drift car suspension

[tuscan_thunder]

(put this on suspension forum but no response so posting here too)

I've done a deal to buy an S13 200sx.

I want to do some drifting and already do hills and sprints. I'm not overly interested in breaking records, I want to have some fun.

I'm on a budget so don't want to go crazy buying Tein suspension etc. I do intend to get an LSD.

For suspension set up, do I:

• make it super stiff spring rate at the back
• make it super soft spring rate at back (good for traction?)
• should I make the front stiff?
• do something else to set up? I want it to be very sideways but reasonably docile.

obviously, I'l try to make the rear as light as possible and use the crappiest tyres I can find on the back and I've got A032 Yokos for the front.

thanks in advance

[iaint]

tuscan_thunder said:

I'm on a budget so don't want to go crazy buying Tein suspension etc. I do intend to get an LSD.

When I saw the title I was going to suggest Tein stuff. You do get what you pay for.

>> Edited by iaint on Tuesday 26th July 10:13

[tuscan_thunder]

yeh but in a car costing 100 quid, I'm loathe to spend over a grand on suspension. i'm sure once the drift bug has well and truly bitten and I replace the S13 with something else, I'll be on the phone to Tein.

[iaint]

tuscan_thunder said:

yeh but in a car costing 100 quid, I'm loathe to spend over a grand on suspension. i'm sure once the drift bug has well and truly bitten and I replace the S13 with something else, I'll be on the phone to Tein.

Understandable

Might be a good idea to go to the driftworks forum and ask these questions there - decent bunch of guys and know what they're talking about.

Alternatively I'm sure Lee (Pulsatingstar) will be along at some point and he drifts his S14 and can probably tell you exactly what you need to do!

[cptsideways]

Check out the SXOC or driftworks forums for loads of second kit about. KYB AGX's are a heap & effective option too, with lowered springs. Check the car has decent rear subframe bushes as these are a nightmare, someone offering clamping bolts to hold em in place now.

Softer front harder rear is correct, but you'll soon be needing decent rear tyres once you get the hang of it. Crap tyres offer little traction = no speed. You'll soon see what I mean once you've got the hang of it.

My car is now set up with maximum rear traction, with wider tyres, stickier rubber, less camber only at 1deg now, tyres wear flat now.

[Hates_]

If you want cheap drifty mods, then dont bother with a LSD and just weld the diff. Get yourself some Tein springs and some Whiteline ARBS. Set the arbs soft on the front and hard on the back and that should do you fine.

[Pulsatingstar]

Do what hates and cpt sideways have said.

Crap rubber isnt good, you need some grip and predicability and more and more people are going back to more conventional settings now.

Drift suspension is generally a pretty hard spring rate, but with quite a soft damping.

On an S13 to start with id just weld the diff and go from there. Maybe just some different cheap spring to begin with but definatly the diff first.

And a bucket seat. Massive difference.

[tuscan_thunder]

thanks for all the replies guys

i have a bucket seat and a steering wheel ready to go on.

I think, due to the fact that Tein suspension would cost ten times as much as the car, I will stick in some stiff springs. I haven't picked up the car yet, but I assume the rear suspension is coilover?

I'll take on board the comments about tyres, and i'll give it a try with the lsd as standard, see how I get on, then maybe weld it up. (will welding make it really twitchy on road?)

[cptsideways]

tuscan_thunder said:

I'll take on board the comments about tyres, and i'll give it a try with the lsd as standard, see how I get on, then maybe weld it up. (will welding make it really twitchy on road?)

Welded diffs are OK so long as you know their iffy spots, eg higher speed gentle corners or uphill ones, all create a wee bit too much understeer.

Otherwise great fun