FAQs

Why bring another set of dampers to market for the MQB platform?

After letting a multi championship winning SCCA driver Lawrence Loshak from Loshak Racing test my RS3 on Road America it became apparent that we were at the limit of what the factory Mag Ride could do. Impressed with the capabilities of an RS3 with basic bolt-ons Lawrence suggested I reach out to JJ from Ultimate Performance for a coil over setup. I hesitated at first knowing that there were several options available included Bilstien, KW, MCS and Ohlins. In addition I knew that Mag Ride controllers were in the works from companies such as DSC.

Having had Bilstien PSS10 dampers in the past I knew they were fine for street/light track use or a novice driver. Next step up were KW V3 and MCS, which are suitable for more advanced track use but still not at the level I wanted. The final options were the KW Clubports or Ohlins R/T , they are the next step up in performance but I wanted better. The Ohlins are available for our cars but I was not happy with the design issues we found on the TTRS test cars. Regarding the KW Clubsports, I was not happy with the performance I was seeing on seeing other platforms, specifically the lack of range the have (see below for details on range vs the number of advertised adjustments .

The final option was keeping the mag ride and waiting for the DSC mag ride controller which I heard was under development. As luck would have it, at One Lap of America in 2019 I got to spend time with the lead engineer at GM responsible for tuning the mag suspension. He took the time to explain the complexity of tuning the suspension across all the various parameters and dove into details about the internal variability that gives various dampers their properties (fluid and coils for example). I realized that it is not trivial task and takes a tremendous amount of time to dial in properly. In addition to the tuning complexities, the factory struts have physical limitations including the lack of travel and a spring perch that limits the amount of camber you can get which made the factory struts a no-go option.

Side note for those that are not aware of it: “MagRide” or a magnetorheological damper system was developed by Delphi, a subsidiary of GM and sold off to BWI group (BeijingWest Industries Co) in 2009 . The technology goes back almost 20 years and was first introduced by Cadillac in the STS.

Finally I was left looking at the Ohlins TTX Pro or KW Competition dampers which were not available for our platforms. Taking that into consideration I decided that development and testing of a damper setup designed around the needs of the 8V/8S platform was needed and so it began in September of 2019…

Why #UltimatePerformance / JRI Dampers?

Having a competitive, true dual purpose car is a demanding task, especially when looking for a damper that provides daily driver levels compliance and class winning performance. The next challenge was finding a manufacturer that was willing to take on a project and be willing to work a clean sheet design for the platform. Enter Ultimate Performance and JRI Shocks. These may not be household names you see in the magazines but all you need to do is look at their track record, the performance and the versatility of their suspension systems. They range from all out competition cars (Indy, TransAm, NHRA ProStock etc.) to true dual purpose street cars. A prime example of this is from the 2017 Optima USCA series where UP equipped vehicles made up 1/3 of the 86-vehicle field, and took seven of the top-10 positions, including first and second place.

A quick scan through the Ultimate Performance Facebook page and you will start to see why teaming with JJ Furillo became the obvious choice

What makes these dampers so special and how do they compare with the other options out there?

First and foremost these are true racing dampers, using the same technology found in professional motorsport classes. That knowledge and technology has been carried over to the street.

  • Platform specific design, service and support

The design and configuration off the shelf products from Bilstien, KW and Ohlins is often dictated by the need to release a “universal product” that follows into the 80/20 rule. This may work for many but if you are looking for that extra edge you need someone to work with you to find that last bit of adjustment for the way that you drive your car.

Ultimate Performance prides itself on having the best support in the industry, be it via phone or trackside. What if you need a little help dialing in that last adjustment to for a track you’ve never run at? Pick up the phone and call KW or Ohlins on a Saturday or Sunday and ask them for help on adjusting your setup and see how that works…

  • Performance

What makes the UP/JRI dampers special is what you can’t see, it’s the internals…

The sole purpose of a damper is to control the spring and suspension motion and keep the tire planted. While it sounds simple doing this on a variety of track surfaces, racing conditions and different event formats is quite the feat. This is where the valving built into the damper comes into play.

  • Versatility

When you look at some of the vehicles mentioned above think about an event that pushes the limits of adjustment more than the Optima USCA events. In one weekend drivers compete in a Road Rally, Design & Engineering, Autocross, Speed Stop and Hot Laps competition. Vehicles range from late model super cars to highly modified classic American muscle cars. This is where Ultimate Performance has dominated the competition.

Why don't "the number of clicks" tell the whole story?

  • Range of Adjustment

It is not about the number of “clicks” it is about the range of of control that the damper provides. The basic concept of control for a damper is simple, manage the flow of fluid through an orifice. This can be done a variety of ways, the most common being the use of a needle and seat , changing pressure of a shim stack or in the case of a “Mag-Ride” damper changing the viscosity of the fluid magnetic coil.

That said why do the “number of clicks” not tell the whole story? Let’s use the needle and seat as an example. When you turn the adjuster one turn the needle moves a certain amount (think of a screw). If you were to stop every 90 degrees you would have “4 Clicks” per turn, if you were to stop every 30 degrees you would have “12 clicks” per turn. In the end, that one turn would still provide the same movement of the needle relative to the seat. The difference being that for every “click” the needle would move a different amount between each “click”, in the case the “12 click” damper you would give a finer adjustment per click.

After looking at the “range” the next critical element is way the dampening ability changes based on how fast it is moving. By altering the design of the internal components you can change the way a damper acts when hitting small bumps, curbing on a road course or the way it “hits” the tire and keeps it planted in a drag application.

If you want to understand the actual range of adjustment of a damper and compare one to another ask for a shock dyno graph, this will give you a better idea of the full range of dampening ability and tell you how adjustable the damper really is. Samples of our dyno graphs for our baseline track setup can be found here: Rear Compression / Rear Rebound. In the end a damper with only 12 settings may actually provide more range of adjustment than a damper with 30 settings.

    Custom built and configured for your needs

If you want custom valving or a different configuration please contact us to discuss your exact setup and configuration needs.

The standard configuration for the front dampers provides both low and high speed rebound adjustment with compression valving pre-set. The high-speed adjuster controls motions that are larger inputs such as race track curbing to control tire contact and grip in these situations while the low speed adjuster controls body motions (roll and pitch), and is typically used to control the general feel, weight transfer and balance. The low speed adjuster also adjusts compression at the same time.

The standard configuration for the rear dampers provides independent compression and rebound adjustment.

Detailed setup instructions can be found here.

But why the price tag?

We know these dampers are not for everyone but when you compare them to motorsport caliber dampers (Ohlins TTX, KW Competition etc) there isn’t a significant cost differential and they are actually the more cost effective option for a multi purpose car. Why you ask? It comes down to range of adjustment. When you look at a JRI/UP shock dyno chart vs the competition you will see that most other dampers may require multiple sets of dampers to cover the range that our dampers cover. If you run multiple tracks, run in various conditions and/or various events, from an AutoX to a road course to a drag strip only one set of dampers gives you the flexibility you need to WIN.