Originally Posted by fredswain

Of course you end up with a lighter front end than the rear on a 2WD buggy. The front end is lighter. Typically over 70% of your vehicle weight is in the back. The front has to be lighter. It's all about balance. On a mid motor 4WD vehicle where more weight is centered, you'll have a more equal front and rear setup. The front end does typically get a thicker shock oil.

Once the springs are set, they are set. After you get your oil sorted out, you do not go back and adjust the springs UNLESS you adjust ALL of them! Springs need to be treated as one entity yet one separate from shock oil. If you change the front, the rear goes with it and vice versa. Balance must be maintained. You may need an overall higher or lower suspension frequency but you must always maintain balance. I can't stress this enough. Going back and changing the springs again after the fact is a huge mistake that too many people make.

This is not something that works on only 1/8 scale or only on 4WD or 2WD. It works on ALL cars regardless of vehicle design, weight distribution or scale. It is a universal method that is used to arrive at a solution.

If you are blaming cornering issues on shock or spring rates, you are ignoring a host of other things. Shocks and springs are ONLY used to determine how well the vehicle absorbs bumps. Cornering ability is adjusted through roll centers and tires. Front end rake plays a role with weight transfer when decelerating and you'll notice that the new 22 has a few different options in this area and the optimum rake even changes with weight distribution in the car. Do not use your shocks to tune your cornering ability. Roll stiffness is the number 1 thing used to determine cornering ability and the roll stiffness chosen needs to be based on how stiff your shocks are. It is all related yet separate. I haven't gotten to all of these issues yet but this is pointing out the problems with typical tuning methods. Shocks are not the be all end all tuning item for every problem! They are a part of a greater assembly and everything has it's own dedicated purpose.

Keep in mind I am not telling anyone what the best setup always is. Not at all. No one can do this. If you use these techniques, it is still up to YOU to get it right! You can use proper techniques but still get it wrong if you don't pay enough attention to what is happening. I can't give you the answers. I can only tell you a logical course to take in order to get there.