Linear Vs. Digressive

[CSB]

Can anyone explain how each type of piston/valving affects the car? Ive heard linear valving is best suited for smooth tracks.

[BigBlueFord]

Some info from a Cricle Track Mag. article:


http://images.circletrack.com/techarticles/139_0307_shock_5_z.jpg

The digressive piston design has a low flow rate at low shaft speeds that provides a lot of resistance and control. The resistance rate increases with increased shaft speeds to a designed level and then tapers off. As the shaft speed continues to increase, the resistance stays uniform above a certain shaft speed. This "pop-off" characteristic works well for reducing the possibility of building excessively high amounts of resistance usually associated with sharp increases in shaft speeds due to running over bumps and holes in some racetracks.


http://images.circletrack.com/techarticles/139_0307_shock_6_z.jpg



The linear piston has a high flow rate at low shaft speeds and hence little resistance. The resistance increases as the shaft speed increases. The rate of the shock continues to increase as long as the speed increases.