suspension tuning
Discussion
Has anyone got any advice for getting a good ride/handling compromise. My car has adjustable ride height and adjustable dampers all round. These are in good condition (back are brand new in fact).To state the obvious if i stiffen the dampers i get less roll and squat but the car never settles even on quite good roads,on bad ones its all over the place.However if i soften them off the car is more comfy but rolls more than i would like and over crests taken at speed it feels like it might bottom out as the car `lands`. I know somewhere in between is ideal but i cannot get it quite how i would like it.Should i have the back stiffer than the front or vice/versa.Any ideas? thanks.
On a rear drive car you usually set the back a little softer than the front to help with traction and to compensate for weight distrubtion. If you're struggling to put the power down I'd suggest a slightly taller profile tyre, as a more compliant tyre follows the road surface better and will take the edge off bumps. The downside is that the reduced stiffness of the tyre wall will allow the tyre to roll on the rim easier and will take some of the sharpness off the steering and turn-in aside from raising the gearing slightly as well.
As for spring and damper settings my own personal preference is for a relativly soft spring and a strong reasonably hard damper, this allows the suspension to move but the high damping rate stops it all flapping it about on bumpy / english roads.
as for stopping the roll you could try one of these new rear anti-roll bars I keep hearing about. The only drawback to an antiroll bar is they tend to spoil the ride as both wheels are coupled together, but a light bar can make a very good compromise.
Matt
As for spring and damper settings my own personal preference is for a relativly soft spring and a strong reasonably hard damper, this allows the suspension to move but the high damping rate stops it all flapping it about on bumpy / english roads.
as for stopping the roll you could try one of these new rear anti-roll bars I keep hearing about. The only drawback to an antiroll bar is they tend to spoil the ride as both wheels are coupled together, but a light bar can make a very good compromise.
Matt
quote:
as for stopping the roll you could try one of these new rear anti-roll bars I keep hearing about. The only drawback to an antiroll bar is they tend to spoil the ride as both wheels are coupled together, but a light bar can make a very good compromise.
I built the anti-roll bar to stop understeer and not to controll the roll although it does do this. And yes the 520 did suffer from understeer a lot. If you want to stop roll, use the springs/shocks in the right combination which for me means harder springs not softer ones. All depends on personal prefs though and what you are doing with the car.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Steve
I didn't say fit softer springs to cure the roll, but to use an anti-roll bar. I also suggested soft/std springing as my own personal preference as english roads and some circuits are very bumpy and a relatively soft set-up will cross the ground a lot easier than a relativly stiff one. However on a smooth surface (ie. Silverstone) by all means tighten it right up.
Matt
I didn't say fit softer springs to cure the roll, but to use an anti-roll bar. I also suggested soft/std springing as my own personal preference as english roads and some circuits are very bumpy and a relatively soft set-up will cross the ground a lot easier than a relativly stiff one. However on a smooth surface (ie. Silverstone) by all means tighten it right up.
Matt
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