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DSC Sport Suspension Tuning for MRC

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Yes, the base programming is different.
 
Chiming in. We have a DSC supplied controller and plan to start playing with it in the next few weeks. We are also working on Xida shocks for it. That is our private label race coilover made by Tractive in the Netherlands. The Tractive damper uses their own proprietary ACE valve. Not magnetic fluid but a normal pro level Monotube. The ACE valve response time is 6-8ms just like the magnetic shocks. The shocks will be roughly half the weight of the OEM magnetic shocks. Front spring solution is simple. Rear either means custom wound springs , which we can do, or a coilover conversion. The DSC control software talks to the ACE valve just fine. We have Xida ACE dampers up and running in most years Miatas and the new Fiat 124 roadster.

Will update as we have more info.
 
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Not much activity on this topic. I've been running a DSC Magnetuner for almost a year. Anyone else? It is very popular on the Corvette forum.
 
Other projects overlapping so we haven't installed our box yet. Ran the car in Super Lap Battle a few weeks back but the DSC box wasn't allowed in Limited RWD (dang it!). We're in the prototyping phase of our Xida ACE system for the GT350. As such, we don't plan on developing any maps for the OEM Magneride shocks. The more we drive our car on street and track, the less I like the Magneride. Beyond the known rapid wear factor, as a shock tuner, the 50/50 split between compression and rebound as well as the fixed angle slope are infuriating. It is possible to develop a damping plot that will ride as well as the default street setting that handles as well as the Track setting. Double digressive pistons and firmer springs will ride better than OEM Magneride. We hope to get the protos on track in February and have production ready shocks by April 2018 or so.
 
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Not much activity on this topic. I've been running a DSC Magnetuner for almost a year. Anyone else? It is very popular on the Corvette forum.

I have one and I like it a lot. The base programming is very different from stock, and it's user-adjustable. I wasn't totally happy with the Comfort settings on mine so I made some adjustments to get it where I like it. I'm there now, but it took a lot of trial-and-error. As for the dampers themselves, I agree with 949. The mag ride shocks are magic compared to regular OEM/street dampers, but they have limitations that are a consequence of the physics of how they work that keep them from performing at the level of a DSSV for instance.

The cool thing about the DSC Sport controller is that if you swap the mag rides out and put in Tractive dampers (the 949 product for instance), the controller doesn't change. A couple of new table settings is all you need and it's good to go.
 
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I agree. The original base settings from DSC left a lot to be desired. The front end was very floaty. I've also gone through lots of trial and error along with, of course, installing the firmware upgrade and latest DSC programs. There are dozens of guys using it on the Corvette forum and they are unanimously pleased. Apparently the C7's have a pretty punishing ride in stock form regardless of which iteration of suspension they are using so they appreciate the ability to tune that out. The Shelby, on the other hand, is quite comfortable with the OEM shock programming. The one situation I wish could be addressed is on undulating roads. There is a road on the way to work that visually looks dead smooth but actually has some uneven patches. My Mustang tosses front to rear, side to side and up and down regardless of which mode I'm in. I also have a 2003 SL500 with the Mercedes Active Body Control. Driving down the same stretch there is absolutely no body movement whatsoever. Even our Subaru Cross Trek is unfazed on this road. Somehow I expected the Magneride to be a little more "active."
 
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If you mean you might mess up the programming it is a simple one minute process to restore the DSC settings. There are actually only a couple of settings you might tweak and getting the hang of it is pretty easy. The main thing I played with is the sensitivity figure which determines how readily it switches out of the comfort zone
 
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If you mean you might mess up the programming it is a simple one minute process to restore the DSC settings. There are actually only a couple of settings you might tweak and getting the hang of it is pretty easy. The main thing I played with is the sensitivity figure which determines how readily it switches out of the comfort zone

That's good to know. I would like to get one of these in the future as I'm at the limit of what I want to do mechanically to the car right now (R Springs, rear bar, lighter wheels, SC2 tires, camber plates)

I don't want to add anymore NVH by replacing bushings, etc at this time.
 
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I've had the Magnetuner long enough that I really don't remember how the car was stock, though if I really get curious I could always swap the stocker back in to compare. On the Shelby the computer is located in the trunk and is pretty simple to change, as opposed to the Corvette which locates the computer in the wheel well, requiring removing the fender liner and feeding the USB cable into the cockpit. If memory serves, though, the factory Track mode in the Mustang is pretty unusable on the street whereas with the DSC it is more comfortable than my son's Performance Pack 2017 GT.
 
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Well, maybe not unusable, but pretty stiff/bouncy. The DSC track setting could easily be used as the everyday default setting.
 
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Can anyone comment about how the Cortex programming differs? Having the DSC track program potentially be a desired everyday setting makes it sound a bit de-tuned for the track?
 
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Can anyone comment about how the Cortex programming differs? Having the DSC track program potentially be a desired everyday setting makes it sound a bit de-tuned for the track?
The DSC/Magride combo rides differently than regular adjustable shocks because they have a wide range of adjustment that's done on the fly. The shocks stiffen up when you need them to be stiff, but when you don't need stiff, the controller softens them. To be clear, the track settings do generate stiffer damping than sport, which in turn is stiffer than comfort.

The unit I got from Cortex had the 4-13-17 calibration file from DSC installed. It's on the DSC website as an "Archive" version. I liked the way it drove, but it's a matter of personal taste, so YMMV.​
 
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I drove a friend's new R recently. It feels at least 100% stiffer than my non-R with DSC, so much so that I question its suitability as a daily driver which is what my car is. After driving his car I immediately drove mine over the same route so it would be fresh in my mind. The R felt super-hyper, the chassis constantly doing something whereas my car was much more relaxed. Granted there are numerous differences but I'm willing to bet most of it is in the shock tuning. The R in normal mode feels stiffer than my car in track mode. Again, this is on city streets. Interestingly all the latest tuning done by DSC was on an R and the calibrations are identical on R and non-R. DSC track mode is totally livable on the street. A major key to the DSC comfort is a window in which the shock calibration is much softer. It is active anytime the car is below a predetermined and totally adjustable G load threshold. I suspect that Ford intentionally tunes the R's dampers stiff and stiffer to impart a racier feel. I can certainly see how someone could drive my car on the street and get the impression that DSC might be compromising handling to achieve a more comfortable ride but, according to Mike Levitas, that is not the case. If a guy needs his teeth rattled recalibration takes about a minute.
 
I'm running the DSC controller with Ford Performance springs with SVE 11' front 11.5 " rear with 305 front 315 rear PSC2 stock sway bars DSC camber caster settings . Car is a 17 with track pak . I felt around town easy driving "floating feeling " I prefer the factory ride . I took car to WGI in September for open track Group 52 . I'm an ex PCA racer still an instructor so I am aggressive with my car . Overall I was very pleased the car showed very little understeer in the slower corners and was excellent in higher speed corners like T10 and the esses . I really had nothing to compare it to as I never tracked it with the stock setup . I did have an Aim data logger in it and I compared that data to my ex Cayman S full race car . I found the Cayman slightly slower in the esses but faster in the majority of the more complex slower turns . Some of this could be simply me being more careful learning the GT350 also the extra 500 # I was trying to manage and the Cayman running JRZ coil overs with a full track suspension on Hoosiers . So with all that said the GT 350 was only 1.3 Sec off the track record in I class I set with my Cayman in 2012 CR . Using that as a comparison I believe that whatever tuning comes with the DSC performs well on the track but in my case could be more aggressive on the street . On another note the height of my car dropped .4 " front and rear with the FP springs before installing the 30 series tires . I did no calibration on the suspension . I had the dealership check for any codes and nothing showed up ? Jordan at DSC mentioned nothing about calibration .
 
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Really good info and feedback on the DSC calibration, thanks to all who posted.

Still curious how the Cortex calibration differs....anyone running a current Cortex calibration?
 
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I'm running the DSC controller with Ford Performance springs with SVE 11' front 11.5 " rear with 305 front 315 rear PSC2 stock sway bars DSC camber caster settings .
Those 11' wide front rims must make parking a challenge... ;-]

I have a comfort calibration I'd be happy to share that'll firm up the soft ride. It's only the comfort settings, not a full set of tables. PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you. 65sohc's been trying it out recently - he might have some comments about it.

In the DSC Sport calibration software, there's a button in the "Settings" tab called "Zero Travel". Put your car on level ground (level is important) and cycle that button. It'll adjust the zero point for the velocity and ride height components of the calibration.
 

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