Pro Shock's New Shock Absorbers - Doubling Up

Pro Shocks has introduced its new Double Adjustable shock absorber for all racing applications.

This Double Adjustable shock is a quantum leap for racers, especially when you consider that adjustments made to either compression or rebound in most adjustable shocks are compromises. In other words, when you adjust one or the other, the adjustment you're making also affects either rebound or compression. Pro's new shock operates independently, so that adjustments made to one side are not applied to the other.

There are four pieces that make up a shock absorber's code or acceleration curve. There is low-speed bleed, high-speed jet, spring rate, and seat pressure for the spring. Pro's new adjustable shock, according to Gillespie, is the only shock ever built that can control all four aspects at once.

OK, how does it do that? Pro's patented process is fairly simple. "As you adjust this thing, the adjusting pin has two tapers on it," Gillespie explained. "One taper regulates the low-speed bleed. As the pin goes in, it limits the amount of bleed until there's no bleed, which makes it a stiffer shock. As it comes out, there's a lot of bleed and it makes for a much softer shock."

Simple enough, right? There's more. Gillespie and his company have patented a progressive spring for the Double Adjustable that enables it to be adjustable through 360 degrees, not just a handful of settings.

"We grind a spring on a taper, and we use the best internal springs we can find," Gillespie said. "So what happens when you screw this down 841/41000 of an inch, is it collapses the weaker coils. As they collapse, the weight is on the stiffer coils, so the rate of the spring is stiffer. It also increases the seat pressure for the blow-off. Simultaneously paralleling all these adjustments, the low-speed bleed has a cam-effect curve on it to create the right amount of tension. To adjust this thing, you can stop at any point. You can fully adjust anywhere 360 degrees, softest to stiffest. Most adjustments, you have to go from one number to another number. With this shock, you can adjust from a three to an eight on the rebound side and on the compression side you can go from a three to a seven. Another good thing about it is that one adjustment doesn't affect the other. They are independent of each other. On all other adjustable shocks, what you adjust on one affects the other."

Another unique aspect of the Double Adjustable shock is the fluid circulation system. The rebound and compression valving are completely separated from each other and the fluid is circulated through the shock. The fluid flows through the valvebody that contains the valving and adjustment mechanism at the top of the shock and goes to the main reservoir. It goes through the reservoir and down to the base or bottom of the shock. It travels through a refreshing valve and fills the bottom side of the piston. On a normal shock absorber, as the shock goes back and forth, the fluid below the piston just goes back and forth and that's why it gets hot, according to Gillespie.

The shocks, which are aluminum, are available for many different racing applications, including most stock car and open-wheel classes. They are available in strokes lengths of 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 inches. Compression valving is available from 3 to 7 and rebound valving is available from 3 to 8 or 6 to 11.

Manufacturer: Pro Shocks
Dept. CT01
1715 Lakes Pkwy
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
770/995-6300
www.proshocks.com