Bigbacon

iTrader: (4)

can the sway bar thing also be a good idea for AutoX as well as track? I suspect there is not a universal setup for both types of driving but a good compromise is what I'm looking for.

Spin9k

The anti-sway bars can work for both. Just don't get fixed bars. Simple as that. Adjustable bars are marginally more, but you actually get to do what you want - tune the car! Amazing huh?

There are several brands that are adjustable, typically 2 to 3 holes on each side of the bar - giving a wide range of stiffness settings for all occasions. Also they're generally pretty darn easy to adjust on the fly.

Spin9k

Think twice about separate spring/shock purchase. For similar to a bit more, a coilover is really the better solution. It's a holistic, engineered design, paired to do what is required to best result vs. a roll-your-own pairing that is not necessarily going to do that.

I hear ya on the FT86... but also subie is supposed to be doing it's brother with more power / turboed ~300HP that would be AWD perhaps

Bigbacon

iTrader: (4)

do you need to get new end links or is it just recommended that you get adjustable ones?

Spin9k

It may not be the case for all, but the WhiteLine adjustables I purchased do not require anything other than OEM links. The reason is that the holes (2 per side) are positioned, so the endlink can just piviot one way or the other slightly sort of like this \ or / to meet up with the holes.

I do have one adj endlink per side now, only because I got the car corner weighted after I got coilovers, and that means the cars height is adjusted on each corner independently via the spring perch adjustment. This translates into needing the adjustable link to compensate for the height differences to keep the sways under no preload.

Bigbacon

iTrader: (4)

what about things like the agency power and PT sways?

Kafka

Have to drive in serious winter...coilovers not good for winter

Anijo

Why? They're fully height adjustable. Most people lower the car with them to lower the center of gravity but you could just as easily use them to lift the car in the winter (you'll need to re-corner weight it in the spring of course but for winter you can just use a tape measure to get the heights close to even). The shocks are almost always adjustable so you can set them to full soft and still retain some semblance of ride quality as well.

If the problem is road salt... I'm not sure I'd want to drive the car in winter at all, I'd buy a $500 beater. I have a shot of one friend taking a saw to another friend's end links on his S2000 after just 2 winters.

Kafka

Exactly...no immediate solution for the winter salt problem yet...and winter beater is not a solution for me so far...regardless, thanks for the input

Anyone read this one regarding to shocks btw?
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html

He is definitely opinionated but its a fun read!

Hi Flying 8

iTrader: (2)

Hey Eric, Thanks for all the info; it is very helpful. I have been told that the advantage of adjustable endlinks is to set the preload prior to alignment. What other use is there for adjustable endlinks? After athe alignment is set, can you use them to further adjust the stiffness?

Thanks in advance

Demon8

Interesting....

Anijo

Yah, I did read that. It's eye opening and makes me doubt my cheap coilovers but re-affirms my plans to drive on these cheap ones until I can feel/see where they're holding me back then sell them for a significantly more expensive/nice set.

Peppy@kacework

You can't go wrong listening to Eric's advice. I have pretty much the exact setup that Eric describes on my car. Relatively soft spring rate coilovers(Bilstein PSS9,) adjustable sway bars(Progress Tuning,) and full tread 255/40-17 R comps(NT-01's) and couldn't have been happier with the setup. I've driven 5 different tracks and been able to try out different suspension and sway bar settings on all of them. It's really fun to make an adjustment and then be able to recognize the positive or negative impact it has on the cars handling.

I started out using street tires when for my first events and moved up to the R-comps later. Now that I've picked up an RX-7 to be my new track car I'm doing my first event of the 2010 season on street tires and the stock suspension so I can get a good feel for the car and plan my suspension upgrades accordingly. I won't track a car with stock brakes though. I put SS lines, fluid and race pads on the first time I went to the track. For the 7 I got a Stoptech BBK because it didn't come with brakes as awesome as the 8 does.

EricMeyer

I'm not so sure I'd call the "advantage" of endlinks their ability to set preload. This might be symantics however the FUNCTION of adjustable endlinks is to (in the vast majority of cases that pertain to car owners on this forum) is to "neutralize" their swaybar(s). In otherwords, they are properly used to take preload OUT of chassis.

I haven't heard of people subscribing to tuning their cars with end links. You could do it however it's generally at the expense of turning in one direction (left or right). Most people I know would chose to tune thier car by adjusting the cross weight percentage. This is one of the big benefits of a coil over shock product----you can adjust a shock collar up or down to add or subtract cross weight. This allows the car to either turn right or left just a little bit better. Keep in mind that this is not for the novice. One must know how to drive consistently first.

You may choose to make a cross adjustment to improve the cars right hand turns for Mid-Ohio for example as a way to get out of the carousel and keyhole just a smidge better than a neutral setup. Naturally it may hurt you a bit in T1 however it is generally accepted that there is more time to be gained with better runs out of the Key and Carousel (both rt. handers leading to long straights) then T1.

Please do yourself a favor (which the vast majority of beginner and novice drivers do NOT do). Invest an open-track weekend in trying various suspension adjustments. The ability to drive a cars with various different handling characteristics is a great skill set to own. One can do this with their car (as opposed to borrowing a buddies car) by a few methods (other very experienced drivers and driver coaches please chime in). Here are a few things to try that will tell you much about your car and expose your mind to the wonderful challenges of learning how to drive a car that handles differently than you are use to:

-Add a ton of front tire pressure
-Add a ton of rear tire pressure
-Disconnect your front or rear (or both) of your swaybars.
-Raise your ride height in the rear
-Drive with crappy tires
-Drive off line
-Drive using an early apex line everywhere (please respect those behind you when you do this).
-Drive using a super late apex line everywhere. SUPER LATE.
-Drive in the rain. This is one of the best secrets out there. Most of you have heard me offer this before. Here's the trick. With an upcoming NASA or some club event, several people will bail at the last minute at the threat of rain. For those who attend, some choose to pass on a session or two leaving a wonderfully vacant track. TONS of great seat time to be had here sports fan. Driving quickly in the rain is a skill set you want. It requires being smooth. In the dry, smooth IS fast. So the wet driving is really like driving on or near the edge on a dry course. There is a great chapter on rain driving in Skip Barber's timeless "Going Faster" book. Tired of the X-Mas sweater or the pair of wool socks at Christmas? Tell your mother-in-law to get you this:

http://www.amazon.com/Going-Faster-M.../dp/0837602270

Read it. Refer to it often. It is a great entry level reference.

A little off topic here but hey---that's my dealio.

Happy rotoring and look for us in next year's World Challenge series partnered with IndyCar and televised on VS. tv.

EricMeyer

Now this is a homerun post!

chiketkd

iTrader: (5)

+1 I bought this very book a few years ago and I'd have to concur with Eric's advice. Great entry level reference and the chapter on racing in the wet is especially good!