Most liked posts in thread: Thank you Onasled Racing and TSW...

Don't know the specifics of it either - just left that one up to Greg, and it was supported by some other people I speak with at the track (FWD, front engine). I'll try to find out and post back in a bit.

- Marc

 

So, I'm not an engineer either, and I stayed at the country inn this weekend, but here goes:

- stiffening up the rear for better rotation is one reason
- motion ratios is the other. Ask your local expert for an explanation, because I know mine won't suffice. Greg tried to explain motion ratios to me, but I'm hopeless, as are many of us who just sort of repeat stuff that's said by people who actually do the work and the math.

For a full explanation that's not diluted through me, give Greg an e-mail.

In any event, whatever the engineering behind it is, it works for me so far!

- Marc

 

Stock suspension before. Lap times? No, sorry I do driving schools and not timed events.

- Marc

 

This was my first time on any r-comp tire, and as everyone says, the difference in grip is substantial. I was still heating them up significantly and could still feel them going away as I would with my Azenis, but their ceiling is just so much higher. Wear after the event (they were slightly used when I picked them up) looks to be normal - still lots of tread left for rain excursions (of which I had one on Saturday).

I started them at 32 psi, and when I'd check them hot, they were at 38-39, but this is after a cool-down lap and some time in the paddock, so I'm thinking they were up around 40-42 hot, which might be a bit too much.

- Marc

 

Yea, I see that, but I'm just not into it. Weird, right? There are so many variables in a driving school environment that I'd doubt you could find an accurate lap time to go on anyway, especially from someone holding a watch in the paddock! And you're right - it's not the spirit of the event.

And I guess this comes down to our definitions of "progress." If that = lap times for some, then that's cool. If that = trying and being able to do different lines, techniques, etc..., then I guess that's cool too.

You won't see any video cameras in my car anytime soon, either.

- Marc

 

Will do. If I were you, I'd start asking around. It also depends on your ultimate goals - are you looking for a dual-purpose car, or do you think it'll be a track car at some point? Also, how do you like the car to handle? For me, I'm very comfortable with the tail being twitchy. One thing to remember is that the MINI's suspension is NOT balanced out of the box - it understeers like a pig, right? I hate that, so I wanted to do what I could to balance it. My car is not dangerous by any stretch of the imagination. I definitely could have gone for stiffer springs all around and even stiffer rear springs. To the point, I had one session in a monsoon - the entire track was standing water - and the handling was as predictable as it was in the dry. Understeer for ham-handedness, and oversteer for ham-footedness (abruptness on/off the brakes, in turns, etc...).

Not that racing is a realistic goal for most, but I wonder what we'll find if we can get the spring rates for FWD racecars like the Koni Civics, MINIs, Acuras, etc...

Edit - that reminds me of something Randy Smalley said about his racecars' rear sway bars: they couldn't buy one stiff enough, so they had to make it themselves.

- Marc

 

Thanks! There was an odd marking on the springs that seemed to show a range of rates; I think at the end of this we are going to find out that they just put the wrong springs in there as well.

Yea, the R888s represent a new learning curve for me.

One thing I haven't quite grasped yet is what the best way is to go about adjusting the V2s for performance. Greg set them to near the middle range, and it was a bit bouncy. I stiffened the rear to 3 clicks from full stiff and the front to 5 clicks from full stiff. I liked this better since oversteer was quicker and less dramatic.

The adjustment is just for rebound, correct? Any tips?

And sorry for the multiple posts to respond to quotes - when I press the multiquote button it doesn't insert the material, or perhaps I'm doing something wrong.

- Marc

 

Ride height, according to Greg's documentation that came with the car after install:

Front: 3" from bottom of jack pads
Rear: 3.75 from bottom of jack pads

That's with the track tires (225/45/15 R888).

I refuse to mess with ride height on my own because it seems to me that it would then change the alignment settings which I am not equipped to manage/change/check on my own. So the ride height stays. I should also mention that Greg shimmed the inner ball joints to keep the roll center in-tact.

I feel great about going with TSW's setup - I wish the springs would have worked out, but the Hypercoils dynoed as well as a set of good KWs would have, so I'm not too worried about it.

- Marc

 

Thanks, that's what my behind told me - that the stiffer setting was actually more compliant and better behaved. There was a high line available through that bulb that a lot of cars were taking (and then diving down to the apex), but my car hated it because it was bumpy up there. After I stiffened the shocks, it was fine up there, but definitely felt quicker on a lower line. Well, I don't know if it was quicker, but I was carrying more speed there which = 5-8 more mph at the end of the straight. Don't yell at me - I wasn't looking at the speedo, it was my instructor!

- Marc