Bouncy bits.

ihatesissycars · Post by **ihatesissycars** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:33 pm

The mojority of what i'm not happy about with the handling of my car is at the front. There's no compliance. I want to get to a happy compromise that can deal with the majority of road surfaces rather than be amazing on flat smooth roads and sh**e everywhere else.

to drive my car you'd amazed at its composure on the aformentioned flat smooth roads, it actually keeps up with my girlfriends mini in the same situation but as soon as you throw a few bumps in you have to back right off which ruins it. I want it to good in all places than amazing in oneand so on.

I've been spoilt by all the motorbikes i ride. Suspension on bikes is sooooo much more advanced than car stuff that i've been spoilt and i now want the same from my car.

I think the first step is to raise the front (by increasing spring length) and go from there as the mor i think about it i'm sure the suspension is running out of travel. The car corners completely flat which is sue to the a/r/b but anything that requires suspension movement is when it gets into bother.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:14 pm

OK Gav have it your way

but the one consistant comment from all of us who have that have tried to help you is that it is over damped and too high a spring rate. I just tried to explain why I think this.
I have yet to meet a car (or bike for that matter) that "bottoms out" the suspension on the chassis under normal road conditions, that includes my first Mini and that had less than 2.5 inches of total bump teavel, including bump stops.
Best of luck
Mike

ihatesissycars · Post by **ihatesissycars** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:22 pm

I really cannot see how it can be over damped as it weighs pretty much the same as a standard capri, it has standard capri sized wheels and tyres (hence why i chose them, less aggro) and standard dampers but heavier springs so if anything its under damped (standard damper trying to control a stronger spring) and the spring is one of the softest caprisport did at the time for a v8'd capri. They reccomend 190lb now plus don't forget i've taken 2" out of its suspension travel. The front of the car is very low!

When i say bottom out i don't mean the car hitting the deck i mean running out of spring and damper movement which when that happens you pretty much then have no suspension so the wheel will skip around and lock up when braking hard.

I really need to address its ride height before i change anything else and if anything go for a heavier spring.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:28 pm

When you dropped the front end 2" did you leave the anti roll bar where it was?
Mike

ihatesissycars · Post by **ihatesissycars** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:46 pm

Yup but i ground the ends in such a way as to bring the struts forward enough to compensate.

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:36 pm

you say heavier springs, what poundage are you using standard dia or 2.25s if you have used standard, uprated springs and chopped them to get the ride height to where you want the spring rate will rise expotentially giving a very stiff ride very quickly, tony said he used 175lbs and I think I used 185 or 195lbs which for road use is probably not a bad rate,
You say hit a few bumps and you have to back off, Why??

ihatesissycars · Post by **ihatesissycars** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:35 am

Because the car leaps all over the place just like the suspension has gone solid, it starts getting fidgety which feels like it'll start getting worse so you have to cap yer speed to keep things going evenly until smoother roads appear.

It could well get worse as i now have those Toyo r888's, more grip = more strain on everything else. . . . .

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:58 am

This sounds like some bump steer you have probably introduced into the suspension when you have lowered it by moving the steerng arm out of its normal working range, you can check this by raising the suspension and trying the same journy again at similar speeds, If it improves the situation, there may be a way to help dial it out, but I will have to check on mty suspension to see if it can be done.
Ian

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:17 am

If it is bump steer on a Mc' strut set up it is move the rack time

and new rack length and track control arms

.You may be able to tune it out by moving the strut top mounts and the rack but then the camber will be a compramise unless you can change that indipendently of the top mount position.... have you considered twin wishbones??

. Can you get the ride height back near where it was originally? as Ian says If it reduces the effect then you will at least know. You could then lower the car by moving the stub axel up the strut and probably have a less dramatic effect on the suspension/steering geomatry.
Mike