Cause and effect are definitely being mixed up here.

There's a lot to go through. Total weight (actually i think we're talking about "load" and that's the term i like more) transfer in a steady state corner does NOT depend on spring rates or swaybars. It does depend on COG height, track width, total weight, etc. That's important. You can alter the distribution of the load transfer which can be used to balance the car, but that doesn't seem to be what we are talking about right now.

Saying we need or don't want weight/load transfer is silly because it's happening no matter what.

Reducing body roll through higher spring rates is good for maintaining good suspension geometry and contact patches. It also allows the weight transfer to occur more rapidly (better response). Good things when applied correctly, but of course there are drawbacks to going too stiff.

- Andrew

 

99% of the guys here do tracks, so for them is way more less obvious the too stiff car. For us the too stiff set up is immediately going to hurt you as soon as you left a start line.
Sure more firmer ride gives you better stability specially at high speeds. Just need to find a fine balance with a surface.

Only thing i try to implant here , is learn your car and try to use the weight transfer or body roll /now i am confused which is a right term here LOL/
For you advantage. When you done with that step then you can make adjustments on the car a way you want it. And from there you will find it true , the too stiff is bad.
Why? because you are already can handle the Evo body roll /weight transfer, top of that you can use it for your own advantage.
There for you will be ahead of others who try to fix they problems with getting stiffer and stiffer and buying all kind of help. Never mind the power chasers.

That is all.

ROb

 

What's the famous Chapman quote? "Even the worst suspension geometry can be fixed by not letting it move."

It's weird how many difference places we have had to repeat (again and again) that total weight transfer depends on CG height, track, and lateral acceleration, and that's it. I found a certain website that said something different and I think that's what people have read and is causing all the grief. But this new idea that stopping one of the effects of weight transfer - namely, body roll - is somehow the same as stopping the weight transfer itself from happening is a new (false) idea and it needs to be stamped out immediately.

But wait! We both lied. There is a way to prevent weight transfer and it doesn't require any mods to the car. Drive slower.

On another site we just worked through the difference between instantaneous weight transfer and that which operates through the suspension, because the issue of roll centers came up again. In that thread the interesting idea was this: if the roll center is way up at the same height as the CG, then no body roll will occur. Not that this would show up here, given that the whole problem with Evos is keeping the roll center above the bloody ground.

 

You would have enjoyed the other discussion; I'll get you a link. The idea was highly relevant to rally and rallycross because the idea was to raise the RC very high so that springs and bars weren't needed to prevent body roll. Then switch to very soft springs and almost no bars for compliance.

The whole idea of a super-high RC to prevent body roll is interesting, but only at a theoretical level. It just ain't gunna happen on a strut-based car.

 

Actually very common in rally at least where I come from, people LOVES a bit softer suspension then the "optimal"
But that is actually very rally specific.
My side is the softer set up for me gives better feed back , I can rotate the car better, more predictable. Also when sh*t hits the fan I find it easier to get out of the situation. Of course that is because we never really drive a same corner and evrything can happen in the next second. In nut shell.
I would love to read that thread .