Damper differences and refurbishing references

[MonsieurX]

Hi, I need a little technical advice.

I've sent my dampers for refurbishing. They are the AA2 Bilstein model with valve code B.

The refurbishing company rtec calls me back to tell me that while the rears are OK in their tests, the fronts do not seem to change speed/hardness when switching between setting 1 and 5 on the damper.

Is this standard? Is there any measurement that I could give them? A ratio difference between the fronts and rears for example? There's the weight distribution and RBBC that comes into mind but I'm not an engineer to be able to tell them how this works or confirm if that's ok.

They checked both which should exclude a malfunction.

Im still waiting for the answer from the factory but it's Easter and they might be out. I thought i would post this here for future reference.

[John Scherrer]

It's possible that something inside is seized (stuck), so the outside adjuster no longer causes the inside valve to change?

[l33haw]

Out of interest, any news on this?

[MonsieurX]

Yes

Tom sent me a graph coming from Bilstein with the right nm/speed/time for the dampers. They came back and they are a bit stiffer - but not that much from what i saw in just one test.

Trouble was that the low-weight of the atom did not give much of a reading for the instruments. So nothing was seized or clogged.

[l33haw]

[quote="MonsieurX"]
Yes

Trouble was that the low-weight of the atom did not give much of a reading for the instruments. So nothing was seized or clogged.
[/quote]

Thanks for that. Kind of goes along with my theory that adjusting the front dampers on Atom 2s doesn't do an awful lot.

[MonsieurX]

I'll have to test that further. I remember doing some tests and it did make a difference for sharp curves and whether it understeered or not...

The rears definitely made a difference (drift machine style )

[MonsieurX]

After some tests, there is a major difference. Rebound is much firmer. The difference is not that big but it feels much steadier.

Has anyone tested the difference between the new bilsteins with 10 settings vs the old bilsteins with 5 settings?

[wasp]

[quote="MonsieurX"]
After some tests, there is a major difference. Rebound is much firmer. The difference is not that big but it feels much steadier.

Has anyone tested the difference between the new bilsteins with 10 settings vs the old bilsteins with 5 settings?
[/quote]
Yes, but as it was also back to backing an Atom 2, 300 v an Atom 3, 300 it is hard to be specific about the difference that just the bilsteins make. The Atom 3 is certainly much much more compliant (a different league entirely) over bumps and dealing with camber changes.
I'm sure Tom would be able to provide some statistics!

Cheers,
Stu