Aligned & Corner Weighted - Whats next?
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Aligned & Corner Weighted - Whats next?
I finally broke down and picked up a set of Megan Street Coilovers. I had the car aligned (-2F/-1R) and I had it corner weighted. Now I need suggestions on tuning the dampening of the struts.
I have a test and tune lapping day in a couple of weeks. I'd like to dial in the coil over a little bit but I dont really know how.
I guess my question is how do I tell whether or not to make the front or rear harder/softer? Should I start on full stiff front and rear working from that point or is there a better procedure? Some advice from the veterans would be appreciated.
(Even though my car is a lapping day **** in the summer, 75% of the time its a grocery getter. Thus the reason I'm sticking with advances, inexpensive suspension, and average power mods.)
I have a test and tune lapping day in a couple of weeks. I'd like to dial in the coil over a little bit but I dont really know how.
I guess my question is how do I tell whether or not to make the front or rear harder/softer? Should I start on full stiff front and rear working from that point or is there a better procedure? Some advice from the veterans would be appreciated.
(Even though my car is a lapping day **** in the summer, 75% of the time its a grocery getter. Thus the reason I'm sticking with advances, inexpensive suspension, and average power mods.)
I am not exactly familar with the exact way your coil overs adjust. BTW, good job in getting the car corner weighted 
You'll definitely feel a difference.
Basically, you want the rear stiffer than the front. I am not very familar with the coil overs that you have, so I do not know if you can adjust rebound and dampening seperately.
Try turning all the way to full stiff in the rear, then maybe turning back 2 clicks or numbers whatever your shocks have and then try maybe 4 clicks from stiff for the front. Overall, if that is too stiff, try keeping that ratio and back them off a little more. Then, depending on how the car feels in the corners you can adjust as you see fit.
If rebound is a seperate adjust, if the car feels bouncy, you want to decrease the rebound. If the shocks feel like they do not rebound enough, then up it, even up it until you get a little bounce, then slowly turn it back until it is smooth.
You'll definitely feel a difference. Basically, you want the rear stiffer than the front. I am not very familar with the coil overs that you have, so I do not know if you can adjust rebound and dampening seperately.
Try turning all the way to full stiff in the rear, then maybe turning back 2 clicks or numbers whatever your shocks have and then try maybe 4 clicks from stiff for the front. Overall, if that is too stiff, try keeping that ratio and back them off a little more. Then, depending on how the car feels in the corners you can adjust as you see fit.
If rebound is a seperate adjust, if the car feels bouncy, you want to decrease the rebound. If the shocks feel like they do not rebound enough, then up it, even up it until you get a little bounce, then slowly turn it back until it is smooth.
Last edited by MRgraphite; Mar 30, 2007 at 01:43 PM.
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A good book to pickup on this topic. Tune to Win by Carroll Smith.
If you can find this in a book store start by reading Chapter 11 "Understeer, Oversteer, Stability and Response." Sure there are dedicated chapters on everything from spring rates to the shock absorber but that is a good chapter to read to get an idea of whats involving in doing your own suspension tuning.
If you don't have access to this book, let me just summarize the first few paragraphs. The same car is able to oversteer and understeer in different corners the same track. The same car is able to oversteer and understeer within the same corner. Corners can be divided into entry, mid-corner and exit, in each of these phases oversteer and understeer can happen. According to Mr. Smith the ideal vehicle setup (for racing) is:
corner entry - light understeer
mid corner - very light understeer
corner exit - slight poweroversteer to neutral
Individual preference varies but with the above understanding of "handling" you are now much better prepared to gauge suspension/tire/chassis changes, be they from your own tuning or a vendors.
There is also a handy table at the end of that chapter "Figure(88) Table of Handling Characteristic Causes and Effect." Find that and commit to memory.
If you can find this in a book store start by reading Chapter 11 "Understeer, Oversteer, Stability and Response." Sure there are dedicated chapters on everything from spring rates to the shock absorber but that is a good chapter to read to get an idea of whats involving in doing your own suspension tuning.
If you don't have access to this book, let me just summarize the first few paragraphs. The same car is able to oversteer and understeer in different corners the same track. The same car is able to oversteer and understeer within the same corner. Corners can be divided into entry, mid-corner and exit, in each of these phases oversteer and understeer can happen. According to Mr. Smith the ideal vehicle setup (for racing) is:
corner entry - light understeer
mid corner - very light understeer
corner exit - slight poweroversteer to neutral
Individual preference varies but with the above understanding of "handling" you are now much better prepared to gauge suspension/tire/chassis changes, be they from your own tuning or a vendors.
There is also a handy table at the end of that chapter "Figure(88) Table of Handling Characteristic Causes and Effect." Find that and commit to memory.
Last edited by heeltoer; Mar 30, 2007 at 12:32 PM.