Nut Hugging on the VE Tractive Active Dampers

[1of1TA1.0]

Well, I will be the first to say that I am a die hard Moton fan (MCS now), but WOW! I purchased the VE Tractive Active Dampers after riding in Ben Keatings personal car. I wanted to tame down my GTC TA 1.0 equipped car. My car rode really well I thought, until I went for a ride in Ben's car. That was the point that I realized that I needed to rethink what a suspension should do.

I know that many have posted their results of these dampers but I have to write my own. Some of you know me, some of you don't, it's all good. I can tell you I have been involved in some sort of motorsports since I was 16 (30 years more experience now). I have been building my own cars ever since. I prefer doing things myself so I fully understand what is changing and what is being done to my own car. On top of that, safety, as I trust myself more than anyone else. Having said all that, Morgan at VE is the ONLY one I let work on my car if I am not. He cares for them more than most owners.

So after my test ride, I immediately purchased a VE Tractive suspension from Andy. It took a week before I could get time to install it but wow, today was a great day. I installed the suspension in less than two hours on jack stands (sold my house and living in a temporary place without my lift ). Loaded Mike's tune that Andy provided and went for a drive. Wow!!!! I can't say anything more than that. The car hooks up hard! The car corners flatter, the car goes over bumps way softer and I feel like I'm driving a luxury car (by comparison only, it's not that soft lol). I couldn't believe the difference when I went between Street and Race modes. I initially loaded the file wrong and had the street mode in default mode. It rode so rough (like stock did) and I was disappointed wondering why Ben's rode so well. Then I switched to Race just to see if it got worse. Bam! it was the download I programmed and it instantly changed the ride dramatically.

Anyone looking for the best suspension possible for a street/track car should look into this suspension and really be honest with themselves. Do you want to really adjust the suspension and guess at what your doing? Or do you want to download a file from people that really do?

Now to defend a fully manual adjustable suspension. I have a '16 ACR and WILL NOT change to this suspension. I believe the engineers spent way to much time working on the development on the ACR suspension. I understand the dynamics and CAN adjust a manually adjustable suspension. It isn't that hard and works great. For a track car, with a six speed and a clutch on top of a V-10 this is my preference. However, my street car that I want to get in and drive, I want the VE Tractive. Just no comparison for a dual purpose car.

The install is so easy as others have said, the calibration and upload is a snap, and the result is amazing. It's hard to put into words, if you haven't ridden in or driven one, please do so before purchasing any other suspension.

Now I have to decide whether I want to keep my old TA 1.0 coil over set up or if I want to sell it. It might be worth something eventually

[Space Truckin]

Simply put analog vs digital. Until one has rode or driven in a Viper with Tractive it is damn near impossible to describe or explain how the car changes (WOW), immediately upon having Tractive installed on my 16 ACR E it was like I could sense/ feel the corners talking to the computer. The Viper is a completely different beast with it installed. My wife even went so far as to say it rides as nice as her 15 Jeep GC, not quite but it surely impressed her how much of a difference it has made. As you stated WOW!

[KB Viper]

i have tractive and love it too! its a game changer

[ACRucrazy]

Man... I may have to set aside some $$ for tractives..

[1Koolasp 16ACR]

I Also Did The Tractive Dampers, In My 2016 ACR, Installed At VE , After Getting It Here And Driving It , I HATED IT , It Drove Like SHIT, The Car Drove Very Very Stiff, Just The Wrong Set up For Street Driving, Spring Rates Were way To Stiff For The street , I Knew I Had To Do Something, So I Got In Touch With Mike Lavitas,And Shipped The Car To TPC Racing , He Is The Man That Knows This Suspension In And Out , He Changed Out The Springs To The Standard Spring ,a Softer Spring For Street Driving, Reset The Shocks, And Did A Full Alignment ,Counter Balance, And Put His Program In The Car . Got The Car Back And WOW!!!!, Night And Day , The Car Is Now Killer, And a Pleasure To Drive, Love It , The ACR Springs That Came With The Shocks Are Not For Street Driving,Track Only,,,,, Awesome Suspension, Well Worth The Investment ,The Car Is Now Killer. Very Very Happy Now. Mike Knows His Shit and dialed The car Right In.

[FSTENUF]

We installed mine at NVE 2 Before I drove it back to the hotel from the track. After that it was a 1245 mile test drive back home. I have 5 track nights with it and all I can tell you is best investment I did to the car. Contact Mike Lavitas or Andy at Viper exchange and have one shipped or installed you won't be sorry.

[1of1TA1.0]

I'm glad to see everyone bringing their experiences with this product to the thread. I was very hesitant to pony up the money for these. Once I got the ACR, I decided I needed to make the GTC more comfortable to drive as I didn't need the TA suspension anymore. In retrospect I should have ordered the GTC without the TA suspension and brakes, I've already changed them both out.

I hope people interested in an adjustable coil over set up look at these and ride in one before purchasing anything else. The only bad adjustable system I've drove is the KW, but the active dampers are the shit!

[ViperTony]

Nut hugging Rep!!! Glad it worked out for you and I do share your sentiments towards the suspension on the ACR. You have the best of both worlds!

[FLATOUT]

Tim really glad you like it! It's the best mod I did to my blue car. It's been a really fun journey learning the ins and outs of a new technology for the Viper. I can't say enough about it on track as well, just puts so much power down.

As for the stiffer ACR springs, we've gone to a softer spring rate as already mentioned and it made a huge difference.

Everyone thanks for your testimonials and we'll keep working to make them even better.

Andy

P.s. On vacation so if I don't respond to emails immediately I'll get to just shortly

[Simms]

Love the TracTive suspension on my GTS as well.

[catwood]

Need a bigger bank of programs to play with

[darbgnik]

I've got nothing but good things to say about the Tractive suspension as well. After a less than stellar tracking season, due to issues not the fault of the car(wild fire evacuation, terrible alignment eating my fronts on the way to the track, chunking tires, and even forgetting to switch to race mode before chunking them last time out), I finally got to give them a good test this past weekend, on my home track.

I said before, that I'd let my lap timer be the judge, and it gave a big thumbs up. I beat my previous best lap time, in my very first session of the day, which was shortened to only 15 minutes total, as the ambulance showed up late. The car ran so well, for the first time, I ran out of brake! And tires! I didn't get pedal to the floor, but they did become high effort halfway through full sessions. I also killed the front Corsa's off in 1 track day(I used to get 2 to 3 days)! Hence, I'm thinking of trying the R888's. I know, I know, Hoosiers are the only way to go, but I have to drive 600 miles round trip to my home track.......

I also just ordered the ACR brake ducts and Carbotech endurance pads front and rear. I already use Castrol SRF, and was currently running Brakeman pads.

OK, back on topic: The nose dive under heavy braking is gone. I used to scrape the front diffusers under braking in a couple turns on the factory suspension, so much so, I actually got flagged for it once. Even with the car now sitting lower than stock, no more scraping, only if I go hard over curbing. Speaking of the curbing, I used to avoid it like the plague as it unsettled the car, but now I don't even notice them, just more track to use! I'm no expert on giving useful feedback, but I can say the car is just more confidence inspiring. The Gen 5 is already lightyears ahead of my old Gen 3 in feedback and poise, but now it's just so much more so. I've had these in the car for a few months, and noticed the street ride much improved on street setting, most noticeably making frost heaves in the road disappear, taming rough patches, and making hard acceleration silky smooth, but didn't really want to post about them till I had something worth posting. This weekend changed that.

Go ahead and try a set, it's only money, lol. But bear in mind, if you use them as designed, it might lead to more money. This weekend cost me a full set of tires, a full set of brake pads, and a set of ducts. But like I said, it's only money!

[XTREME SUPERCARS]

I have put 30,000+ miles on my Tractive suspension and have nothing but great things to say about it.
absolutely the best modification I have done.

[FLATOUT]

Excellent review about the overall manners of the car on the Tractives. Very similar if not exactly how I feel. I think I have 4 more sets on the shelf right now before we build a new batch.

Andy

I've got nothing but good things to say about the Tractive suspension as well. After a less than stellar tracking season, due to issues not the fault of the car(wild fire evacuation, terrible alignment eating my fronts on the way to the track, chunking tires, and even forgetting to switch to race mode before chunking them last time out), I finally got to give them a good test this past weekend, on my home track.

I said before, that I'd let my lap timer be the judge, and it gave a big thumbs up. I beat my previous best lap time, in my very first session of the day, which was shortened to only 15 minutes total, as the ambulance showed up late. The car ran so well, for the first time, I ran out of brake! And tires! I didn't get pedal to the floor, but they did become high effort halfway through full sessions. I also killed the front Corsa's off in 1 track day(I used to get 2 to 3 days)! Hence, I'm thinking of trying the R888's. I know, I know, Hoosiers are the only way to go, but I have to drive 600 miles round trip to my home track.......

I also just ordered the ACR brake ducts and Carbotech endurance pads front and rear. I already use Castrol SRF, and was currently running Brakeman pads.

OK, back on topic: The nose dive under heavy braking is gone. I used to scrape the front diffusers under braking in a couple turns on the factory suspension, so much so, I actually got flagged for it once. Even with the car now sitting lower than stock, no more scraping, only if I go hard over curbing. Speaking of the curbing, I used to avoid it like the plague as it unsettled the car, but now I don't even notice them, just more track to use! I'm no expert on giving useful feedback, but I can say the car is just more confidence inspiring. The Gen 5 is already lightyears ahead of my old Gen 3 in feedback and poise, but now it's just so much more so. I've had these in the car for a few months, and noticed the street ride much improved on street setting, most noticeably making frost heaves in the road disappear, taming rough patches, and making hard acceleration silky smooth, but didn't really want to post about them till I had something worth posting. This weekend changed that.

Go ahead and try a set, it's only money, lol. But bear in mind, if you use them as designed, it might lead to more money. This weekend cost me a full set of tires, a full set of brake pads, and a set of ducts. But like I said, it's only money!

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I have put 30,000+ miles on my Tractive suspension and have nothing but great things to say about it.
absolutely the best modification I have done.

Wayne you were the second set I sold after the set that Ralph G bought.