Originally Posted by
qstorm777
Matt, being in the fall season, the temp changes a lot here say starting from mid 40s up to mid 70s and then back to maybe low 60s by the time mains are done. If I build emulsion shocks, will I have to rebuild them a couple of times on race day with this much of a temperature range?
That's quite a big temp change. Hard to say, but short answer is yes. Best thing to do is test them by taking them off the car and pumping them 30 times. If they rebound the same amount as they did in earlier then you are fine.
To be honest with that big of a temp delta you will want to go heavier on the oil for mid day. 30 degrees is a big difference.
So what we do to test oil thickness is a quick bench test. It's kind of hard to explain but move the front or rear suspension up and down quickly and at increasing speed. Start slow and increase speed. Goal is to have your wheels on the bench at slow and medium oscillation but when you get to the fastest speed you can move, the wheels should come off the bench slightly. Difficult to explain but I'll see if we can make a video.
Rule of thumb, if your wheels are off the track (because the oil is too thick) you will lose traction, tires will bounce off the bumps and it will be very difficult to drive. If it's too light it won't land jumps well and will will roll too much in the corners (not supported properly) and you will lose corner speed. It's a give and take, like many things with setup.