really good thread! I'm a noob to this stuff, but my setup is middle hole in the rear and I think 3rd hole (2nd from full stiff) in the front. With a square tire setup it gave me a really good neutral feel with every so slight understeer on stock suspension which I like in Autox. HPDE not so much, I'd rather have more understeer.

I just put on some 265 Bridgestone RE-11's so I'll be seeing how well this setup does this weekend.

 

danimaldaisy..... you did hit one thing well. Track, its the best place to learn what your settings do and the best for tuning. Thats how i learned, between reading, feeling and seeing my lap times.

Set ups will also change between tires and track. Springs and damper settings also change your sway bar settings

 

The cut spring mounts and pvc collars up front add two variables I have no experience with.

I have seen the movement you are talking about with the front sway when I am under my car, but I don't think it should cause a problem. If I were in your shoes, I would get new spring mounts, (if they don't cost too much) and remove the PVC mod on the front sway.

Then as terrasmak has said, find a good starting point and go (one step at a time) from there.

 

Z1

the front PVC pieces easily snap on and off....but wont fall off under abuse....

this mod actually made the car feel better and more stable....it would be a QUICK change to remove them....which i already have...but right away put them back in....the rears are designed the way they should be...seriously a turn of the wheel in the driveway would make the front sway slide an i use a 2 foot long breakerbar to tighten it.

I wonder where a cheap place to get spring mounts wold be, unless the dealer is cheap enough....you know...im going to play around with the front swaybar settings for now...just to see where i am at....i could always move it back...

you guys are VERY helpful...

I was just reading a thread about Tanabe gf210's, Cobb, sportlines....and was laughing because everyone was interested in an even drop not having a clue they will end up with my problem....or that they are progressive...or that they will get a crappy ride....i mean the SERIOUSLY want tanabe GF-210's......the most HORRIBLE spring i have EVER put on any car!!

just CRAZY!

I mean if they like them that much i will sell them for 100.00 plus shipping....or 100.00 local pickup...i really hate those springs!!

 

They designed it to slide , so let it. It probably saves the endlinks a bit, having the 1/2 inch of side to side movement will let it unbind a bit and won't effect the function.


Also no matter how big your breaker bar is, it will not tighten the clamp over the bushing any tighter. It also tells me you don't understand the simple mechanics, something you really need to know when your trying to play mechanic, let alone engineer .(don't take that personal, i fully understand everyone needs to start somewhere)

 

Well LOL!

i understand your point.....indirectly that is what i was saying.....it's as tight as can be and will slide no matter what.

a torque wrench of this size cost well over 100 bucks.....was just trying to save money.....now the rears.....need to be done with a smaller wrench...you can get a cheap torque wrench from harbor freight for about 20 bucks.

anyone who is reading this thread should seriously at least get one of these.

 

I suspect that a more square/less staggered set of tires would help in achieving your goals. Then the sways could be used to fine tune.

 

well....kinda too late for that...i just ordered 2 rear spring mounts today....they should be here by the weekend.

 

I already PMed z1nonly already, but was curious as to what hole recomendations other members would recomend for a Z with:

Hotchkis revised 4/3 hole sways
Hotchkis Springs
Stock endlinks
Stock shocks
19" ultralight monoblock volks - 255/35/19 & 285/35/19 rubber

 

-Just read your PM.

I would start in the softest setting front and rear. The softest settings will make both ends stiffer but the rear will be stiffer-er, < new word, vs stock.

The stagger and springs you are running should cause a little understeer and the softest sway settings might compensate for both. If you still have understeer, try the middle hole on the back bar.

Don't forget to test in a safe place once you change it.

 

Oh wow, right now I have full stiff up front and full soft in the rear. Would my current setup cause severe understeer or oversteer?

So full soft all around you'd recommend?

 

Understeer

 

That makes sense as that is the recomended settings from Hotchkis.

 

I think lawyers recommended the settings to Hotchkis before they recommended it to the public.

Understeer is considered "safe."

 

So full soft all around is the way to go then? If I start adjusting them stiffer should I start moving up the front or rear, or both together?

 

If you have oversteer, stiffen the front.

If you have understeer, stiffen the rear.


If the car is balanced to your liking, but you have so much traction that the car is too "floppy" in general. Then I would consider moving both ends at the same time. (stiffer)

 

Just an FYI, mathematically, the function of staggering the bolt points of the sway bar works.

Example:

If 1 setting is 0%, and then next setting up is 100%, by staggering right/left or left/right, the side using the 100% location will be less than 100%, the side using 0% will be higher than 0%. However they will not be symmetrical from side to side.

The mathematical average will be a 50% setting, but in reality one side may be experiencing 80% while the other is experiencing 20%. It may very well likely be that the force each individual side is experiencing is pretty close, in our hypothetical scenario, 60% in one direction and 40% in the other. However it won't be equal.

It can still be a method to dial in the handling based on the course, if the course favors turns in 1 direction you can set it up accordingly.

 

If you look at the way the rear bar is shaped, it's not symetrical to begin with.

 

OK, just put the car back down on the ground. Semi Soft Front, Soft Rear -- We'll see how that goes.

Anyone else got any prefered settings?

 

Dial it in for your liking from there. But those setting are fine for street, i run slightly stiffer on the track.