Suspension Voodoo

[JLawton]

OK, some more to think about........

Following up to Greg's story on the NX and listening to the "experts", the guy who built my car was an expert. He ran 350/600 for springs and broke track records. I've spent the last three years testing and changing, testing and changing. I now run a larger rear bar than he did and 600/825 for springs which is HUGE for rates on a Mac strut car. It goes to show, different drivers, different tracks need different set ups.


Dan, I'm going to make a suggestion that goes a little against everyone else. Unless you are a multi millionaire (and if so, I want to become your best friend) I would stick with a less expensive tire and spend your money on testing and seat time. Hoosiers will start to drop off in 5-8 heat cycles (yeah, some will say they can get 10 - 12 but they're only fooling themselves). Once a tire goes off it's useless for testing. You want consistancy when testing.

One other big factor for me was that I spent years driving cars that handled like crap. I didn't know any better. Then I drove Kirk's Golf and discovered what a good handling car felt like. From there I had a target to aim at. Maybe some sucke.........er ..........friend would let you drive their car..........

[Sandro]

I agree with Jeff's last post, and I am speaking from experience.

I am not sure how much seat time you have but I am guessing not a whole lot(please correct me if I am wrong). My recommendation would be to save the money you would spend on Hoosiers and new suspension, and go buy a data logger and kumho victoracers.
I have been running on victoracers from the beginning and might upgrade this year(only because I got Hoosiers when they had the close out sale at $100 each). Who says victoracers are slow anyway, I have kept up with people running Hoosiers and Hankooks(only for my stupid accelerator cable to break with 2 laps to go)

I saved up and bought a data logger and it has cut off more time than I know Hoosiers would have, plus the data logger doesn't wear out. The year when I got my data logger I couldn't enter any races because of schedule conflicts but I did about 10 days of HPDE's at the same track, and boy did my times drop. Once my times got to a point where they leveled out and consistent from lap to lap only then did I start making changes to the car.

Another way to test if the car is at the max, is to let a more experienced driver drive your car. If they are faster than you, their is no real point in making changes until you reach that time.

[Andy Bettencourt]

It goes to show, different drivers, different tracks need different set ups.

I especially like this advice from Lawton. Jeff Young mentioned the rates the RX-7 guys were running in the SE. Our track record holding car is double that. How bumpy are your tracks? Have any karting experience? How quick are your hands? Blah blah blah.

My RX-7 was 550/425. Loved it. Nick's car was 800+ F. I hated it yet we ran the same times.

I also have tested on tires that were cycled out. Thought the setup was all wrong. Add new tires and it became perfect. You have to test on what you will run on.

[924Guy]

I especially like this advice from Lawton. Jeff Young mentioned the rates the RX-7 guys were running in the SE. Our track record holding car is double that. How bumpy are your tracks? Have any karting experience? How quick are your hands? Blah blah blah.

My RX-7 was 550/425. Loved it. Nick's car was 800+ F. I hated it yet we ran the same times.

So true; I'm running spring rates approx 50% stiffer than anyone else with my kind of chassis (including the 944's). Got quick hands. My teammate's car has a more conventional, softer setup, with more swaybar; it should be much more forgiving, but not much if at all slower. And a buddy who upgraded from the softer setup to one equivalent to mine in his 944 found it much more nerve-wracking, unpredictable and twitchy... till I explained it all to him. Then he was OK with it, and started going faster right away.

The more spring you pile on the car, the quicker and more immediate the responses get. That's good, when you're talking about turn-in; not so great when you're a less-experienced driver talking about snap oversteer!

My poor wife had to drive this super-stiff setup all through her rookie year. Didn't stop her, though, and she learned to deal with it. I have noticed that her reflexes and hand-eye coordination got a LOT better, a LOT faster! LOL

[wepsbee]

Reading and learning alot. Have decided to run shaved Toyo RA1's for dry, Hoosier Hwet for wet. 500lb springs in front, 600 lb in the back. On order
Currently looking at installing an adjustable larger sway bar in back. Of course
none exist for my car so I will get components from Speedway Engineering and fab one up. Question is what type of bar, solid, hollow, diameter, I guess it all depends on what wheel rate you want. Is there anyway to determine an approximate wheel rate required for a car. I am not sure of the attachment points yet so arm length is not final. Do you have to use same attachment points? My current bar has arms only 6" long.

[Jeremy Billiel]

Reading and learning alot. Have decided to run shaved Toyo RA1's for dry, Hoosier Hwet for wet. 500lb springs in front, 600 lb in the back. On order
Currently looking at installing an adjustable larger sway bar in back. Of course
none exist for my car so I will get components from Speedway Engineering and fab one up. Question is what type of bar, solid, hollow, diameter, I guess it all depends on what wheel rate you want. Is there anyway to determine an approximate wheel rate required for a car. I am not sure of the attachment points yet so arm length is not final. Do you have to use same attachment points? My current bar has arms only 6" long.

At only a difference of 100 lbs between front and rear you are going to need a BIG SOLID bar with long arms to make that FWD car fly.

[wepsbee]

At only a difference of 100 lbs between front and rear you are going to need a BIG SOLID bar with long arms to make that FWD car fly.

Ok sounds good.

[JLawton]

Will this fit?

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/perf...sion/Sway_Bars