KORE Chase Re-valve by Lorenz

[Tinman]

I’ve had a KORE Chase on the 06 for about a year and a half. The ride was fair on the road but I always felt the off-pavement ride was too harsh for my style/taste. So I ask KORE about re-valving. No go. They have always provided good service, but they weren’t going to have anything to do with valving recommendations. They are “custom valved” from KORE. Well, not everybody lives in the dessert and drives fast off-road. I was about to just open up the shocks to see what the valve stacks where and give Fox a call, but then I decided to give Sean Lorenz a call. He sold Fox 2. 0s and has a reputation of good service and “plush” riding systems. He was very helpful even though I had only bought end-links from him in the past. Sean sent some valve shims, I got some oil from Poly Performance, a N2 tank and off came the shocks (the toughest part of the whole deal). After I got them open, I call Sean and he made recommendations for the changing the stacks and slightly modifying the piston. The changes seemed to have made a big difference. I haven’t really had a chance to get rough with it yet, but the road ride seems to be quite a bit better. I'm very pleased. I will probably continue to tweak this over time. I think the KORE spring rate may be too stiff and I'm considering Sean’s Plush springs. May next summer??

 

[KevinLewis]

so what shims did you end up with?

 

[Regcabguy]

Thanks Sean!

Sean personally revalved my old KORE rear Bilsteins several years ago in his garage in Ocean Beach. Removal,revalving and re-installation took maybe two hrs. It transformed the vehicle. I'm indebted to him.

 

[Tinman]

I have Bilstiens on the 01 and they are next to be rebuilt and re-valved. They are harsher than the FOXs.



Neither Sean nor I knew exactly what the valve stacks where so he sent me a few shims to rearrange what I had. I don't remember the exact sizes of any of them, but I have it written down. We rearranged the stacks with the new shims. It may be better to to just have a completely new stack, but the shocks would have been off the truck long enough to order all new shims. So we used what I had with what Sean sent to get the desired result. Seems to have worked. Now that I know what I have, I can get all new stacks if I decided the tweak it more or at future rebuilds. If anyone is really interested, I'll dig up the actual sizes.

 

[KevinLewis]

I would be really interested to see what valving you've got in there.

 

[Tinman]

I'll see if I can find it. After some more drive time, I'm thinking we may have lightened the rebound in the rear a little too much.

 

[KevinLewis]

what is the truck doing to make you think the rebound is too light?

 

[firemansdiesel]

His rear end is bouncing. It's probably not hugging the bigger events.

 

[Tinman]

Yep, its bouncing some. The rear and front stacks for compression and rebound where the same front and rear from KORE. I was suprised to see this. Sean felt the rear rebound was too slow and so it was lightened (increased speed). We removed the second shim and placed a smaller one in its place to allow the largest shim to open more. I think we over shot it. I'm going to shoot Sean an email when I have more that 2 seconds at the computer. The front rebound was left as it was and the front is OK now.

 

[Tinman]

I thought I'd bring up this old thread with an update. Since driving the truck some, I going to re-valve one more time. I like plush suspension, but I think I got is too soft now, but not by much. I re-did the rear rebound and took out the smaller spacer shim Sean suggested and put in the original stack except the largest shim is thinner and it is better, no more bouncy bouncy. Unfortunately, I messed up my order of shims and didn't get to do what I wanted to try. Eventually, I'll take them all off again and re-valve to remove the spacer shims all around and put in the full stacks I want to try and have since received.



I have come to realize part of the problem is the 2. 0s are too small to get the effect I want and may go bigger later. But I want to get these right first.



I'm not sure if it would be proper to post the exact stacks that was stock from KORE and the subsequent changes. (Lord knows we dont' need another suspension war. ) If anyone is interested, PM me.

 

[firemansdiesel]

I have come to realize part of the problem is the 2. 0s are too small to get the effect I want and may go bigger later. But I want to get these right first.



I'm not sure if it would be proper to post the exact stacks that was stock from KORE and the subsequent changes. (Lord knows we dont' need another suspension war. ) If anyone is interested, PM me.

You hit it on the head. Bigger shocks (atleast 2. 5 shock) will handle our trucks better, especially w/ the valving you can do to them. The KORE valving for the 2. 0's have changed a while back.