Chevrolet C-10 1963-1972 Ridetech Front CoilOver System

Do You Need Adjustable Shocks?

Everyone knows you need to hook up your horsepower to go fast. Since the shock absorber is really what controls how the suspension works, it plays a big role. Whether you're running in a straight line or going around corners, it's all about traction: traction going forward; traction going sideways. A drag-race car needs to come up softer and go down harder. A car that turns needs to minimize body roll. The requirements are different, but a shock that offers variable valving plus a wide range of travel can work effectively in both applications. Get an adjustable shock and tune it until it delivers the performance and/or ride quality that you want - then continue experimenting whenever track or road conditions change. If you want to take your street machine to the drag strip, you can make the front end fly up a little higher to transfer more weight and launch harder. If you want to autocross it, you can dial in the extra stiffness that makes it handle better. Dollar for dollar, we can't think of anything that offers so much potential performance, or is so easy to install and adjust.

HQ or TQ Series?

Single-adjustable (HQ Series) shocks control rebound (extension) primarily, while a triple-adjustable(TQ Series) shock sets rebound, high-speed compression, and low-speed compression, truly independently. On a TQ shock, the high-speed adjustment allows tuning for impact harshness... potholes, speedbumps, offroad use and other harsh road irregularities that might induce a high-speed excursion of the piston rod. The low-speed adjustment allows tuning of ride quality, as well as the general cornering characteristics of typical road course and racetrack use. TAs are always better, but you’ll pay $400 more for the luxury of tuning how firmly the shock both comes together and pulls apart. If money is a major concern and you've got a street car, single adjustable shocks are a far preferable choice. But if you find yourself on the autocross of track every other weekend, you'll want to look into the TQ series.

The Shock in ShockWave