A'PEXi 7

im sorry for sounding stupid, but im really interested in drifting. but i dont knoe what kinda suspensions mods im going to have to get 2 do all that. all i knoe is that 50/50 weight distrib. is esenstial. also i got the gxl and the AAS still works perfectly, will keeping that help at all?

i already knoe that im going 2 need some power to go along with it



mike
88gxl w/75k on original enigine
and a full functioning AAS

AW11Rkt

Well the AAS sucks . hehe

Go with a good spring/shock package or some ncie shocks and Groudn control coilovers .

Camber paltes are ncie for some negative camber up front . For just plain drifting try to get crappy tires int he back .

I found that when I started rain was a good practice . in secluded large parking lots .


Be very very careful and realize eventually something is going to break or you will hit osmethign . It happens to the best .

OC_

i dont drift, BUT
it would be obvious to get a good LSD.

having stiffer rear suspension increases the tendency to oversteer. this is general rule.

Tein makes a coil-over package for drifting, i dont know if they have it for FC though. I did notice that the rear spring rate weren't any different then some of their other non-drift setups. Must be in the tuning of the shocks...

Jerk_Racer

Start with crummy tires, but once you get used to the feeling of the car as it begins to give out then start using better tires. The better the tires you use, the more you will be able to control the slide instead of just hoping that everything turns out OK. You have plenty of power. All it takes is driver skill. More power makes it easier to get up to speed and to upset the drivetrain at times, but it's a crutch for lack of skills. Get good, then get power., Focus on your suspension and just make sure your engine is in good shape.

The most important thing to do is get seattime. Even if you aren't drifting then you sholud be taking advantage of any other local race venue. Autocross is good for this. Most drifters aren't merely good at drifting but also grip driving. All it takes is practice, practice, and more practice.

The 50/50 weight balance issue is total BS. Some of the best handling cars in the world are nowhere close to having a 50/50 weight balance. The second you get on the gas or the brakes weight is transferred and that "ideal" balance is gone. What you can do is get rid of the rear steering bushings and any other stock bushings. There no longer any good if they are the original pieces from the factory. Age + rubber = junk. If you do get a suspension don't break the bank getting something that you don't need. A simple shock/spring package will do fine. Your stock parts are probably worn out by now anyway.

The more you practice, the more you'll know what you need to change.

A'PEXi 7

thanks alot for the info cuz i am pretty new on the suspension side of cars. engine and powertrain it's another story. but anyways what should i look for as far as spring rates? will a higher spring rate make it stiffer?

Jerk_Racer

Yes, that is correct. higher the rate, the stiffer the spring. My car (the daily driver) has 400# in the front and 300# in the rear. Some will say that this is unstreetable. With the right shocks they're very firm, but livable. Most springs you'll find are much lower than that but still a good deal stiffer than the stock pieces. Only get springs that advertise the spring rates instead of just listing how much they lower the car. If you must go for this stuff right away then check out K2RD's site right here. It's going through changes now, but be patient. They have some good stuff there that'll get you in the right direction.

Almost no two cars used for drifting are the same with their setups. Just practice and you'll get to know what you need to take care of next. Take your time. It'll take years to get very good and a whole lot of tires during that time. Be safe out there.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i have 400/220 springs and its totally streetable, in fact its not harsh at all. handles great too

mike

InitialD FC

iTrader: (1)

Yeah but you got a 20b up front to handle the spring rates...

I run 7kg and 5kg, not too soft either... but i am upgrading to 8kg and 6kg.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i dont remember but i think the 8 and 5 is what i'm runnng in metric

mike

A'PEXi 7

one more question.......this will probably be the worst one.......what is the diff between coilovers and the shock/spring setup......if any.............i dont knoe. im sorry to be soundin stupid i just want to knoe as much about my car as possible. so when i start tuning i wont end like these rice boys drivin around "sayin" that they can drift.


THANKS ALOTTTTTTTTTT FOR ALL THE INFO

ive learned so much

ARD T2

iTrader: (22)

The key features to look for on suspension are these:

Twin tube vs. Mono tube dampers

Independent ride height and spring preload adjustment: Will you sacrifice ride quality or suspension travel when lowered.

Are camber plates included?

Not really that important, but the number of damping adjustments there are.

Specifically, an integrated coilover has been engineered to work with it's spring rate values. A tokiko and GC setup is limited to the extent of damping.

the only strut/coilover setup that would probably work well is the K2RD setup, AGX and GC style sleeves.

Peace, Rishie

FYI, Spring rates don't mean everything with regards to ride quality. A lot of it is the damping value of the shock.