King 3.0 Shock Dyno Testing

Tuning Dodge Ram Suspension is a constant process... and today we just added another tool to our box. A shock dyno. Shown here is Sage working with a tech with one of the first 3.0 King Shocks for a Carli Suspension System. We are able to tear down a shock, tune it with whatever valves we like, then reassemble and install on the dyno. From here we can make several passes with the shock connected to a Nitrogen tank so we can adjust the gas charge and run the same valve profile and compare data.

Today was our first day playing with our standard valve profile and one of our latest experiments. So far, we've learned a lot and the theory is starting to take shape. Understanding how to interpret data is important and being able to connect a curve on a graph to "seat of the pants" feel is bringing new light into the world of tuning these race shocks for our Dodge Ram's.

So now we're able to see the transition of force that the shock absorbs, how fast it absorbs it and what happens next. We are able to visualize what we feel after tuning the shocks, which before was impossible. After the first few passes and adjustments, Sage was pointing at a computer screen and able to pick out where the big bumps are absorbed and where those little expansion joints are felt.

After the run of the standard Dominator 3.0 shock tune, which impressed everyone who saw the graph, we valved another 3.0 with my Megacab tune. An experiment that was tried several months ago... and Sage even said "I'm almost scared what this is going to show..." jokingly, of course... and what happen next made us all bug out. First of all, the valve stack and method was something completely different, hence the experiment... and what we found was that the second shock produced over 50% more compression that transitioned in a smooth arc on the graph and had balanced rebound. After someone else asked what was going on and they got the full technical scoop, I heard someone say "Yeah, I remember that Walker Evans used to do that on one of his buggies".

Here's a quick look at the very first test results. What you're looking at is the dyno graph of the shock stroke. Now to make things simple, what you're looking for are smooth transitions and no spikes - this is where ride quality can be visualized. Shown here is the standard Dominator 3.0 shock valve profile. Each test was run with a different gas charge and what we found is that the pressure that is recommended for our valving, produced the best data signature when tested.


The next graph is experimental 3.0 valving for "special case" off-road driving that we tagged with a nickname at the shop, but that's aside the point. What we did was start out with a very low pressure charge and work our way up. You can immediately see a major difference. The size of the visual, when overlaid with the first test, is much bigger, almost 40% more - which turns out to be the amount of energy this valve profile absorbs in the same time and distance. Big bump compression, with the exact same smooth transition. The next thing you notice is the anomaly at the end of the compression stroke, represented with the teal colored line. This was done with the lowest reservoir charge and shows that the shock cavitated. Once we got into actual operating pressures and not testing pressures, that anomaly was reduced and finally with the actual pressure we run with this stack, turned out as smooth, if not smoother than the valve stack with 40% less compression. Smooth transition of energy absorbing and recovery is the key to ride quality, on or off-road.


This kind of research and development is only possible through a tight working relationship with King Off Road. Access to their equipment, personnel and knowledge is a contributing factor in the speed at which our R&D progresses.

We're headed back in a couple days with an arsenal of shocks, various tunes and ideas. This is sure to speed things up with the R&D and help confirm or deny some of the ideas that pop up around the shop. This advancement is only going to lead to more shock tuning experience and knowledge, which means we'll have more fun in our trucks off road and they'll ride nicer on the highway.