Over the past ten years or so, we’ve witnessed tremendous advancements in suspension technology. Unlike years past, the typical race-born products are actually trickling into the consumer market in rapid fashion. By far, we are seeing some of the biggest advancements in the suspension sector. With off-the-showroom trucks such as the Ford Raptor being equipped with internal-bypass shocks, more consumers are becoming aware of the benefits of high-performance shock absorbers.
This fact has led to many shock companies to offer more dynamic internal-bypass shocks as well as more traditional shocks that are equipped with external adjusters for tuning shocks. While external shock adjusters have been around for years, the volume at which they are being offered, as well as the engineering being packaged into them, it’s far better than past offerings. The idea is that you purchase a set of bolt-in/application-specific shocks with somewhat neutral valving and from there, you become an in-the-field shock tuner. This is going to require you to spend a little time adjusting the settings but the payoff will be well worth it
For example: if you’re hauling tail in the desert, you’ll likely want to dial in more compression (upwards shock movement) for those big hits. Conversely, you’ll want to dial back the rebound (downwards shock movement) valving to ensure your tires stay planted through those rough desert two tracks. After you're done romping in the desert, you can simply dial back your shocks to a more usable street setting or wherever your next adventure takes you. This will force you to become a more hands-on wheeler, which is ultimately a good thing.
What you see above is similar to a standard nitrogen-charged shock. Traditionally, if you wanted to adjust the valving in your shocks, you would have to send them off to the manufacturer or attempt to replace the valves yourself. While not overly difficult, re-valving a shock isn’t as simple as bleeding the brakes. Sending them off can be pricey as well. King, Fox, ARB and ICON are just a few of the companies offering this advanced shock technology.
Below you’ll find a video from ARB on its adjustable shock technology:
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i7DyeVfUt8[/embed]
