Suspension Service Recommendations & FAQs
SUSPENSION SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS
Here are our factory recommendations for suspension service that should prompt you when to rebuild your shocks and to keep them operating at peak performance. We recommend suspension service at following intervals:
- Visual inspection concerns (road wear, age, damage, binding, leaks, etc.)
- Performance feedback concerns (rebound, compression)
- Alignment (binding, topping or bottoming of any shock)
- Spring Rate (Unknown spring rate, ride stiffness, ride softness)
WHAT IS RIDE HEIGHT?
Ride height is the desired stance you want your vehicle to sit at with the tires & wheels on the vehicle, sitting parked, and level on the ground.
WHAT MEASUREMENTS DO I NEED TO HAVE WHEN ORDERING MY SHOCKS?
Once you have your desired Ride Height, the next number we’ll need is the measurement from the center of the top mount, to the center of the bottom mount on both the front and rear mounts your shocks will be mounting to.
HOW MANY ADJUSTMENTS DO ALDAN COILOVER SHOCKS HAVE?
Ride height is the desired stance you want your vehicle to sit at with the tires & wheels on the vehicle, sitting parked, and level on the ground.
- Non-Adjustable: 0 Adjustments (Pre-Set Factory Valving)
- Compression Adjustable: 6 Adjustment Settings
- Rebound Adjustable: 6 to 11 Adjustment Settings
- Double Adjustable: 17 Adjustment Settings
WHICH WAY SHOULD I TURN MY SHOCK ADJUSTMENT KNOBS TO ADJUST MY SHOCKS?
- (Applies to both Small and Large adjustment Knobs)
- Counter-Clockwise adjustment knob turns (clicks) will increase the shocks Rebound rate (Speed Up)
- Clockwise adjustment knob turns (clicks) will decrease the shocks Rebound rate (Slow Down)
HOW DO I FIND THE STARTING POINT (TOP-DEAD CENTER) OF AN ALDAN ADJUSTMENT KNOB WITHOUT ANY NUMBERS?
Each Small adjustment knob has 1 black set-screw inset on the knurled (textured) part of the adjustment knob. When adjusting shocks that have this Small knob – start with the black set-screw set at in a 12 o’ clock position in alignment with the top of the shocks top mount.
HOW DO I ADJUST MY DOUBLE ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS?
On our double adjustable shocks, the top adjustment knob will adjust your rebound. The settings for the rebound range from 1 to 11. Setting 1 will offer the fastest rebound and least amount of resistance. Setting 11 will be the slowest rebound and the greatest amount of resistance.
For street use – start at setting 5 and adjust toward 11 to reduce rebound or adjust towards 1 to increase the rebound rate.
For drag racing – Start at 5 on the rebound setting – If using a 4-link rear ends, start at setting 7 on the rebound adjustment
The bottom adjustment knob will adjust your compression settings. The settings for compression range from 1 to 6. Setting 1 will offer the fastest rebound and least amount of resistance. Setting 6 will be the slowest rebound and the greatest amount of resistance.
For street use – start at setting 1 and adjust up from there to stiffen up the compression settings.
For drag racing – Start at 4 on the compression setting
WHAT IS MEANT BY 350LBS SPRING RATE?
Having a spring rate, in this case 350lbs – means that it will take 350lbs to compress this spring 1-inch. In addition, It will take 350lbs to compress this spring each additional inch thereafter.