2000 ACR Suspension set-up

[ACR2000GTS]

I currently have a 94 RT10 and just recieved a 2000 GTS ACR to add to the collection. To say the cars are different is an understatement. Judging by the feel of the suspension I think the car had some track time. Last week I was buzzing through an industrial park, doing the speed limit of course, and the rear end was so stiff it felt like the entire back end of the car went flying in the air when I hit a bump. I am looking for some recommendations on suspension set up. I plan on driving the car mostly on the weekends and to car shows, with no intentions of putting it on the track. Suggestions?

 

[01sapphirebob]

First you should join the VCA. Second, while I have not driven my ACR yet (2001 acr) I have heard the same thing about the car. The previous owner put 850lb springs in the rear to soften the ride a little bit. Hopefully this helps. Believe it or not I might actually might go back to the OEM springs in the interest of keeping the car stock. Hope this helps!

 

[ACR2000GTS]

I am a member of the VCA. If I cahnge anything I plan on keeping all of the stock parts. The car is completely stock as I recieved it, just rides really stiff. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Dom426h]

with no intentions of putting it on the track why would you buy an ACR?

and then have the audacity to complain about the stiff setup

then further have the audacity to request advice on how to neuter it

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

see post #3.

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-g...pring-rates-street-driving-eibachs-going.html

ACR v1 meant earlier year,
ACR v2 meant later model year.

It can feel stiff from the shock setting and/or springs. See if you can set back the shock setting in the rear. If it's the springs, well, you had to be pretty manly to hustle it around a race track with the original rear springs. I'm not, so after searching, found others went from the OEM 1100# to 800#.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Sorry. It lists you as an enthusiast. Glad to hear you are a member!!!

I am a member of the VCA. If I cahnge anything I plan on keeping all of the stock parts. The car is completely stock as I recieved it, just rides really stiff. Thanks for the reply.

 

[JonB]

I currently have a 94 RT10 and just recieved a 2000 GTS ACR to add to the collection. To say the cars are different is an understatement. Judging by the feel of the suspension I think the car had some track time. Last week I was buzzing through an industrial park, doing the speed limit of course, and the rear end was so stiff it felt like the entire back end of the car went flying in the air when I hit a bump. I am looking for some recommendations on suspension set up. I plan on driving the car mostly on the weekends and to car shows, with no intentions of putting it on the track. Suggestions?

2000 ACR was a tricky one. 1/2 of them had Koni-Rattlers. last 1/2 had DSI Buck-Board Stiff. I suspect you have the latter.

In fact, I had my ONLY heated arguement with any TV Engineeer over the latter shock/spring choices. WAY TOO FLIPPING STIFF. We suggest a re-spring at a minimal cost under $200 of a OE-matching manufacturer spring that will keep you attchached to the ground on washboard roads .

 

[JonB]

Oh, and WELCOME TO THE SITE !!

with no intentions of putting it on the track why would you buy an ACR?

and then have the audacity to complain about the stiff setup

then further have the audacity to request advice on how to neuter it

 

[DWR46]

If your car has Dynamic Suspension Shocks, try these settings:

Front: Bump-- Full Soft
Rebound-- 12 clicks froim Full Hard

Rear: Bump-- Full Soft
Rebound-- 12 clicks from Full Hard

I find this very acceptable for the street, as I never "track" my car. However, I am used to driviing lots of stiffly suspended performance cars, so I may be somewhat biased.

 

[ACR2000GTS]

Thanks for all the replies. Getting a little heat for buying an ACR with no intentions of putting it on the track. I actually got a really good deal on this car so I jumped on it. I will try some of the recommendaions made.

 

[Toby]

My first ACR was stiff and almost unsafe for road use. The rear tires were bouncing around like pogo sticks.

My current ACR (same year as my first...01's) rides much differently. More confident and less disturbed.

Both were untouched and still had the stickers over the adjustment knobs.

Why the difference...unknown. Adjusted a bit differently from the factory..maybe.

 

[DWR46]

My 2001 ACR had the stickers on the adjustment knobs also, but the settings were all over the place. We have a shock dyno, and I realize that sometimes different settings are required to get shocks to show the same dyno results, but these were just too "out of line". In any case, I posted what works for me on the street.

 

[kcobean]

2000 ACR was a tricky one. 1/2 of them had Koni-Rattlers. last 1/2 had DSI Buck-Board Stiff. I suspect you have the latter.

In fact, I had my ONLY heated arguement with any TV Engineeer over the latter shock/spring choices. WAY TOO FLIPPING STIFF. We suggest a re-spring at a minimal cost under $200 of a OE-matching manufacturer spring that will keep you attchached to the ground on washboard roads .

Yup, the DSI shocks/springs (standard on all the 2001's) are absolutely brutal on the street.

Jon, do we have to use a spring compressor to take these things apart and replace with 800# springs? Also, is there a detriment to the shocks by moving to a softer spring (i.e. the shock will travel farther and do it faster, does this put additional strain on the seals and such in the shock?)

I may make this my spring project. It can be tough to enjoy the car when your head is bouncing off the headliner.

 

[Venomiss]

I am a member of the VCA. If I cahnge anything I plan on keeping all of the stock parts. The car is completely stock as I recieved it, just rides really stiff. Thanks for the reply.

Congratulations on your second Viper!
Since you are a member contact one of the moderators here with your information and membership number so they can upgrade you. Private message is best.
They will look it up manually and get you started.
Lee00blacksilverGTS, Big-n-italian, CitySnake, Leslie, ViperTony are all mods.

By being listed as a VCA member you will see a whole lot more of the site than you are now and have access to VCA members areas here too. VCA members get avatars and would love to see your two vipers.
Welcome!

 

[JonB]

Yup, the DSI shocks/springs (standard on all the 2001's) are absolutely brutal on the street.

Jon, do we have to use a spring compressor to take these things apart and replace with 800# springs? Also, is there a detriment to the shocks by moving to a softer spring (i.e. the shock will travel farther and do it faster, does this put additional strain on the seals and such in the shock?)

I may make this my spring project. It can be tough to enjoy the car when your head is bouncing off the headliner.

The adjustable Rear Lower spring perches makes the spring compressor unneccessary. In fact, the OE 1100 lb rear spring PREVENTS the valving from working properly. It is better for the dampers seals and valves to function normally with an 800 or 850 spring. or 900 with aero. You will LOVE it and handle rough roads safer and more confidently on 2000.5 - 2002 ACR

 

[JonB]

My first ACR was stiff and almost unsafe for road use. The rear tires were bouncing around like pogo sticks.

My current ACR (same year as my first...01's) rides much differently. More confident and less disturbed.

Both were untouched and still had the stickers over the adjustment knobs.

Why the difference...unknown. Adjusted a bit differently from the factory..maybe.

Hmmmm.. If you have a moment, the spring rates are STAMPED on the springs. If you have 1100 OE and you have a softer, compliant ride, I suspect you rear shocks are LEAKING! 1100 lb and no-aero is buckboard,teeth-rattlin stiff on rough roads

 

[PhoenixGTS]

After the post Tom linked to with the following history of spring rates:

250/450 stock
325/500 Roe (325/550)
400/750 ACR v1
450/650 Woodhouse + my Gen 1 (1rst time)
500/1100 OEM ACR v2
500/800 what ACR owners liked better
550/800 my Gen 1 now
600/800 Verges
700/900 NDW on Archer revalve
500/700

I went with 300 front/500 rear then later upped the rears to 550 pounds. I could maybe use 50 more pounds of rate up front, but for street driving I really like these rates. The reason I tell this story is that the ACR rates are absolutely insane. Crazy high rates for a street car.

 

[AZTVR]

You will LOVE it and handle rough roads safer and more confidently on 2000.5 - 2002 ACR

I took Jon's advice, and installed the 800 lb springs. Like he said, the ride was definitely improved and handling did not degrade. Same manufacturer as OE. It was well worth it. It is also something a do-it-yourselfer can do without a spring compressor. Just mark things count the turns when you back off the perch adjuster nut so you can get back to where you were. Hardest thing was getting room for moving a large torque wrench in there for retorquing the lower attachment bolt. (I do not have a lift.) I did have an alignment done afterward. I don't know if that is absolutely necessary; but the car was new to me.

Hmmmm.. If you have a moment, the spring rates are STAMPED on the springs.

I just took a look at the OE 1100 lb springs that I had removed and the rate was stamped on the end only; so, impossible to see without much effort on a car, I would think. My OE 1100 lb springs do have a paper sticker on them with various numbers; but, the largest ones are 552AC.

 

[ontilt]

with no intentions of putting it on the track why would you buy an ACR?

and then have the audacity to complain about the stiff setup

then further have the audacity to request advice on how to neuter it[/QUOTod E]

Give me a break...if you buy an ACR you have to track it?? and cant ask any questions about the suspension??? How about a person buys an ACR because thats what they want..or because of the low production ##'s etc. God there is a bunch of snobs here....

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

If you do this, take this opportunity to corner weight the car!!!

This means that the left and right front wheels can be adjusted not just for the same height, but same load on the ground. This will improve braking and avoid the RF tire flat spot problem.

There are different philosophies, but I put my body weight in the driver seat and adjusted front wheels to carry equal load. This means the LR is carrying more than the RR (wedge, as NASCAR termed it.) The benefit is that the front tires which produce the most braking are equally loaded and one side won't lock and flat spot. The rear tires, which don't do much braking, don't matter because the rears will never lock up anyway. I suppose the road race crowd may argue it's better turning one way than another, but my opinion is unless you are at imminent tire slip during every turn, it doesn't matter. Less perfect drivers like me, however, will often get to imminent tire slip during braking.

 

[AZTVR]

God there is a bunch of snobs here....

No, I'd say that there are just a bunch of folks here who have very wide ranging opinions, and a few who are not concerned about expressing them even when they know they will be offensive. Many would give that kind of hard time to a good buddy, and may mean it that way here also.

Now, if the subject were about the lack of power seats, maybe I would be one of the objectors !

 

[Dom426h]

precicely!! AZTVR, i figured some show car posers would not agree with what i said, but i dont care. I just wanted to express my purist view of the functionality of a vehicle. Am i a snob for wanting the ACR to be used for what it was intended for???? I think not. Also, ONTILT, who are these other "bunch of snobs"???

however, i was partely ignorant, i did not know that the ACR came with 2 diff springs. In that case i personaly wouldnt mind swapping to the softer of the two to make it more streetable.

ACR2000GTS
Enjoy your new Viper and Welcome to the VCA
having an RT10 and GTS is awesome!!!
Hey, how many miles you have on the 94 ?

 

[ontilt]

Bunch of snobs?? only one here in this forum, but I have seen it on a regular basis. Snippy, snobby, short condensending answers in many forums...tired of it. A guy cant even ask a question without someone adding their BS 2 cents.

 

[Toby]

Hmmmm.. If you have a moment, the spring rates are STAMPED on the springs. If you have 1100 OE and you have a softer, compliant ride, I suspect you rear shocks are LEAKING! 1100 lb and no-aero is buckboard,teeth-rattlin stiff on rough roads

No leaks as I just inspected them.

The ride is still a lot more firm than my standard GTS's were but it's just different than my first ACR. Maybe the previous owner changed the springs but I suspect not. I will look for the stamp (if its visible without removing the spring) anyway this weekend as the car is up on stands/ wheels off for routine winter maintenance.

Maybe I just need to stop sniffing glue.

 

[01sapphirebob]

How bad was that ACR (your first one)? I have 850lb springs in the rear on mine. You said it was "almost unsafe for road use." I am trying to figure out what I got myself into.

My first ACR was stiff and almost unsafe for road use. The rear tires were bouncing around like pogo sticks.

My current ACR (same year as my first...01's) rides much differently. More confident and less disturbed.

Both were untouched and still had the stickers over the adjustment knobs.

Why the difference...unknown. Adjusted a bit differently from the factory..maybe.

 

[AZTVR]

How bad was that ACR (your first one)? I have 850lb springs in the rear on mine. You said it was "almost unsafe for road use." I am trying to figure out what I got myself into.

The 850 pound springs are the recommended ones. The original 1100 pound springs are the "almost unsafe for road use" that JonB also describes. I didn't find them to be that severe; but, the lower rate springs are definitely the way to go.

 

[Toby]

My 1st ACR would really get unstable on higher speed exit ramps with even the slightest bumps. I remember a few times where the rear would actually jump causing the rear tires to loose grip. It sucked.

I just looked at some pics of my old ACR. They still had the tags on the springs and stickers over the adjustment screws.

Reconfirmed on my current ACR...the springs are "as they came" from the factory. No signs of being changed and the original tags are still on the springs.

I also checked again...they are not leaking.

 

[kcobean]

How bad was that ACR (your first one)? I have 850lb springs in the rear on mine. You said it was "almost unsafe for road use." I am trying to figure out what I got myself into.

Yup...if your '01 is stock, you'll see. I've been driving mine on the street for 2-1/2 years now. There have been times where I swear the back of the car left the road. I'm definitely putting this spring change on my to-do list this year.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Do you have the lower rate springs? Dose it make any difference if i was gonna put the car on a track for a day? I generally just drive my car around town and enjoy the drive but once and a while I might want to track it at a club event.

The 850 pound springs are the recommended ones. The original 1100 pound springs are the "almost unsafe for road use" that JonB also describes. I didn't find them to be that severe; but, the lower rate springs are definitely the way to go.

 

[01sapphirebob]

My car is stock except for the spring change in the rear. Maybe I will just leave the 850lb springs in...

Yup...if your '01 is stock, you'll see. I've been driving mine on the street for 2-1/2 years now. There have been times where I swear the back of the car left the road. I'm definitely putting this spring change on my to-do list this year.