Handling
- Thread starter Chris1
- Start date
What are you trying to improve?
There was a thread about this that said strut braces were a bit of a waste of time on a street car*, and that if it was a track car a cage could add far more strength than a strut bar anyway. - Whiteline recommend you start with polybushes; stiffer ones where you want less movement. So for example if you're trying to dial-out understeer, polybush the rear before the front so that it rolls less an therefore looses traction before the front does.
I think they then suggest the rear ARB (obviously they suggest their own product), then polybushing the front.
Is it just springs on standard shocks? If you'd got coilovers you could look at doing things like the castor mod, but standard struts (and top mounts) rule that out.
Have you played with the tyre pressures? Don't forget there's far more weight at the front than the back, so it needs higher pressure (I think most people run +2PSI at the front compared to the rear).
*I'm not saying that they don't help, just that you don't need the most stiff car on a road because you sacrifice comfort. It seems to me that a 20-year old chassis could probably do with as much help as it can get.
There was a thread about this that said strut braces were a bit of a waste of time on a street car*, and that if it was a track car a cage could add far more strength than a strut bar anyway. - Whiteline recommend you start with polybushes; stiffer ones where you want less movement. So for example if you're trying to dial-out understeer, polybush the rear before the front so that it rolls less an therefore looses traction before the front does.
I think they then suggest the rear ARB (obviously they suggest their own product), then polybushing the front.
Is it just springs on standard shocks? If you'd got coilovers you could look at doing things like the castor mod, but standard struts (and top mounts) rule that out.
Have you played with the tyre pressures? Don't forget there's far more weight at the front than the back, so it needs higher pressure (I think most people run +2PSI at the front compared to the rear).
*I'm not saying that they don't help, just that you don't need the most stiff car on a road because you sacrifice comfort. It seems to me that a 20-year old chassis could probably do with as much help as it can get.
Chris1
Member
Ooooooo good reply.
Just trying to get rid of muchos understeer really.
I don't feel very confident chucking it into corners. Seems very 'loose' at the front.
Lowering springs are still on std shocks as far as I'm aware.
Pressure wise I run 32psi front and 30psi rear on 205/40/17.
My first R had a fair few Whiteline goodies and I guess that I'm comparing this one, without those add-ons, to that. Daft really.
So are we talking rear arb then?
I suppose the next question is "what's your budget?".
The Whiteline read ARB has a good reputation; you don't need to get the adjustable one, but it's worth getting a stiffer one.
You can also play with hub spacers to increase the rear axle length; Bob has played around with this, so he's probably the person to ask. I think he recommends adding twice as much at the rear as you do at the front... but if the front is 0, then I'd guess something at the rear has the same effect.
It's all about balancing, so you can achieve a similar thing by making the front slightly softer instead; so a smaller ARB and/or the OEM bushes...
Didn't stumo just post a huge thing about suspension setup? I made it a sticky. ;-)
The Whiteline read ARB has a good reputation; you don't need to get the adjustable one, but it's worth getting a stiffer one.
You can also play with hub spacers to increase the rear axle length; Bob has played around with this, so he's probably the person to ask. I think he recommends adding twice as much at the rear as you do at the front... but if the front is 0, then I'd guess something at the rear has the same effect.
It's all about balancing, so you can achieve a similar thing by making the front slightly softer instead; so a smaller ARB and/or the OEM bushes...
Didn't stumo just post a huge thing about suspension setup? I made it a sticky. ;-)
Chris1
Member
Yeah I did have a read of that but it was a bit over my head if I'm honest lol.
Was just hoping for someone to say "do this and it'll be ace".
Will look for a arb for the rear.
I don't really have any spare cash so budget is pretty pathetic really lol.
Will keep my eyes peeled.
Would it be worth polybushing everything I can get my hands on?
Appreciate your help fella.
P
pulsarboby
Guest
if you have just standard struts then dont bother with what i or pobody said regarding spacers etc as youll achieve absolutely nothing.
if i were in your boots the first thing i would change would be the stock struts, swap them with either koni adjustable damped struts or better still is a set of gab struts which are fantastic and fully adjustable for damping.
(we have these for sale but im not the cheapest if im honest as its a business) but contact shroom as he has a set for sale at a very good price.
see how the car handles then as that will make a huge difference alone.
if you then wish to uprate it further then do other stuff like polybushes, braces, spacers, antidive kit, bumpsteer kit and so forth then get car setup properly by someone who knows what there doing.
but as said you need to start with basics first....if the suspensions being overworked and not up to the job then car will handle like shite
if i were in your boots the first thing i would change would be the stock struts, swap them with either koni adjustable damped struts or better still is a set of gab struts which are fantastic and fully adjustable for damping.
(we have these for sale but im not the cheapest if im honest as its a business) but contact shroom as he has a set for sale at a very good price.
see how the car handles then as that will make a huge difference alone.
if you then wish to uprate it further then do other stuff like polybushes, braces, spacers, antidive kit, bumpsteer kit and so forth then get car setup properly by someone who knows what there doing.
but as said you need to start with basics first....if the suspensions being overworked and not up to the job then car will handle like shite
Thanks Bob - to be honest I wasn't sure about this spacers thing. I understand the concept, but opinions seem to be divided on how effective it is; if it only works with coilovers, that makes more sense to me.
I'd love to change out my standard struts, but that's a cost that I can't justify at the moment (that's why I was reading what Whiteline have to say about playing with the ploybushes and ARBs). When they are shot I'll have an excuse. ;-)
I'd love to change out my standard struts, but that's a cost that I can't justify at the moment (that's why I was reading what Whiteline have to say about playing with the ploybushes and ARBs). When they are shot I'll have an excuse. ;-)
Chris1
Member
Thanks for your honesty Bob.
If the MOT next week is relativly painless I'll have a few pennies spare. Unless it all mysteriously dissapears, as money has a habit of doing lol.
Good advice there chaps so thanks very much for that.