More testing today. Started with my data, and some standard shim stack specs from Superior, and did some thinking. Like Oldmav would do, but without the brains.
My theory was that the rear shocks compression was soft initially, and then increased at too high a rate. So it was soft initially on small bumps, but slighter bigger bumps were not absorbed. Also, in my figuring was why with previous testing I had always ended up on no 3 compression setting, which I could not replicate with shims.
The shim stack was previously this - 36.5, 20, 24, 22, 19, 16. So it has the 20mm flutter to soften the deflection of the 36.5mm shim. But after that it goes to a series of small shims close together in size, with a large gap in between, size wise anyway.
Previous testing with larger shims in the mid stack had failed, so I figured I would vary my use of the flutter shims to try and get a different result. To try and overcome the continued use of no 3 compression setting, I tried a larger flutter, being a 22mm instead of the 20mm. Where the larger mid stack shims had failed on their own, I tried one with a 20mm flutter behind it. So the stack I tried was this - 36.5, 22, 28, 20, 24, 19, 16.
Testing showed this to work even better on small bumps, on comp setting no 1, and then much improved on larger stuff too. Win.
So now I need a couple of tweaks to the front shocks, as I think rebound is a bit low due to the wallowing, which is a bit much for my liking. So I will adjust that and see where I end up.