09 ACR ride

[ACRsnake]

Hello

This is my first post , i have been lurking here reading for a long time though.

I feel my 09 ACR is very rough riding on bumpy highways , is there any settings/adjustments to the suspension that could yeild a better ride .

thanks

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Absolutely! The suspension is three way adjustable. Mine came from the factory set on full hard in the rear. We need to get you set up as a VCA member so you can read the adjustment manual in the illustrated upgrades forum, what is your VCA Number?

 

[Bobpantax]

The 08 and 09 ACR is a streetable track car. As such, it will have a somewhat rougher ride than the stock Viper. But even a stock Viper does not give a smooth ride on a bumpy highway. It comes down to a "not having your cake and eat it to" issue. You can have a performance car with a performance suspension or a cruiser with a soft suspension that smooths out all the bumps but you cannot have both - especially in the Viper which is a non nanny tech car. With that said, you could change the settings to soften the ride a bit but it still would not be gentle on a bumpy road. It would; however, be better than it is. If you choose to make the adjustments to your ACR, you would be well advised to have someone do it who has done it before. Watch tthe person while he or she is doing it and then the next time you can do it yourself assuming you have a lift available.

 

[Ray W]

I like the way it makes my passengers boobs bounce.

 

[Art 138]

If you choose to make the adjustments to your ACR, you would be well advised to have someone do it who has done it before. Watch tthe person while he or she is doing it and then the next time you can do it yourself assuming you have a lift available.

Bob do you know if the settings made at the factory are all set for street use? or is there no consistency in the settings and they need to be tweaked for street use??

 

[F8L SNK]

My ACR came full loose front and back, it is an 08. From what Lee has said, I would say there is no consistency between cars which surprises me.

anyway, you do not need a lift to make these adjustments but it is easier. A simple floor jack and a slight lifting of each side of the car and the adjustments can be made. There is a cylinder with a know mounted on the side of the shock, this is the compression adjustment. The rebound adjustment is at the top of the shock above the coil spring. Both areas have a label (+) for stiffer and (-) for softer adjustments. They also have a tamper piece of tape and it supposedly will void your warranty if you remove it.

 

[Viper X]

ACR's seem to come from the factory with inconsistent shock settings.

I've tried every (well, almost every) combination and this car just doesn't ride very well on bumpy roads with the OE shocks. They are too soft at the track and don't work very well at the track with stiffer springs and stickier tires.

I just ordered a set of Moton Motorsport shocks which will help it ride better on the street and handle better on the track.

I suspect more than a few ACR owners will come to this conclusion, if they drive their cars.

Dan

 

[F8L SNK]

I do drive mine and track it even more. I am very happy with the KW's and I have an 06 with Motons to compare it to. The 06 rides better, but due to the spring rates, I like the feel on track of the KW combination from the factory better.

 

[CCBrian]

ACR's seem to come from the factory with inconsistent shock settings.

I've tried every (well, almost every) combination and this car just doesn't ride very well on bumpy roads with the OE shocks. They are too soft at the track and don't work very well at the track with stiffer springs and stickier tires.

I just ordered a set of Moton Motorsport shocks which will help it ride better on the street and handle better on the track.

I suspect more than a few ACR owners will come to this conclusion, if they drive their cars.

Dan

I drive ours and the factory KW's seem fine-but they need to be set up. Yes it rides rough on the street-but I expected that when I bought it. As far as improving on the track, I have run at 2 minutes flat at Thunderhill. Check the times and you will see that is VERY fast. A stock one with Randy Pobst ran at Laguna in the low 135's (that is almost WC times). So I would be real impressed if a shock change really improved its track times much. I think a lot of seat time is warranted before one spends a bunch of money to try to improve its track times.

 

[Socrates]

I finally adjusted mine a few weeks ago when I changed my oil at 500 miles. I used the "rough track" settings as most seem to recommend (including lowering it to the rough track settings as well), and there is definitely a marked improvement in the handling. The tires are still tramlining, but not quite as badly as they were. I still need to do a more aggressive street alignment, which I'm told will help with this as well. All in all, I'm happy with the suspension, however I've never ridden or driven a car with Motons, so I can't compare at this time.

 

[Leslie]

Hello

This is my first post , i have been lurking here reading for a long time though.

I feel my 09 ACR is very rough riding on bumpy highways , is there any settings/adjustments to the suspension that could yeild a better ride .

thanks

tell ya' what. Why don't you let me drive it and I can tell ya' if it's too rough or not

 

[sniper1]

I like the way it makes my passengers boobs bounce.

Female or man BOOBS ?

Just kidding, me likes having girls in the passenger seat

 

[viperdrummer]

I know it is heresy, but if you want extreme performance and a decent ride the best car going IMO is the new ZR-1. I drove one 3 weeks ago (Bob Lutz') and I have been wanting one ever since. The ACR looks better, however.

 

[ACRsnake]

I love the car but i am looking to improve the ride . Any tips ?

I never thought about the ZR1 - i hate vettes ! If it wasnt for the ACR i would have got a GT3 .

 

[ACRBruce]

ACR's seem to come from the factory with inconsistent shock settings.

I've tried every (well, almost every) combination and this car just doesn't ride very well on bumpy roads with the OE shocks. They are too soft at the track and don't work very well at the track with stiffer springs and stickier tires.

I just ordered a set of Moton Motorsport shocks which will help it ride better on the street and handle better on the track.

I suspect more than a few ACR owners will come to this conclusion, if they drive their cars.

Dan

Dan,
What spring rates are you getting w/ the Motons?

I drive the car a lot on the street too and I have to **** my guts in while riding over anything other than perfect road surface and that's how bouncy the ACR is. And yes yes yes, I've tried all settings and for now have settled on compression on -2 from full soft and rebound on -2 from full stiff, front and rear (for street).

 

[ACRBruce]

I love the car but i am looking to improve the ride . Any tips ?

I never thought about the ZR1 - i hate vettes ! If it wasnt for the ACR i would have got a GT3 .

The ACR is a lot easier to drive fast than a 996 GT3 that I had for 4 years. I'm now running Kumho V700's and they seem to ride and stick better at street temps than the PSC's. I'm sure a 997 GT3 will be a better car for the street but not sure if it is as benign as the ACR at 10/10th.

 

[Viper X]

Hey Bruce,

I'll start with Eibach 2.25 ID, 7-inch springs for the new Moton Motorsports on my ACR at 800 lbs front, 1100 rear and adjust from there, probably up. That will be with Hoosier R6's to start. This car will be run primarily at the track and trailered, so street ride quality is not critical.

I've tried a bunch of settings on the track too and find the car to be very bouncy during fast transitions with Hoosier R6's. I just can't seem to get the KW's stiff enough to control the springs properly with R6's.

The ACR seems sharper handling and better transitionally with the PS Cups, if you want to run them (that's what they were designed for), but for pure mechancial grip, relatively low price and availability, the Hoosier R6's seem to be a better choice. Also, the Cups seem to loose their grip quicker than the R6's.

I've also run the ACR with Dunlop ALMS race tires and these are the best so far with the KW shocks.

As for seat time, I've got about 6 weekend track events on this car so far and am getting a pretty good feel for the car. It is very forgiving.

Set up is aggressive with 2.5 negative camber front, 1.5 rear. 2mm toe in front, 2mm toe out rear. Caster about 5.7 positive.

On the input side, according to John Archer, one of Tommy Archer's biggest complaints about the ACR during development was the KW shock selection. He didn't care for them either. There is a reason that Viper Comp Coupes come with Moton Motorsport (not Club Sport) shocks.

Bruce, I've got a set of 860 lb / 60 mm (I think) springs that I bought for my ACR that I won't ever use, so if you want to try them on the back of your car they will definitely soften the street ride. I had to order them from Eiback England and will let you have them for my cost if you'd like.

Dan

 

[NI-KA]

Since this thread is concentrating on ACR's.

Heres a question: If I add the Stop Tech brakes, a factory Aero-kit, the upgraded suspension KW's or Motons do I have the equivalent of an ACR? Or has Dodge done something else to the chassis that I am unaware of?

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Hey Bruce,


The ACR seems sharper handling and better transitionally with the PS Cups, if you want to run them (that's what they were designed for), but for pure mechancial grip, relatively low price and availability, the Hoosier R6's seem to be a better choice. Also, the Cups seem to loose their grip quicker than the R6's.

Dan

Hey Dan, are you running 295 or 315 fronts?

.

 

[lh4x4]

Anyone not happy with their 08-09 ACR handling just let me know what you want for it I will take that bone jarring ride off your hands and you can buy a new soft riding Corvette and still have money left over.

 

[ACRBruce]

Hey Bruce,

Bruce, I've got a set of 860 lb / 60 mm (I think) springs that I bought for my ACR that I won't ever use, so if you want to try them on the back of your car they will definitely soften the street ride. I had to order them from Eiback England and will let you have them for my cost if you'd like.

Dan

Thanks for the offer Dan but I also have ordered a pair of 800# 60MM springs from HR for the rear. Will see how they work when they get here. And if not good still, I'll have to go the Moton route too. Ideally if the Motons can tame the ride with 1100# springs, that'd be the way to go.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Hello

This is my first post , i have been lurking here reading for a long time though.

I feel my 09 ACR is very rough riding on bumpy highways , is there any settings/adjustments to the suspension that could yeild a better ride .

thanks

You should list your location in your profile. That way we might be able to point to you someone nearby.

 

[ACRsnake]

I am located overseas . In Cairo -Egypt .

i have the one of two vipers in the country . the other is a 03 SRT .Mine is a 09 ACR red/black band .

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I am located overseas . In Cairo -Egypt .

i have the one of two vipers in the country . the other is a 03 SRT .Mine is a 09 ACR red/black band .

Well that explains the bumpy roads

 

[JonB]

The "complaint" of the 08-09 ACR bumpiness is due almost completely to the stiff rear springs.
These springs are needed to handle the Aero-compression at track speeds. I am surprised to hear that any OE shocks came set to full-hard... That is NOT the plan..... Full-Soft is the plan.....

So, at street-speeds the ride will indeed be bumpy, even if you set the KWs at full soft.

If you cannot tolerate it, and DONT plan to drive above ~120mph, you COULD replace the rear springs simply and cheaply. This would provide immediate relief, but could become skittish above 120 or so. Id say "Deal With It" ............

 

[dtenney]

I have 09 ACR with KW shocks and stocks springs and also own an 08 SSG converted with ACR aero, Stoptech rotors, solid front swaybar, Moton clubsports with stiffer than ACR springs. I prefer the street and track ride of the Motons. In addition, I own a track SRT-4 with Motons and a street SRT-4 with Mopar/KW shocks, and these have the same comparisons. The KW shock is harsher and bouncier over bumps, for street this is less comfortable. On the track, I am not a good enough driver to say which is faster, but I feel more comfortable driving faster with the Motons.

I think the Motons allow you to run a higher spring rate and still maintain ride quality.

With all of the above said though the Comp Coupe Viper in this video is running KW shocks and seems to get around the track just fine.(I know CC vipers come with Motons, but the pictures I saw of this car preparing for the race clearly showed KW shocks, maybe a sponsorship reason not sure.)
YouTube - Viper vs Porsche GT3 RS Cup on Nurburgring Nordschleife

-David

 

[vipernut94]

I have participated in track events for years, and it takes a lot to make me nervous. However, I almost wet myself just watching this video!!! These guys are nuts!

But, it sure does look fun.

Thanks for posting that awesome video.

 

[GTS Dean]

I feel my 09 ACR is very rough riding on bumpy highways , is there any settings/adjustments to the suspension that could yeild a better ride .

thanks

I would strongly suggest only driving it on racetracks, where highway bumps won't be a problem.

 

[GTS Dean]

2mm toe in front, 2mm toe out rear.
Dan

Are you sure you didn't write that down backwards? I can't imagine driving a RWD car with rear toe-out - especially at a race track.

 

[JonB]

Have just verified that ALL 08-09 ACRs are designed to leave CAAP with the KWs on full-soft, and a control-tape device over the adjusters to advise/confirm this.

So I believe that if any 1st-time-owner got an ACR in other than full-soft, the dealer may have had something to do with it.