what more can i do for a lighter front end?

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I understand doing your best to balance the weight of the car, makes sense to me but as others have said it will be very hard to get any seriously noticeable differences.

My question is, what are you doing with the car that makes the balance troublesome?

If it's autoX then the toe will give you more turn in than you could ever want.

If it's track then why not go for aero modifications?

To be honest it`s not really hindering me (it`s probably my driving skills hindering the car really), but it`s just a vision. I think I`m running out of options for losing weight in the front end so I just wanted to know if others have done something clever. As others mentioned there are easy ways to fix my "problem" but wanted to tackle the weight distribution first and then do other things. I just have a certain concept of how I want the car to feel. If anything, I`ve heard that the 350Z platform is intentionally built with a bit more front bias for that initial front bite (if my geeky memory serves me correct from Best Motoring DVD lol).

[Icanfaptothis86]

Originally Posted by MaximeT

Lower Control Arm

I am sofa king stupid

[OkieSnuffBox]

lolz at alignment specs and complaining about sharper turn-in.

What tracks are you running at that you're having a problem?

[TrqlessWonder]

Originally Posted by mokinbird87

My alignment specs are: front: -1.5 camber 6 degrees of caster, 0 toe. rear: -1.3, -1.5 (OEM spec) camber, 3/32nd toe in for stability under braking. I guess that contradicts the want of a "sharp" front end but tire preservation is quite important to me I could crank up the rear camber but I dont have adjustment at the rear yet.

1/16th (or even an 1/8th) out up front will not destroy your tires like you think it might. Not even close. The additional wear is somewhere between zero and unnoticeable.

How much the front end feel changes after you do that, however, will be somewhat profound.

[drewbot]

You mention you want turn in but please post full alignment specs, wheel and tire combo, tire pressures

[GSpeed]

Like others have said, a 1/16" of toe out would be a good place to start. Won't affect tire wear appreciably, but the car may tend to "wander" at higher speeds. Not strongly, but enough you'll have to keep a hand on the wheel.

Also look into sways. The "sharper feel" you're after is accelerated weight transfer on turn in, and sways are a very cost effective way to do that. Full analysis to follow in our build thread, but we just came off track with our new Whiteline sways, and we dropped our roll stiffness by 20%.

[Icanfaptothis86]

Originally Posted by DAEMANO

If he is sensitive enough to detect the difference in weight from the stock battery to his Shorai, then certainly his finely tuned butt dyno could feel another 7.

btw, the cable weighs about 2lbs spread over the lowest point in the car (the floor). I had to research this a while back.

This guy anthony looked into this and found you lose the weight savings from all the extra cable of relocating battery to trunk

Can be found in his build thread:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42284

Also should be noted that having weight on the passenger side is good to offset the weight of the driver

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Icanfaptothis86

This guy anthony looked into this and found you lose the weight savings from all the extra cable of relocating battery to trunk

Can be found in his build thread:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42284

Also should be noted that having weight on the passenger side is good to offset the weight of the driver

I didn't want to argue, I know what the stuff weighs. I used to do stereo installs for a shop in high school and college.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by mokinbird87

I just have a certain concept of how I want the car to feel. If anything, I`ve heard that the 350Z platform is intentionally built with a bit more front bias for that initial front bite (if my geeky memory serves me correct from Best Motoring DVD lol).

I'll just flat out say it: you are trying to make your car a certain spec on paper, for the sake of saying your car meets a certain spec on paper.

There is no tangible benefit performance-wise other than your perception of an improvement in performance.

If all you want is to lighten the car, that should be it. There is zero need to justify it any further, and any more attempts to make it sound performance-oriented will make your justification look stupid.

-alex

[Icanfaptothis86]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

I didn't want to argue, I know what the stuff weighs. I used to do stereo installs for a shop in high school and college.

No argument at all I was just sharing info

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Icanfaptothis86

No argument at all I was just sharing info

No I meant with D.

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by mav1178

I'll just flat out say it: you are trying to make your car a certain spec on paper, for the sake of saying your car meets a certain spec on paper.

There is no tangible benefit performance-wise other than your perception of an improvement in performance.

If all you want is to lighten the car, that should be it. There is zero need to justify it any further, and any more attempts to make it sound performance-oriented will make your justification look stupid.

-alex

but then why would car companies focus on weight distribution then? Anyways I admitted it was solely for my butt dyno... Mike@CSG (along with others on this thread) had already mentioned to me it's not as big of a deal as it can be dialed out in many different ways.

no need to get all pissy about it.

you can call my "justification" stupid in person when i see you at the 86 cup.

thanks,

Andy

[mokinbird87]

Originally Posted by drewbot

You mention you want turn in but please post full alignment specs, wheel and tire combo, tire pressures

Drewbot that is all the alignment spec I have. I`m running on Enkei RC-T4 18x8.5 mounted on Michelin pilot super sports 245/35/18 square. usually run 38psi up front 35 at the rear cold.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by mokinbird87

but then why would car companies focus on weight distribution then?

Marketing.

A rear weight bias is ideal but next to impossible with a front engine, if you can put the engine up front and get a 50/50 weight bias you've pretty much done as much as you possibly can to get the best bias possible (rearward). Thing is most people will never have the money or skill to utilize such dynamics (hence my marketing comment above), the F/R layout allows for more accessible control and fun without the other edge of the blade to cut you (snap oversteer, small window of traction, yada yada) by having an even or front static weight bias.

Which is why I suggested aerodynamic modifications, you get the traction when you need it, at speed, with very little compromise to counteract the car's sub-optimal static weight distribution.

Look at the fastest cars in the world (around a track), the hypercars and the F1 cars, they sit around 45/55 all the way down to 35/65 F/R weight distribution, that is not a mistake or compromise (hell the Nissan Deltawing is 27/73).

Tons of stuff to read up on if you're into it, formulas and such to derive.