Suspension Tech

[Jimmy]

Anyone here got info on the effects of Track widening?  Positive/Negative results when adding front or rear width on 4WD-RWD-FWD. When is too much or too little?

[Accord GTR]

Anyone here got info on the effects of Track widening?  Positive/Negative results when adding front or rear width on 4WD-RWD-FWD. When is too much or too little?

I'll assume you're asking this for autocross and/or circuit, otherwise why would you be widening the track for?
1.  if you widen your track, you cannot lower your car as much as the tires will rub.   its better to lower the car more than widen the track.  A lower center of gravity is better than a wider track.
2.  wider track will increase turning radius and vice-versa
3.  wider track will increase stabilty in high speeds
4.  wider track will increase drag
5.  so long as car is balanced, wider track can increase cornering speed limits
6.  Too much and you stress the wheel bearings till they overheat and you get wierd noises.  Too little and your tires/wheels rub on the inside
7.  widen the front track only reduces understeer.  widening rears reduces oversteer.
8.   RWD like wider tracks in the rear.  FWD like wider tracks in the front. AWD like wider tracks front & back.

My suggestion?  Do not widen your track unless you want to run tall or are willing to flare out your fenders so you can lower your car.

[badboysupra]

kool, very informative. but, also some suspension set-ups would differ from other cars. most FWD cars would tend to understeer and other RWD cars would tend to oversteer. right? well, in some cases it can go vise versa. even some AWD cars can suffer from heavy understeer and some would just like to grip or drift. for example, talking about oversteering on a EVO 8 RS while the Impreza STI would in some corners would understeer. really bad.
In my own 2 cents, setting up a very good suspension system really depends on what type of driving or racing you are in. it does take alot of time to set-up a really good suspension for drifting, drag or even auto crossing. well, I know some people out there that doesnt really understand much would consider a car with basic suspension mods like lowering springs, HP shocks or a set of full coil overs would do the trick, well if the car is only a daily driver then its OK. but if your goin out racing then dialing in the suspension is very crucial. it just takes alot of time,adjusting & testing. yeh, its just my opinion since that dialing in a suspension for my supra for drifting is such a bitch (my drag set up is OK and easy). but then again, its all about the driver though (wich is me) who can really adapt to it. aite, cheers! -KBR

[Accord GTR]

ASCALRacing:

I'm thinking of getting that "J's Racing Roll Center Adjuster" for my Type R.  It's basically a longer front lower ball joint that repositions the lower control arm so that the front roll center is raised back closer to stock when the car is lowered more than 2-inches from stock.

Almost all the pro racers lower their race cars a lot but are not allowed to make this modification (RWYB has no restriction).  They compensate by putting in really hard springs and bigger sway bars but is it true that ultra-lowering will degrade handling as the ROLL MOMENT increases, that is the distance between the front CG and front ROLL CENTER increases?

Have you or anyone you know made this modifcation and proved it effective?

[JpT]

i have a question. i recently bought a pair of rear shocks sa likod ng car ko, hoping mawala un squeaking sound.. although its minimal naman...  but i changed it na and andun pa rin un sound..

what MIGHT be the prob kaya?

[doogie14]

hi guys,
experiencing same squeeks on my mom's mazda 323 sedan, just replaced the 2 rear shocks last month, the squeeks were gone a while but has returned this past week.....

thanks

doogs  

[Accord GTR]

hi guys,
experiencing same squeeks on my mom's mazda 323 sedan, just replaced the 2 rear shocks last month, the squeeks were gone a while but has returned this past week.....

thanks

doogs  

Try to identify when and where the squeeks come out.  Sounds to me like worn bushings.  Try bringing it to an alignment shop and having them check out all your undercarriage for worn parts

[zidack]

this is a nice tread. awesome!!!

i have a question. how to lower a old skul car ( 1982 macho jap version).

what is the best set up lowering springs or lowering block?

is this possible with my project car?

[Ernest]

With leaf springs I think the only option would be a lowering block.  I am not sure if there are coilover upgrades for your specific car model.

[Accord GTR]

hahaha  LOL!    Dude, with all due respect, you should know that the author posted this for the circuit drivers.  Having your wheel alignment for the street is different from having it aligned for the track.  Street -> tire wear.  Track -> grip.

Like for track, you need toe-out so it will turn-in better.  But toe-out makes your car wander in the street.  In the track, you need negative camper for more grip but for the street, it will cause uneven wear.

Alignment shops charge at least P1,000 or more depending on whether you do 2 wheel or 4 wheel alignment, camber, etc.

Racing mechanics will align your race car, all 4 wheels including camber, several times a day in practice or sessions and only charge about that much for the whole day's job! 

Pero OK naman yung Servitek for the average driver.  You should have our car checked every 6 months there 

[Accord GTR]

hahahaha. thanks dude... actually, my circuit race aligner costs 250 an hour.hehehehe that sucks!

You race also?  What do you mean "circuit race aligner"?  It this a person or a tool or both?  He only aligns it at the track?

Anyway, before I used to go to Servitek near my office in Quezon Ave.  Then to my friends place at the Fort, Bridgestone.  But I'm amazed how the race mechanics can align you car so quickly at the track just using string and simple tools.  Or you can have that magnetic tool that attaches to your wheel hub and can read camber, etc.

At the track, we align by lap times, tire temperature and tire pressure.  We choose the best alignment setting so lap times improve, tire temperature is even across each tire and tire pressure is even on all 4 tires.  It's amazing how a few degrees can improve your car's handling.

[Operator]

about racing... well, i used to race.... more than 3 years ago.hehehehe i kinda stopped when i lost control once and went into a total wreack situation... pardon the spelling... not an english major here.hehehehe

I think you're confusing REAL circuit racing with street racing...

[Conan®]

doubt it... my group used to go to BRC to race.... those were the days... i used to drag din... mga 5 years ago.... and there is also the street circuit racing.... un ung part na mahirap tanchahin ung alignment kasi you can not have a got at it anytime you want naman... u just set the track on the time that you will be racing...

we also do a lot of drifting here in laoag.hehehe

What cars are you using for drifting?

[speedyfix]

drifting with fwd? ubus siguro handbrake mo.

[speedyfix]

wow, you can drift it with just the brakes? you must be a good driver!