or shock rate is not the effective wheel rate. The wheel rate will usually be much softer than the spring rate. The solid axle will have the two rates nearly identical. I mention this because (assuming the lengths would fit) a given coil over unit that rides great in an IRS car will be very much stiffer if moved to a solid axle car. Regarding ride comfort only, as long as both systems will allow 5-6 inches of wheel travel (without binding control arms or unwanted contact to frame or body) both can be made to ride well. The IRS will have the advantage when on rough pavement because of much less unsprung weight but, other than that ride can be nearly the same as IRS. There are a lot of other advantages to IRS regarding geometry but to say a solid axle car can not be made to ride reasonably is crazy.
I can only reiterate my experience building two 69 Camaros. The iRS car had a much better ride than the Ridetech four bar. Night and day. Even had Bret the owner of Ridetech ride in the car and suggest changes. No real difference. Maybe the solid axle cars CAN ride as well as an IRS but I’ve not seen any commercially available suspension kits that do….

I see that Roadster Shop is now offering a chassis optimized for ride called the Ride Line. I was contemplating buying one for my 59 Chevy pickup to compare to my C5 IRS equipped 56 Chevy pickup. Unfortunately they are now quoting 10 month delivery times which is a little bit crazy imho….

Don

[CraigS]

Don think back to a bone stock 69 Camaro. Did it ride OK? So what has changed? To me overall suspension design can get into a lot of stuff w/ roll centers, instant centers, etc. But ride is much reduced from overall design. You need 5-6 inches of wheel travel w/o anything hitting anything else, no control arm bushings binding, no geometric binding (an old Fox Mustang rear suspension would not roll if all bushings were replaced w/ spherical bearings), and reasonable shock and spring rates. The OP says his shocks are in the middle of their travel so that is good. I'd next disconnect, or remove if necessary, the coilovers to see if the suspension will move up and down w/o them. Next I think he also said the shocks are on #6 adjustment. Why? I don't know the specifics of those shocks but I have never seen any that #6 is the softest setting. Usually 0 or 1 is softest so that needs to be tried to see how it affects ride. And I may have missed it, but I haven't seen a spring rate # yet so we have no idea what he has. Based on your experience one other possibility is the shocks are completely wrong for the car. An adjustable shock has a range of stiffnesses available. The softest setting on these shocks could possibly be too stiff for this application. I once had the compression damping made softer in a pair of QA1 DA coilovers because it was too stiff for a good ride in a cobra replica. I figured that QA1 probably valved them more for something like a Camaro which would be 6-700# heavier.

[dhutton]

Don think back to a bone stock 69 Camaro. Did it ride OK? So what has changed? To me overall suspension design can get into a lot of stuff w/ roll centers, instant centers, etc. But ride is much reduced from overall design. You need 5-6 inches of wheel travel w/o anything hitting anything else, no control arm bushings binding, no geometric binding (an old Fox Mustang rear suspension would not roll if all bushings were replaced w/ spherical bearings), and reasonable shock and spring rates. The OP says his shocks are in the middle of their travel so that is good. I'd next disconnect, or remove if necessary, the coilovers to see if the suspension will move up and down w/o them. Next I think he also said the shocks are on #6 adjustment. Why? I don't know the specifics of those shocks but I have never seen any that #6 is the softest setting. Usually 0 or 1 is softest so that needs to be tried to see how it affects ride. And I may have missed it, but I haven't seen a spring rate # yet so we have no idea what he has. Based on your experience one other possibility is the shocks are completely wrong for the car. An adjustable shock has a range of stiffnesses available. The softest setting on these shocks could possibly be too stiff for this application. I once had the compression damping made softer in a pair of QA1 DA coilovers because it was too stiff for a good ride in a cobra replica. I figured that QA1 probably valved them more for something like a Camaro which would be 6-700# heavier.

Craig, you obviously know more than I do about suspension. I can only recount my experience and reiterate that I had the president of Ridetech drive my car.

One comment though. Ridetech monotube shocks are not compression adjustable. Only rebound is adjustable because that is generally a limitation of monotube shocks, they can’t be made double adjustable without remote reservoirs. So with a Ridetech setup only rebound is adjustable. Brett from Ridetech told me that compression adjustment doesn’t do anything anyway because the spring rates are so high. The rebound adjustment is essentially used to dampen the rebound due to all the stored energy in those high preload, high spring rate springs imho. If the damping is too low I think it can lead to the loud bang that happens when driving over a drop in the road surface at speed. Note that the Ridetech ride is fine on smooth roads. It’s these discontinuities in the pavement that generate the harshness.

The other thing I will reiterate is take a look at the Roadster Shop Ride Line chassis. They have incorporated a lot of the improvements that I have been whining about for years. :) So apparently I’m not the only one thinking this way.

Don

[camcojb]

The other thing I will reiterate is take a look at the Roadster Shop Ride Line chassis. They have incorporated a lot of the improvements that I have been whining about for years. :) So apparently I’m not the only one thinking this way.

Don

That's why I went with the Roadster Shop ride chassis they're now doing. They have a specific shock/spring package developed specifically for that. Ride quality is the optimum goal, but I'm not at the point to be able to give an opinion on how it works yet.

[dhutton]

That's why I went with the Roadster Shop ride chassis they're now doing. They have a specific shock/spring package developed specifically for that. Ride quality is the optimum goal, but I'm not at the point to be able to give an opinion on how it works yet.

Their Ride Line chassis takes it to another level. Very interesting design but they are pretty proud of it…. :) I was considering one but 10 month leadtime with a non refundable $11k deposit was a bit much for me.

Don

[CraigS]

Well dang, this is wrong for sure.
"Brett from Ridetech told me that compression adjustment doesn’t do anything anyway because the spring rates are so high."
What the heck did they design/tune their stuff for? Apparently not for the street.

[Vegas69]

What about a dual rate spring? You'd give up some performance, but perhaps it would soften up the ride under normal conditions.

I had a G Bar in my Camaro which is basically the same thing I believe. I went to a dual adjustable shock and I personally think compression adjustment benefited the ride. There is also the option to build custom axle brackets to allow a longer shock and spring. I lowered my shock mount about .5" to get my shock in mid stroke on my G Bar. I found that I was bottoming out my shock under heavy load prior to the modification. I ended up being pretty satisfied with the G Bar after modifying the shock mount and going to dual adjustable shocks. In stock form, it's not ideal for a decent ride height. I mocked up my rear end without springs at my desired ride height and had the brackets made. It's a pretty simple job. I don't know if it will fix your issue, but I don't recall my car riding that bad.

[randy]

I didn’t realize the ride quality difference in my ridetech coilovers till I switched my rears to jri and had Jj valve them at ultimate performance. I wish I would have went with the jri from the beginning

[NOVA]

I didn’t realize the ride quality difference in my ridetech coilovers till I switched my rears to jri and had Jj valve them at ultimate performance. I wish I would have went with the jri from the beginning

This is Interesting ..... glad it made a noticeable difference in your case, how did it change, do you feel it took the harshness out of the ride or ?

[Mad_Monte_Carlo]

If the president of Ridetech is telling me the adjustments don't really work due to the high spring rate, it would lead me to believe it would be time to try a lighter spring rate.

[dhutton]

If the president of Ridetech is telling me the adjustments don't really work due to the high spring rate, it would lead me to believe it would be time to try a lighter spring rate.

Bit of a misunderstanding. There is no compression damping adjustment because they are monotube shocks and high spring rates aren’t affected by adjustable compression damping is what I was told.

Don

[dhutton]

I didn’t realize the ride quality difference in my ridetech coilovers till I switched my rears to jri and had Jj valve them at ultimate performance. I wish I would have went with the jri from the beginning

This is interesting. My Art Morrison subframe and IRS also had JRI coilovers.

Don

[randy]

This is Interesting ..... glad it made a noticeable difference in your case, how did it change, do you feel it took the harshness out of the ride or ?

Yes. When hitting a bump it was just smoother instead of instant Jolt. I also felt my rear suspension gripped better on the autocross track as well coming around a turn. Now understand my car is very low and for a simple coilover change I felt a huge difference. I prob have 5-8k miles on my new setup.

[NOVA]

Yes. When hitting a bump it was just smoother instead of instant Jolt. I also felt my rear suspension gripped better on the autocross track as well coming around a turn. Now understand my car is very low and for a simple coilover change I felt a huge difference. I prob have 5-8k miles on my new setup.

it is encouraging to know the JRI change and/or the re valving made a large difference for the rear, encouraging to hear smoother.

Question, did you do anything with the fronts as far as changing or re valving or are they still the original Ridetech that came with the coilover kit ?