Any hope in low speed corners?

[gsbaker]

...I might suggest racing at Roebling Road,there are NO slow corners there....

There are when I drive there.

(I got a million of 'em!)

[ShelbyRacer]

Keep the front springs, run less front bar.

What are your pressures (starting and hot)? Tire temps?

What bushings?

Alignment settings?

Driving style?

I would suggest against the 225 tire on a 6" wheel, or you will see an increase in handling issues...

[joeg]

yes...tire temps and pressures seem the culprit here

[CRallo]

do you trailbrake? that will make it rotate in slow speed corners... just watch that brake release when you really bury the car into the corner :eek:


edit: o yea, and does it push on the way in or out of the slow corners or both?

[Streetwise guy]

CRallo:
Trailbraking is next on my list of skills to hone. Most of my autocross experience going back to the early 80s was in a Camaro, which, due to a combination of lousy pedal feel, major weight, good exit power and driver inability , REALLY hated turning while the brakes are applied. Anyway, I get to roadrace the red Neon 3-4 times a year, but I run a white Neon in ministock at the local 1/3 mile paved oval 12 times a summer, and I'm changing lines and corner entries and trailbraking as much as I can there to try to get the old neural pathways in place. I know it works, as I have accidentally gone into corners "wrong" and come out the other end faster-I imagine most of you can relate. Convincing my braking foot that it works.... Push from the middle out, I would say.

Shelbyracer:
I am going to play with bars a bit next chance I get. Pressures front 40ish cool, generally gain 5-8 psi on a 20 minute session, rears startout 35ish, gain 3-5 psi. Bushings are Suspension techniques poly bushings everywhere front, rusty seized bolts with stock rubbers rear. That is on the list to complete. Alignment is 3 ish degrees camber front, 2ish rear, 1/16 to 1/8 toeout front, not sure rear because of the rusty bolts etc. Also on the list. Driving style- comfortable in traffic, with an exagerated belief in the old "slow in fast out" mantra. Sir Stirling Moss without the talent, shall we say... The 225s would be part of a change to lighter wider wheels. My wallets happy for now with the 205s and 6" wheels.

All of the above needs to be explored. Sadly, I'm 7 hours from the closest track, 10 hours from the next, and 3-4 races a year is as good as it can get for me for now. I also usually travel alone, or with one handicapped buddy for crew so it makes for difficult testing sessions. I usually make a list of things to try, but for now, to be honest the car works better than I had expected, so I'm concentrating on my own techniques- took me 2 1/2 track hours last time out, but I finally got to the braking point for turn one that I KNEW all along was the right place. Cowardice and bad habits, man- a hard combination.:eek:

[Greg Krom]

Adjust your tire pressures. With the Spec Neon setup we run the Toyos at 35 psi front and 40-42 psi rear. The higher pressures in the rear help with rotation.

I would also dial out some of the camber in the rear - 1 degree negative max.

[Rabbit07]

Well I hope you are not asking a Macpherson Strut car to handle like a SLA car are you? All Neons struggle in slower corners. I have laid it out before, but I'll throw it out there again what I use.

225's up front on 7" wheels
205's rear

Hoosier R6 or A6 depending on the conditions

550 lbs on the front
700 lbs rear

22 mm bar front
22 mm bar rear

3.5 to 4.5 camber front
.8 to 1.5 camber rear

I will usually run between 0 and -1/8" of toe front and rear depending on the track.

I shoot for a 6-8 psi split front to rear on pressure with the higher pressure in the rear.

I run sphericals in all the front suspension points.

you can beat Hondas, but not in the corners

I would scrap the Toyos if your competition is on Hoosiers or Kumhos. You need lots of Camber for a Toyo to work well also though.

What tracks do you run?