Mid-Entry Level Suspension Setup
 

So guys I have narrowed down a possible Mid-Entry level setup for spirited driving/track/DD use.

B8 shocks
Tarmac Springs (RCE)
Whiteline Camber bolt 16mm
Grimm Speed Strut tower Brace

Now I need to know IF there is anything else that I srsly need to have to permit all of these little mods to work well together.

I have a TOYOTA GT86 (I think it's like the frs, more tail happy then BRZ).
What I'm Searching is to reduce oversteer and have a car that behave in a more neutral way.I just think that the frs/gt86 is to much tail happy especially around here with crap road surface and not very sticky tires.

I like it. That with a good alignment and the right tires would be a great set-up.

- Andy

So no need of upgrade bushing and sway bar? Do you think that this setup will make the GT less tail happy and more like a brz (neutral handling?) or I will need a stiffer front swaybar?

I want the simplest setup to start learning this car on spirited driving/track without worrying to much about different settings.

I planned this setup with the idea of reducing oversteer and increasing handling/grip

tyres will be 215/45/17 PSS on Enkei RPF1 17x7.5

Honestly I don't think you need the rear LCA. I have Ohlins RT on my car, and with the minimal rear drop I have zero need for a LCA at this time.

-alex

what camber do you have in the rear and what is your drop?
toe 0 everywhere? -2 camber around?
@Racecomp Engineering @CSG David @CSG Mike

Is it possible to have 0 toe like factory spec (I think...) without LCA using the Tarmac + B8? I know you didn't test the b8 but probably your knowledge can help you making good guess about it.

I'm around -2.25 front and -1.5 rear, toe is virtually zero.

Car is lowered around 25mm front and 20mm rear.

-alex

That's quite good. Higher camber in front, less camber rear and toe 0.
I would say is quite good. Will try without LCA then, I can always buy them if needed.

I do like the effects certain bushings make, but to keep it simple you don't need them. They're just a little bonus.

- Andy

What spring rates are the RCE Springs?

@Racecomp Engineering


5K?
not sure need to check out

285 for the TARMACS and 250 for the Yellows.

Myles

@CSG Mike

answered.

Keep in mind that the Bilsteins historically have run a LOT of gas pressure in their shocks and Koni does not. Most refer to that gas pressure as "platform" which equates to a very flat car in corners. Add in a decent spring rate (250-285) and you have something that feels more like a 340lb spring ......in the corners. I dont say that knocking the Koni's as they are adjustable. I say it so people have a better idea about the role gas pressure plays in the performance.

A responsive monotube, non adjustable damper with a solid amount of spring rate is a budget minded autocrossers nitrogen filled dream !

Myles

Koni yellows are twin tubes and the Bilstein B8s are monotubes. Of course there's a huge difference in gas pressure.

Question:

What happens if I keep the stock tyres while I upgrade the suspension as I stated in the first post? Is it gonna ride like shit because of the increase in stiffness but not of grip (stock tyres)???

Heavy understeer etc??

@Racecomp Engineering @CSG Mike

It'll ride better, if/when the damping is matched to the springs. Adding stickier tires exacerbates any balance issues (understeer/oversteer), making balancing the car to your preference more important as you go stickier and stickier.

I believe B8 can handle tarmac springs 285lbs.
I hope to have everything installed soon so I can review the first feeling and impression on this setup.

By the way do I need less camber in the rear and more in the front to make it handle better. Is it correct?

Thats not common knowledge and that post was for those who dont know that.

but older Koni's from the 80's DID run higher gas levels but weren't reliable. They eventually went to low gas pressure and found it to be super reliable.

Myles

B6 can handle up to 340 lbs rates as thats what we tested at Bilstein USA back in December of 2012 when I was there helping with the initial road tuning of several existing kits and doing our initial testing of our GTWORX/BILSTEIN kits to come. B8 just has more rebound, both have the same compression. I will try to find dyno's of those findings of the initial testing but fear it was lost on an old laptop. I will search old emails to Drew.

Typically the difference between Sport and HD was always rebound damping and that was a hair more for the Sport.

Our GTWORX valving for the Impreza/ STI and Legacy GT didnt follow those moulds because of our spring rates( at least with the WRX and STI ). We started from scratch per se. Took 5 to 10 days of road tuning( thats 2-3 shock and valving changes per day). Then find the roughest roads in San Diego/ Poway area and tune for the worst roads in America and highway chop. The canyon roads in that area are super rough and challenging but prove to emulate eat coast roads very well.

No eta on when we will produce our version but its in the works.

Skip to the 1:05 mark where they are talking about our co-branding program.

https://vimeo.com/32248028

Myles

December 2012 Poway, California.

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The money is burning a hole in my account for whenever they're done.

Curious bout this as well...

The farther down you go, the more camber you'll gain. But you'll gain more in the rear than in the front. In the end, the standard recommendation seems to be around -2.5 in the front and -1.5 in the rear, IIRC. If you're going stupid low, that might require lower control arms to bring the back in some, but getting an alignment to find out for sure would be better than just randomly throwing money out the window.