Hi,

I'm getting tired of the understeer on my TII. I previously had 225/50 Dunlop Sp8000 all around, but I recently got 205/50 Kumho 712 tires up front to replace the front tires (they were prematurely worn by rubbing against the front springs).

Well before the switch in tires, I was already getting a lot of understeer which I know is typical with TII's. Now, with the skinnier tires up front, it's worse.

I would like to know what you guys consider the single, cheapest way to somewhat significantly change this attitude to provide more oversteer (besides swapping tire setups). I am really on a budget, and don't have much time to spend my limited money on something.

My current setup is GAB adj shocks all the way around on stock springs. The front is set to 3 out of 4. The rears are set to 6 out of 8. I feel this gives me the best results so far.

I was thinking of getting Racing Beat rear springs only. Also, since I will need new tires, I was thinking of switching the Kumho 712 to the rear and getting 205/55/16 Falken Azenis for the fronts.

Does anyone have any suggestions or comments on this setup? I feel this might be the best, most budget conscious way to swap handling characteristics.

 

I think you are on the right track.

A stiff rear sway bar might be an even cheaper way to go.

-Max

 

Have you tried setting the GABs to full soft in front and full stiff in the rear?
How about 50 psi in the rear tires?
I think a rear sway bar would be the best way to go.
Good luck

 

don't know too many specifics on the fc but generally to decrease understeer:
1. increase front grip (wider and/or more sticky tire, optimum tire pressures and alignment settings)
2. decrease front "stiffness" (sway bar or springs, increase tire profile)
3. increase rear "stiffness" (sway bar or springs, decrease tire profile)

as a generel rule, the stiffer end slides first.

of course there are entire books written on the subject, but i'd optimize tire size first, optimize alignment and pressure second (pyrometer work), then change stiffness settings with springs and/or sway bars.

good luck
fabian

 

It's actually the other way around, if you don't want as much understeer you need to have the rear of the car grip longer than the front (oversteer). You are right about the stiffness of the front of the car though. I would DEFINATELY check the tire pressures before I did anything since it's the cheapest way to go. After that I'd check out the springs...if the rears are shot then they're too loose (meaning the fronts are stiffer than the rears and since the cars front track is already wider than the rear by 10 mm you'll get plenty of understeer). Good luck, I'd also check in on getting a sway bar.

 

Oh yea...and if the tires in the front of the car grip better (longer) guess which end will slip first.

 

Stiffening one end of the car will reduce grip at that end, generally, because it increases weight transfer at that end (and reduces weight transfer at the other end). Foko's list is correct. If you want less understeer, you want to stiffen the rear or soften the front.

-Max

 

I second Fabian's and Max's opinions

 

Hi, thanks for the replies so far. Well the thing is, I've messed around with the GAB's already, and having the front set at too soft a setting will make turn-in horrible. At this setting in the back, I find it's the best trade-off between being too stiff and performing well enough.

As for tire pressure, I also have that set at what I feel is the best for what I'm lookin for (36 in front and 40 in the back). The thing is, my tire sizes are a bit staggered. Besides having a more inferior tire up front, it is also slimmer, so changing tire pressures didn't do as much as they would have with all the same size tires.

You guys have definately persuaded me to going with a stiffer rear anti-roll bar. Do any of you guys have good experience with any brand? I figure since I'm heading for the RB rear springs, stick with the same company and go RB rear anti-roll bar.

BTW, I forgot to ask this in the original post, but will the car handle "wierdly" if I just got the RB rear springs and stay with the stock front springs?

Thanks!

 

Have you tried the "free" front camber adjustment. The FC's seem to almost have positive camber from the factory. Can somebody correct me if I'm wrong if you've had an alignment with a stock car? Well, you can get about 1/2 a degree or so of negative camber by rotating the strut mounts in the front. I forget the details of how to do it. Somebody else might remember how to do this or you can do a Search. It is very clearly defined in the Factory Service Manual. That can be found on fc3s.org in .pdf form. With this extra negative camber this might help your situation.

I just got an alignment yesterday. Even with the camber plates that came with the FLT-A2's I was only able to get a maximum of -1.9 degrees of camber up front. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't.