Nelson Engineered Performance LLC

This post discusses the distinctions between springs and shocks in race car platform and their influence on the philosophy at Nelson Engineered Performance.

First, springs determine the car’s travel distance and do not impact wheel load. In other words, they don’t dictate the amount of load generated by the wheels, but rather the distance the car’s suspension needs to travel to reach a specific wheel load. For instance, if we add bump stop shims or install a stiffer spring on the right front, the dynamic wheel load won’t increase; instead, the car’s suspension will have less travel. This concept is crucial to our philosophy at Nelson Engineered Performance. Through our pull-down fixture, we’ve observed that the dynamic right-side wheel loads on your race car are quite predictable and consistent. Even though we can adjust the right-side spring rates or bump stops, it won’t generate more wheel load; the car will simply reach those wheel load numbers earlier in its dynamic suspension travel. This predictability enables us to build and fine-tune your car’s platform (and overall setup) around the RF of your car, even without initial shock travel data.

The conversation of spring setups will undoubtedly be further broken down into numerous posts and articles, but it is worth quickly mentioning the differences between conventional and stack spring setups.

Conventional springs and stack springs each offer unique characteristics in the realm of dirt late model racing. The conventional spring setup involves a single spring (bump stop/spring likely as well) on each corner of the car. Its simplicity allows for easier adjustments and often provides more linear and consistent behavior throughout the race.

On the other hand, a stack spring setup involves two springs stacked on top of each other (bump stops and springs likely as well) on the same corner. This allows for more adjustability in terms of how the car reaches its final load number. In both the conventional and stack setup, the target end load number will be the same (or close). It is the rate at which it builds that will differ. This can play a large role in how your car reaches and stays in, its platform on track.

Both setups have their merits, and the choice between them often depends on the specific track conditions, rules package, driver preferences, and overall race strategy. Many teams continue to use conventional spring setups as they offer a predictable and repeatable platform, while stack springs can be better for allowing more fine-tuning of the car’s platform. The decision between them is one that should not be taken lightly, and it requires careful consideration and understanding of how both will affect the car’s handling on track. Our spring services can help tailor your car’s spring selection and setup.

Shocks, on the other hand, determine the timing of the load. While shocks are undeniably vital to your race car setup, they are often excessively relied upon as tuning devices in the racing world. Many issues that racers attempt to address with shocks can be more effectively resolved by first ensuring the platform is correctly set. The platform is established through springs, not shocks.

At Nelson Engineered Performance, we are equipped with advanced technology and industry expertise to conduct thorough analyses of your race car’s dynamic travel. We can fine-tune your car’s platform to ensure optimal performance. By focusing on your car’s balance and platform – established primarily through spring selection and setup – we facilitate a more efficient problem-solving approach. With Nelson Engineered Performance, you can have confidence in an accurate, comprehensive analysis of your car’s dynamic travel, leading to a superior race car setup. Make sure you get the best out of your race car with Nelson Engineered Performance.